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WORLD NEWSThursday 5 November 2015
Vatican downplays EU says Greece could return to growth in 2016
2 books recounting
financial misdeeds ATHENS, Greece (AP) — be given some lee-way as jority don’t want to stay in repossession of homes from
Greece’s economy could it is bearing the brunt of a Greece and head north to non-performing loans.
start growing again in the massive refugee crisis, with more prosperous European “While our islanders are
second half of 2016, but hundreds of thousands of countries. opening their doors to the
COLLEEN BARRY much work remains to be people streaming into the Tsipras said the financial refugees, sharing their food
Associated Press done on reforms required country from nearby Tur- crisis had created “a hu- and sometimes even the
MILAN (AP) — The Vatican for bailout loans, the Euro- key. manitarian crisis domesti- roof over their heads — at
sought Wednesday to play pean Union’s top econom- “We are a country that has cally” and his government the same time the govern-
down a pair of books re- ic and financial official said
counting financial malfea- Wednesday. A woman pays for vegetables at the central fruit and vegetable market in Athens. Greece’s econ-
sance and greed within Pierre Moscovici said com- omy could start growing again in the second half of 2016, but much work remains to be done on
the Vatican, saying many promise was possible on reforms required for bailout loans, the EU’s top financial official said Wednesday.
of the disclosures were al- how to tackle the problem
ready known and the ma- of distressed mortgages but (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
terial creates confusion that decisions need to be
about Pope Francis’ well- taken quickly if Greece is to taken on a responsibility wanted European creditors ment is obliged to increase
known reform course. receive funds from its new that is beyond its means,” to show “the same solidar- (consumer tax) to the is-
Vatican spokesman the 86-billion euro, three-year Tsipras said after a meeting ity that we are showing to lands,” he said. “While we
Rev. Federico Lombardi bailout. Pension reforms will in Athens with European the refugees.” do our best to shelter refu-
emphasized the illegally also need to be made this President Martin Schulz fo- He indicated the creditors gees were are facing irra-
leaked documents that month, he said. cusing on the refugee issue. should ease demands on tional pressure to stop pro-
provided information for A raft of spending cuts More than 600,000 people resolving distressed Greek tecting primary homes for
the books were the result and tax hikes have already have reached Greece so mortgages, so as to not Greek citizens.”
of “data and informa- been passed in parliament. far this year, and hundreds have too many people But Moscovici poured cold
tion put in motion by the “We are impressed by the have died attempting to evicted from their main water on the idea.
Holy Father himself” in the reforms voted on after Au- make the short but dan- homes. Part of bailout con- The bailout rules must be
pope’s efforts to reform gust but we must keep the gerous crossing to Greek ditions was to end consum- implemented and “nothing
the Vatican’s bureaucracy momentum,” Moscovici islands from the nearby er tax breaks for Aegean must lead to relaxing the
and finances. said. Turkish shore. The vast ma- islands and to allow the reforms,” he said.q
The publication of “a large Greece has promised to
bulk of information” that re- implement a series of re-
fers to “outdated” events forms, including tax hikes,
creates the impression of spending cuts and pen-
“a permanent reign of sion reforms, in return for
confusion, of non-transpar- the bailout, without which
ency and even the pursuit it would default on its debts
of individual or incorrect and likely end up having to
interests” that run counter leave Europe’s joint curren-
to Francis’ efforts to reform cy, the euro.
the Vatican, Lombardi said Despite initially pledging
in comments carried by to repeal bailout commit-
Vatican Radio. ments when he first came
The books by veteran Vati- to power in January, Prime
can reporters are to be Minister Alexis Tsipras has
since made a U-turn and
published Thursday but agreed to implement the
measures.
were obtained in advance However, he said Wednes-
day that Greece should
by The Associated Press.
Pro-Spain parties try to halt Catalonia effort
Among the disclosures in
CIARAN GILES against the anticipated a new regional govern- such a vote. The Spanish
“Merchants in the Temple,” Associated Press parliamentary move. ment but appear nowhere government says Catalan
MADRID (AP) — Three anti- The protest came after se- near agreement. The alli- independence is impos-
Gianluigi Nuzzi writes that independence parties filed cessionist parties used their ance, headed by acting sible as it would violate the
complaints Wednesday majority in a Catalan par- President Artur Mas, pledg- Constitution.
the cost of sainthood can with Spain’s Constitutional liament committee to set es Catalan independence Catalonia, a region of 7.5
Court against moves by the stage for a secession by 2017 if it forms govern- million people, is respon-
run up to half a million dol- secessionist parties with announcement vote in the ment. Pro-independence sible for nearly a fifth of
lars and tells the tale of a a majority in the regional Barcelona-based parlia- sentiment began to swell Spain’s economic output
monsignor who allegedly parliament of Catalonia ment, most likely Monday. some four years ago at the and is proud of its own cul-
broke down the wall of his to announce the formal The effort has been pushed height of Spain’s economic ture and language.
neighbor, an ailing priest, start of an effort to break by the “Together for Yes” crisis with secessionist par- The bid to start a process
to expand his apartment. away from Spain. Catalan pro-independence alli- ties claiming Catalonia leading to secession calls
Emiliano Fittipaldi, the au- branches of Spain’s ruling ance — which won 62 seats could do better on its own. for the regional parliament
thor of “Avarice,” claims a conservative Popular Party in Catalonia’s 135-member Observers say the effort to pass laws within 30 days
foundation set up to sup- and the Socialist and the regional parliament in Sep- to hold the vote aimed at allowing Catalonia to push
port a children’s hospital Citizens opposition parties tember elections — along setting a roadmap toward ahead toward creating a
paid 200,000 euros toward filed the appeals, two of with the radical leftist CUP secession is illegal because separate constitution, so-
renovating the apartment them calling on the court party that won 10 seats. no Spanish regional parlia- cial security system and
of the Vatican’s No. 2 at to issue a restraining order The two are in talks to form ment has the right to hold treasury. q
the time, Tarciso Bertone,
and that money donated
to help the poor was di-
verted to pay for running
the Vatican.
Bertone came under fire
last year over the apart-
ment, described in the
book as a “mega-pent-
house.” q
