News of the day from Greece - note that secret polls show Pasok and New Democracy stumbling as greeks head to the polls

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/55281

Press Watch, May 3

by George Gilson 3 May 2012

The failure of Pasok and New Democracy to effectively rally their parties is capturing press attention The failure of Pasok and New Democracy to effectively rally their parties captured press attention just one day before the official end of the electoral campaign.   Both of the once very large parties – ND and Pasok – have hammered voters with the notion that only a vote for them can ensure political stability.   Yesterday, outgoing premier Lucas Papademos ratcheted up the pressure, warning the electorate (through his remarks at the last cabinet meeting of his government) that the May 6 elections will decide the future of the country for the next decades, and the press devoted considerable attention to this.   The intervention was a clear boost for pro-memorandum parties. Obviously, it is not a very good omen for the future of Greek democracy if the electorate in one election can determine the country’s course for decades.   The decision of the Standard and Poor's to slightly upgrade Greek government bonds to CCC offered a slight ray of optimism. But the rating agency made its own intervention in Greek politics, raising questions about post-electoral political stability and about the determination of the political establishment to implement structural reforms.   Attention was also paid to former Premier George Papandreou’s interview with Time magazine, where he said that Greeks were treated as guinea pigs in an economic experiment.   “Final dilemmas posed by ND and Pasok” reported Kathimerini’s headline. Samaras proclaimed that the country’s political stability is at stake. Venizelos is posing the dilemma “euro or drachma”, a dilemma that was the constant refrain of premiers Papandreou and Papademos. For Papandreou, at least, it did not work very well. “Greece has record high unemployment in the EU” read a small side story’s title. It reported that the unemployment rate among youth (up to age 25) is a huge 51.2 percent. “[Political] fireworks and dilemmas” declared Ta Nea’s headline. The report spoke of Samaras’ declaration – famous last words – that he refuses to enter a ruling coalition with Pasok. Venizelos focused on the structural reforms demanded by Greece’s creditors, declaring that Greece will go bankrupt if the reforms do not go forward.   “Grey zones for Pasok and ND in polls” reported Ethnos’ headline. The report said that secret polls conducted by the parties confirm the dramatic fall in support for the two parties.   “I made you guinea pigs” was Eleftheros Typos’ headline, which purportedly quoted Papandreou’s interview with Time magazine. “Kammenos offered me money to run on the statewide ticket” read another front-page title, quoting anti-memorandum economist Dimtris Kazakis. Kammenos allegedly promised to help finance Kazakis’ tiny United Popular Front (Epam), if the economist were to run on the Independent Greeks ticket. The newspaper has made a concerted effort to dig up dirt about Kammenos. and... http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/55265 News bites @ noon by Damian Mac Con Uladh 3 May 2012 Two men enjoy a warm evening by the coast near Athens, 2 May 2012 (Reuters) 1. AVOID REPEAT ELECTIONS The Pasok leader said on Wednesday that he is totally opposed to a second round of elections after May 6's vote, arguing that this would hurt the country and prolong uncertainty. He accused other parties of ignoring his proposal to extend the fiscal adjustment period (the time that Greece has to reach a deficit of 3 percent) from two years to three, an idea that would have been accepted by the troika. “Instead of doing so, ND maintains that ‘money can be found’, whereas the Left has adopted an irresponsible position advocating the country’s exodus from the eurozone,” he stressed.   2. CHANGE EVERYTHING Addressing a large rally in Thessaloniki on Wednesday night, Antonis Samaras called again for his New Democracy party to be given an absolute majority "to change everything". He also reiterated his opposition to continuing the coalition with Pasok, blaming that party for the situation the country is in. Among the audience was former prime minister Kostas Karamanlis. Samaras also warned that voting for leftwing parties would give Pasok a "kiss of life". He concluded his address saying "with God's help, Greece will manage", which was followed by the singing of the national anthem.   3. KKE RALLY Communist Party (KKE) supporters were told on Wednesday that the struggle cannot only be directed at the tip of the iceberg but must target the whole iceberg itself. Aleka Papariga was referring to proposals made by the Radical Left Coalition that the country's leftwing parties should form a government after the election. She said that calls for the KKE to participate in government were a "bluff", designed to snatch votes and snatch people's hopes. 4. HIV TESTING The Centre for the Control and Prevention of Diseases (Keelpno) has said it will continue to carry out HIV tests on prostitutes working the streets of the centre of Athens after it emerged that another five women tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. Seventeen prostitutes, many of them intravenous drug users, have now been found with HIV. Meanwhile, criticisms of the police roundups continue. Humanitarian aid group Médecins Sans Frontières said that “public health cannot be guaranteed by police-style health checks and a culture of fear surrounding ‘health bombs’”, while the government’s own secretariat for gender equality said the way the police are going about the issue “stigmatised” the victims of sexual violence.   5. ILLEGAL BROTELS At least 315 illegal brothels are operating in central Athens, the Athens municipality announced on Wednesday. In 2011 alone, municipal services, in cooperation with the police, ordered the sealing of 87 such premises, of which 82 were shut down. However, in a sign that sealing a premises has little effect, 196 premises previously sealed were found to have returned to business.   6. ERT MAKES PROFIT Hellenic Broadcasting (ERT), the national broadcaster, has reported a pretax profits of 57m euros in 2011 –despite revenue having fallen for the second year running . In 2009, the company recorded a loss of 9m euros. “The goal is to keep ERT independent and strong,” Labis Tagmatarchis, ERT CEO, stressed. The station's main source of revenue is through a surcharge of about 50 euros a year applied to electricity bills.   7. PSOMIADIS JAILED Fugitive former nightclub and soccer team owner Panagiotis Psomiadis, wanted on a string of charges related to a matchfixing scandal, was led to Korydallos prison in Piraeus on Wednesday afternoon under tight security. He was extradited to Greece on Monday, after five months in a Fyrom jail.   8. BEARS TO GET FENCE Funding has been approved to construct a reinforced fence along the Siatista-Koromilia section of the Egnatia highway, which crosses northern Greece, in order to reduce the number of accidents involving vehicles and bears. The fence will cost 10.5m euro. According to environmental group Callisto, there have been 24 road accidents involving bears since 2009 on the roads in in Western Macedonia.   9. SUPERLEAGUE Panathinaikos was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Atromitos and PAOK beat AEK 1-0 at home in Superleague playoffs on Wednesday. Standings: Panathinaikos 5 points, PAOK 3, Atromitos 1, AEK 0.