Titoli di Stato area Euro GRECIA Operativo titoli di stato - Cap. 1 (10 lettori)

[tommy271]

Greece to create finance police force to combat tax evasion



17:04, December 03, 2010


The cash-strapped Greek government plans to create a finance police force to intensify the crackdown on tax dodgers, the head of the Financial Crimes Squad announced Thursday.

The Greek Citizens' Protection Ministry has sent a presidential decree draft to President Karolos Papoulias for ratification on the creation of the new force.

Financial Crimes Squad secretary Yiannis Kapeleris told Greek media the new force would fight tax evasion, illegal economic transactions and fraud in the management of European Union funds.

The Greek government is now racing against time to put state finances in order over a three-year period, aided by European Union and International Monetary Fund loans.

Burdened by a budget deficit that stood at 15.4 percent of GDP in late 2009, Greece reached the brink of bankruptcy this spring.

After a string of painful austerity measures that have caused loud public protests, the government is now focusing on structural reforms and widespread tax evasion.

According to Kapeleria, the Financial Crimes Squad has issued 4 billion euros (5.2 billion U.S. dollars) in fines against tax evaders so far this year, compared to a 2009 total of 1.7 billion euros (2.23 billion dollars).

The fines this year were issued after a series of investigations into 1,500 companies operating in the shipyards sector, on more than 2,250 doctors, 299 owners of lavish yachts and three fashion designers, he said.

Government officials and local analysts believe the tax evasion "plague" in Greece is a major factor in Greece's parlous public finances.

Low income employees and pensioners who face drastic cutbacks on salaries, pensions and tax hikes this year denounce austerity policies, arguing that the government should place the burden on tax dodgers.

(Il Quotidiano del Popolo, Pechino)

 

[tommy271]

S&P Puts Greece΄s ΄BB+΄ Rating On Creditwatch



S&P Puts Greece’s ΄BB+΄ Rating On Creditwatch

Standard & Poor warned Greece it could receive a lower credit rating as a possible European Union treaty would change the seniority of private-sector creditors, according to the agency’s latest press release.

S&P said it placed Greece’s “BB+” long-term on creditwatch with negative implications. At the same time, Standard & Poor΄s affirmed its ΄B΄ short-term sovereign credit rating on Greece. The ΄AAA΄ transfer and convertibility Assessment is unchanged.

More details about the European Stability Mechanism will emerge in the near future but “on balance, the ESM could have negative implications for the probability of nongovernmental holders of sovereign debt being paid in full and on time," said Standard & Poor΄s credit analyst Moritz Kraemer.

"Before coming to that conclusion, we will analyze the particulars of the ESM that will eventually be presented to national governments or parliaments for
ratification", adds Kraemer.

Greece is considered as a candidate to receive additional financing through the ESM,, above and beyond the financing it has already received from the International Monetary Fund, says the agency. “This explains our placement of Greece on creditwatch with negative implication, alongside Ireland and Portugal”, it adds.

Standard & Poor΄s Ratings Services aims to resolve the creditwatch placement within the next three months after analyzing the final details of the proposed ESM.

(Capital.gr)

 

[tommy271]

I TITOLI DEI GIORNALI DI OGGI:

Labor relations, changes to the new tax law and the economy were the main front-page items in Athens' newspapers on Friday.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Chaos with salary reductions in the private sector".

AVGHI: "Uproar over GSEE (General Confederation of Workers of Greece) leader's secret negotiation with SEB (Federation of Hellenic Enterprises)".

AVRIANI: "The 'port gang' to face felony charges".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "British gang of blackmarketeers in the center of Athens".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Manifesto of foolery".

ESTIA: "The economy's 'cushion'."

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "2 additional conditions on SEB (Federation of Hellenic Enterprises) from GSEE (General Confederation of Workers of Greece)".

ETHNOS: "Thriller with the 'haircut' of public sector salaries".

IMERISSIA: "The bill on the new contracts - As of January 1, salaries to be set by each enterprise".

KATHIMERINI: "Everyone seeking a good transfer".

LOGOS: "Reduction of salaries in the private sector the next 'target'."

NAFTEMPORIKI: "New type of subsidies from the developmental law".

NIKI: "The game being played with the German war reparations".

PARASKEVI+13: "Greeks, work for free".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Hell for workers".

TA NEA: "The six changes regarding contracts, salaries".

VRADYNI: "Full-speed backwards".

(ana.gr)

 

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Io faccio affidamento sulla capacità del governo di Dublino nel raccattare quei pochi voti che serviranno ad approvare la manovra (in Italia abbiamo una certa esperienza).
Si andrebbe poi verso metà mese con il Vertice Ecofin dove - mi auguro - vengano poste basi giuridiche più solide intorno all'Euro.

Poi vengano pure le elezioni anticipate e la sconfitta del Fianna Fail ... .

Si lo spero anch'io ma ricordo che cinque anni fa la maggioranza degli irlandesi votò contro la Costituzione Europea (assieme all'Olanda)

 

[tommy271]

Contraband cigarettes seized




More than 250,000 packs of contraband cigarettes were seized in the port of Patras on Friday concealed in an Italy-bound truck, and the 58-year-old driver was arrested.

Port authorities found 274,760 packs of cigarettes of various brands hidden in a truck that was due to board a ship headed for Italy, during a routine check.

The cigarettes were concealed beneath plastic flower-pots.

(ana.gr)

***
Contrabbando.

 

[tommy271]

Si lo spero anch'io ma ricordo che cinque anni fa la maggioranza degli irlandesi votò contro la Costituzione Europea (assieme all'Olanda)

Gli irlandesi sono antieuropeisti (nonostante abbiano incassato laute sovvenzioni UE).
Sono gli ultimi ad aver ratificato il Trattato di Lisbona.

 

[tommy271]

Liquidity boost for banks ready

Lenders believe assistance will support credit growth but insist that solutions lie in Greece’s fiscal health

By Yiannis Papadoyiannis - Kathimerini


Greece’s banks have access to 24 billion euros provided by the state in the form of guarantees to boost the financial system and improve liquidity.

The Bank of Greece has completed its distribution of the capital that each bank is entitled to, based on market share as determined by loan portfolios.

Each of the larger lenders is estimated to receive about 3-4 billion euros apiece.
In order to receive the money, the banks need to submit an application to the Finance Ministry.

The funds will provide some breathing space to the banking system, as well as the broader economy, given the tight liquidity conditions caused by Greece’s debt crisis.

The money comes at a difficult time for local banks, which are being tested by falling deposits, rising nonperforming loans and an inability to raise much-needed funds from the wholesale lending market.

Banking industry officials believe that the 24 billion euros will provide lenders with more flexibility, helping to keep annual credit growth at around 1 percent by the end of 2010.

Bank officials add, however, that although the state assistance may ease the economy’s liquidity woes in the short term, it won’t solve them.

In order for lending to stage a recovery, the government needs to restore its fiscal health and boost the economy, enabling Greece to return to the debt market.

If the government does not complete one or two successful debt auctions, then banks cannot expect to return to the wholesale lending market.

Since Greece is not expected to return to the debt market anytime soon, banks are for now concentrating on holding onto deposits.


(Kathimerini.gr)

 

[tommy271]

PPC signs deal with French EDF



Public Power Corporation (PPC) has signed a memorandum of cooperation with France’s EDF Energies Nouvelles to jointly develop renewable energy projects in Greece, it said yesterday.
PPC said the agreement, which concerns its renewable energy arm PPC Renewables, is looking into setting up 200 megawatts (MW) of wind parks in Florina, northern Greece, along with a 90 MW wind and hydroelectric energy plant in Crete.
“The agreement relates to making use of combined knowledge and experience from the two groups,” the Greek company said in a statement.
PPC and EDF Energies Nouvelles intend to build on ties after starting up a joint 38 MW project in Viotia, central Greece, PPC added.
The portfolio of PPC Renewables, which is running a 2-billion-euro investment plan up to 2015, includes 123 MW of operating wind, hydroelectric and solar power plants.


(Kathimerini.gr)


***
Settore energetico.

 

[tommy271]

Athens Plus

The last edition of Kathimerini’s weekly English-language newspaper will be published today following a decision to cease publication. Athens Plus first came out in June 2008 and went on to win the award for best-designed weekly newspaper in Europe. Please send comments to [email protected].


***
Crisi ... è dura per tutti.

 

[tommy271]

OSE staff seek better jobs

Employees facing transfer ‘besieging’ gov’t officials with requests for cushy posts


Government officials are said to have been besieged by requests from employees of the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) seeking to secure transfers to favorable posts in other public sector organizations as a radical restructuring of the loss-making railway network gets under way.

Although officials at the Interior Ministry did not publicly admit that they were coming under pressure, sources told Kathimerini that written requests for favorable transfers had flooded the ministry and other government offices. Ministry officials said the government aimed to satisfy the preferences of as many of the OSE workers as possible but that procedures would remain transparent. In cases where several candidates have asked to be transferred to the same post, the choice will be made on the basis of set criteria including family situation and years of service completed.

Meanwhile the government is awaiting a full list of vacancies in the public sector. Ministries and public companies have been given until today to submit a full list of vacant posts.

These posts are to be filled by around 2,700 OSE workers facing transfer. According to the Interior Ministry’s plan, priority will be given to public companies that have requested additional employees due to understaffing. Of the 2,700 OSE employees facing transfer, 1,288 are high school graduates. Most of them will be transferred to administrative posts in state hospitals, schools, offices of the Social Security Foundation (IKA), municipal authorities and ministries. Another 178 of the OSE workers who are university graduates are expected to be transferred to management positions at ministries which have corresponding vacancies.

It remains unclear what will become of more than 1,000 track workers, stationmasters and other medium-skilled employees. It appears that most will be transferred to posts as cleaners at schools or hospital porters. Many of these workers are reportedly pressing for jobs as clerks in ministries or guards at schools and universities.

To protest the planned transfers, the OSE workers’ union has called a 24-hour strike for Wednesday, December 8. The action will seriously disrupt train services nationwide.


(Kathimerini.gr)

***
Il settore ferroviario sarà prossimamente investito da pesanti tagli e conseguente privatizzazione (parziale).