"We are trying to get the country out of the ICU and tidy up the economy," Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou stated in Parliament on Friday, regarding the state budget for 2010. The premier said that the next year would be one of major changes in several sectors of the economy, society and Greek institutions, with social dialogue on all these issues beginning in coming period.
The campaigns of the three candidates for the main opposition New Democracy (ND) leadership race is heating up as the November 29 election for a new party president approaches. On Friday, Dora Bakoyannis will address a gathering in Maroussi, Antonis Samaras in Keratsini and Nea Smyrni in the greater Athens area, and Panagiotis Psomiadis in Thessaloniki.
A European Union special summit on Thursday named Belgian prime minister Herman Van Rompuy as the 27-nation bloc's first president, and European trade commissioner from Britain Catherine Ashton as the EU's new foreign policy chief. The 62-year-old Rompuy is the first President of the European Council (council of the heads of state and government of the 27 EU member countries), while Lady Ashton is the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The summit selected the two top officials that will represent the entire EU on the world stage.
The Greek government on Friday tabled in Parliament the state budget for 2010, envisaging measures to cut the country's fiscal deficit to a single-digit number.
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Hellenic Petroleum on Thursday reported stronger 9-month results, with net profits totaling 201 million euros in the Jan-Sept. period
Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov will be making a presentation on his country's economy in Athens next week.
The City of Athens has "constructed" a "Recycling Town" for three days in Syntagma Square to inform city residents and visitors on ways of recycling.
Stocks ended sharply lower in the ASE on Friday, with the composite index of the market ending slightly above the 2,400 level.
Clarifications on the 'freeze' on public sector salaries and the appointment the EU's first President and Foreign Affairs Chief were the main front-page items in Friday's dailies.
