Global Greek Radio

CONTENTS
[01] PM: The revolution of the self-evident
[02] Gov't statement on truck owners' decision to end mobilisations
[03] Truck owners vote to end strike
[04] Samaras visits Rethymno
[05] Crisis dampens August exodus
[06] Fires in the Peloponnese
[07] Athens Newspaper headlines
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[01] PM: The revolution of the self-evident

Prime Minister George Papandreou called on Greek expatriates to "send
the message that Greece can", while opening a three-day conference
organised by the World Council of Cretans and Lassithi prefecture that
is taking place in Agios Nikolaos, Lassithi on the island of Crete, on
Friday night.

"We are called today to do the revolution of the self-evident," the
prime minister said and referred to the efforts being made to take the
country out of the crisis, the measures being taken in all levels and
the efforts for transparency in all sectors.

Papandreou said that a "collective effort is need in order to take the
country out of the crisis" and praised the work done by Cretan
expatriates in supporting Greece.

"Your presence here is very important because it is a vote of
confidence to our country," the premier added.

Referring to the "need for changes in all sectors," Papandreou spoke of
the fight against corruption in all sectors and the fight against tax
evasion, the effort for creating a better public health system, better
education and a modern social security scheme.

Regarding the island of Crete, the prime minister accused the previous
New Democracy government of "abandoning Crete at its fate", and
underlined the need for the shaping of a new model for growth of the
island.

Speaking on energy policy issues, Papandreou said the strategic policy
of his government was the renewable energy sources and announced that
the government was examining the issue of establishing an "energy link"
between Crete and continental Greece.

"The big wager is to make Crete an energy hub," he said.

He also called on expatriate Greeks to invest in Greece and
"participate in the cosmogony of changes taking place".

The conference was also adressed by Parliament President Philippos
Petsalnikos.


[02] Gov't statement on truck owners' decision to end mobilisations

ANA-MPA/The government commenting late Sunday afternoon on the decision
by the truck owners earlier in the day to end their strike said it
would withdraw an order for civil mobilisation when market is
normalised.

"It is clear that, on condition that transporters return to their
duties and the market's functioning is absolutely normalised, civil
mobilisation has no sense," a statement by the government said.

"As everybody assertains, the market is becoming normal, yesterday
(Saturday) and today (Sunday). The transports market will open. This
reform is necessary for the economy and the citizens and for this
reason the draft bill will go ahead," the statement added.


[03] Truck owners vote to end strike

Greek truck owners on Sunday voted to end a strike that had starved the
country of fuel and dealt a severe blow to tourist enterprises hoping
to make up revenue losses from a lacklustre tourist season during the
July-August peak.

The vote was carried by a narrow majority during the truckers' general
meeting and not before serious problems had been caused to the supply
of goods to markets throughout Greece. Truck owners are now waiting for
the government to end the civil mobilisation and warned that they will
resume strike action if the government failed to honour its side of the
bargain. If all goes well, they go back to work on Monday.

The meeting had been preceded by a flurry of consultations the day
before that also involved other professional groups, which mediated
between truckers and the government with proposals that truck owners
suspend their open-ended strike if the government stopped a civil
mobilisation to force truck owners back to work and requisition their
vehicles.

The proposal was adopted by both striking truckers and Infrastructure,
Transport and Networks Minister Dimitris Reppas, provided that the
truckers pledged not to begin any new strike action while dialogue on a
draft bill to open up the road freight sector was underway. The draft
bill is due to be voted on at the end of September.

The minister said that the dialogue will deal with proposals linked to
tax and insurance issues relating to truck owners and ways to make them
eligible for assistance under the development law. At the same time, he
ruled out any discussion on extending the three-year transition period
from the current licensing regime to the new system.

According to the truckers' union president Georgios Tzortzatos, all
truck owners will return to their work on Monday morning under the
condition that the government will annul the civil mobilisation order
and a new round of dialogue will start with the government.

"We reached the decision with a sense of responsibility and taking in
account all the problems that have been caused by the truckers'
action," Tzortzatos said.

According to the latest reports, meanwhile, private, armed forces and
requisitioned fuel tanker trucks were making good progress restocking
the market with fuel, with a large number of petrol stations in Attica
and Thessaloniki now having adequate supplies.

Truck owners began last Monday after the government unveiled a draft
bill that opens up the road freight market that is currently only open
to government-licensed "public use" vehicles. The last truck licences
in the country were issued by the government in the 1970s and there has
since developed an informal market in truck licences.  Greek truck
owners on Sunday voted to end a strike that had starved the country of
fuel and dealt a severe blow to tourist enterprises hoping to make up
revenue losses from a lacklustre tourist season during the July-August
peak.


[04] Samaras visits Rethymno

ANA-MPA/Main opposition New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras was
briefed on the problems faced by Rethymno prefecture on Crete during a
visit there on Saturday evening.

Samaras attended a meeting at the Rethymno Chamber of Industry and
Commerce, also attended by ND MP Olga Kefalogiannis and other Cretan
officials. ND's leader afterward described the meeting as constructive
and promised to carefully examine a memorandum he was given analysing
the area's problems and needs.

According to local officials, income from tourism in Rethymno is
reduced 10 percent relative to the previous year and many tourist
enterprises were now in trouble. Locals also complained about
insufficient transport links to their part of Crete.


[05] Crisis dampens August exodus

The first wave of city-dwellers leaving urban centres for their
holidays peaked this weekend but was significantly smaller than the
previous year, according to traffic police estimates.

Partly on account of the economic crisis and the much higher price of
petrol but also because of the truck owners' strike and the uncertainty
about whether holiday-makers would be able to find fuel at their
destination far fewer private cars were on the road.

Seats on inter-city buses or trains were fully booked, however, as were
those on all domestic flights.

Those opting to travel to the Aegean islands and Crete by boat were
fewer than last year, with both the number of routes and the number of
passengers reduced by 8-9 percent relative to last year.

Specifically, the shipping ministry reported that 30 ships carrying a
total of 35,814 passengers and 6,684 vehicles left Piraeus on Saturday
while on the equivalent Saturday the previous year there had been 33
ships carrying 38,564 passengers and 6,675 vehicles.

A further 31 ships are scheduled to leave Piraeus on Sunday, and
another 19 from Rafina.


[06] Fires in the Peloponnese

ANA-MPa/Two wildfires broke out on Sunday in the region of Kastritsi
and Platani in the Achaia prefecture, northern Peloponnese. Eight fire
engines with a 20 member crew assisted by a foot division were battling
the blaze which continues to burn brushland and farm expanses.

The blaze at Kastritsi has been partly contained.

Another blaze that broke out at the area of Lithopetra, is partly under
control.


[07] Athens Newspaper headlines

Athens' Sunday newspapers at a glance

The new economic measures demanded by European Commission, European
Central Bank and IMF inspectors and the government's handling of the
truck owners' strike dominated the front-page items in Athens' dailies
on Sunday.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Government like a....runaway truck! The first
nightmarish 96 hours that dried out Greece and the next that will undo
it...".

APOGEVMATINI: "New levy for civil servants. They'll have to dig deeper
into their pockets from 2011 in order to pay obligations for retirement
lump sums!".

ARTHRO: "New Memorandum at the gates. The government close to signing
new document with the 'troika' (European Commission-ECB-IMF)"

AVGHI: "Wintertime in August..." (article criticising "government
coups" to completely subjugate labour reactions, along the lines of the
truck owners' strike).

AVRIANI: "After the truck owners it will be the turn of the public
utilities".

CHORA: "The many forms of political violence and the government's
'papal infallibility'. The imposition of decisions on all classes is
done without...an anaesthetic".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Fuel fiasco lights a fire under the government"

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Pensions: who gets away before 65. Two circulars
clarify the scene created by the new pension law".

EPOHI: "The army was passing all night...but truckers did not start
their engines".

ETHNOS: "One billion-worth in tax evasion through leisure craft
discovered by SDOE (financial crimes squad). 'Big catches' at marinas
after finance ministry inspections".

KATHIMERINI: "Open wounds and closed professions. First tough clash
between the government and truck owners, more expected".

LOGOS: "Growth plan an immediate necessity for the prime minister!
Griping over [Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister Dimitris
Reppas]-[Finance Minister George Papanconstantinou] within PASOK".

NIKI: "10+1 useful tips before you retire. 'Don't rush into it', warns
the legal advisor of ADEDY M. Tsipra".

PARON: "Politician's abduction among the plans of the 'Sect of
Revolutionaries'".

PROTO THEMA: "Mega yacht fraud by seven 'Croesuses'. They are renting
their luxury craft to themselves"

REAL NEWS: "Poisonous suspicion. They are seeking the author of the
proclamation among the MEDIA".

RIZOSPASTIS: "New counter-insurance measures with an unending attack on
workers".

VETO: "Petsalnikos...the Great! New grievous provocation for the
sorely-tested (by the unbearable IMF measures) Greek people". [Accuses
Parliament president of "two-speed" implementation of the cuts and
austerity measures decided by the government]

TO VIMA: "Hard rock. Long-drawn-out conflict between George [PM George
Papandreou] and trade groups. IMF demanding lay-offs at public
utilities/state enterprises".

VRADYNI: "Mammoth plan to combat unemployment. The 150,000 new jobs
through OAED (Manpower Employment Organisation). Labour ministry
actions to start in September".