Gov't determined to revamp economy

    BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA / V. Mourtis) - Prime Minister George Papandreou, speaking at the end of the European Union summit in Brussels on Friday, said the measures his government will take to reverse Greece's now acute fiscal and economic woes concern a crackdown on tax evasion, contribution evasion and widespread corruption.

    Speaking to reporters during a press conference televised by state television, Papandreou said measures will also be taken of a structural nature, such as decreasing the country's administration levels from five to three, by abolishing the regional and prefectural levels.

    Moreover, he categorically rejected initiatives similar to those announced by Ireland because, as he stressed, the problems of the two countries are different and "it would be a mistake to take the same measures for different problems."

    The Greek prime minister also rejected the possibility of Athens resorting to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while queried over international pressures from international firms, he replied with a phrase by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, namely, that it is unacceptable for the economies of countries to be prey to assessments of various credit rating firms.

    Papandreou further clarified that he has not requested special support from the EU, considering that support provided for Greece at political level was very adequate.

    "... we are not asking them to give us gifts, nor for our partners to save us." He added that Greece could not convince its partners if it did not acknowledge the problems and if it lacked proposals that can take the country out of the crisis.

    Focusing on the country, in particular, Papandreou said that he himself raised the issue (of the Greek economy) during the summit, where he acknowledged the magnitude of the problem and described the framework of a solution that the government is determined to provide.

    The Greek government emerged from the summit with an improved image since, as Papandreou said, the solidarity of all 27 partners was expressed and whom he thanked. "The support they gave concerns the recognition that Greece is not on the brink of bankruptcy, neither will it go bankrupt nor will it find itself outside the eurozone."

    The prime minister denied that measures of a strictly revenue-generating nature will be taken, referring to "panic-stricken analyses citing measures that the government neither planned nor will be taking."

    "All the measures that will be taken, and which shall be tough but fair, will not aim at decreasing salaries and pensions, because neither salary-earners and pensioners are to blame for the crisis, nor can the country's economic problem be solved with such measures," he said.

    Lastly, in an unrelated development, Papandreou referred to the desecration of the tomb of late Cyprus president Tassos Papadopoulos, terming the act unacceptable and sacrilegious.

   

   

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