ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Both Greece's main parties agree the economy is in a mess, hobbled by a public debt and budget deficit that are among the highest in the euro zone. But ahead of national elections Sunday, they offer wildly contrasting remedies -- spending versus austerity. Socialist opposition leader George Papandreou, the likely winner, wants to inject up to €3 billion ($4.39 billion) to stimulate the economy, give public sector workers above-inflation pay rises and boost infrastructure investment. Conservative Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is seeking a renewed mandate to pass urgent but unpopular reforms. He has pledged to freeze salaries, pensions and hirings, cut spending and take severe action against widespread tax evasion.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Both Greece's main parties agree the economy is in a mess, hobbled by a public debt and budget deficit that are among the highest in the euro zone. But ahead of national elections Sunday, they offer wildly contrasting remedies -- spending versus austerity.
Socialist opposition leader George Papandreou, the likely winner, wants to inject up to €3 billion ($4.39 billion) to stimulate the economy, give public sector workers above-inflation pay rises and boost infrastructure investment.
Conservative Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is seeking a renewed mandate to pass urgent but unpopular reforms. He has pledged to freeze salaries, pensions and hirings, cut spending and take severe action against widespread tax evasion.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday promised tough economic measures to deal with Greece's ballooning debt, saying he was confident voters would opt for his difficult path in Oct. 4 elections. Karamanlis, whose New Democracy party has been trailing the opposition socialists in opinion polls, told Reuters in an interview he will speed up reforms and promote transparency if re-elected for a third term on Sunday. "Greece is at a crucial crossroads," he said. "At this moment the country needs a responsible, steady and clear policy. We face serious problems." Karamanlis called snap polls halfway through his second term, asking for a fresh mandate to deal with the economic crisis hitting the euro zone's weakest link. The last polls published showed him trailing by about 6 percentage points. He said he was confident he could beat the odds by rallying New Democracy supporters, whom pollsters see as ambivalent just days before the vote, but ruled out cooperating with the far-right to achieve a governing majority.
In the run-up to the 22 November presidential election in Romania, leaders of Transylvania's Magyar community are campaigning for an autonomous Szeklerland. But in a region where Magyars and Romanians live happily side by side, the local population appears largely indifferent to demands for independence, notes Evenimentul Zilei In Transylvania, the road linking Brasov to Covasna is redolent with the aroma of Kurtos Kalacs (sweet buns sprinkled with caramelized sugar) and homemade potato bread. This is the historic route to the country of the Szeklers, Romania's ethnic Hungarian minority, whose National Council recently voted to adopt a national anthem, a coat of arms and a flag for the "future autonomous Szeklerland." Zagon, one of the largest villages in Covasna country has about 5,000 inhabitants, with approximately 2,700 Romanians, almost as many Hungarians and about 40 Roms. Politicians in Zagon are proud of the fact that the village is run by a multi-ethnic team with a Magyar mayor, Joseph Kis, and a Romanian deputy mayor, Nicolae Coznean. Both men have known each other since they shared the same bench in primary school. "I have lived here all my life, and we have never had any ethnic issues with the Magyars and the Gipsies," explains the deputy mayor. "I can honestly say that I don't understand this Szeklerland business. Not long ago, I was talking about what's been happening with a policeman from the Magyar community, and he asked me, 'If we do have an independent Szeklerland, does that mean that I will earn twice as much as my Romanian colleagues?'" Almost everyone in Zagon can speak Romanian and Hungarian, and fluency in both languages is virtual pre-requisite for local government jobs.
In the run-up to the 22 November presidential election in Romania, leaders of Transylvania's Magyar community are campaigning for an autonomous Szeklerland. But in a region where Magyars and Romanians live happily side by side, the local population appears largely indifferent to demands for independence, notes Evenimentul Zilei
In Transylvania, the road linking Brasov to Covasna is redolent with the aroma of Kurtos Kalacs (sweet buns sprinkled with caramelized sugar) and homemade potato bread. This is the historic route to the country of the Szeklers, Romania's ethnic Hungarian minority, whose National Council recently voted to adopt a national anthem, a coat of arms and a flag for the "future autonomous Szeklerland." Zagon, one of the largest villages in Covasna country has about 5,000 inhabitants, with approximately 2,700 Romanians, almost as many Hungarians and about 40 Roms. Politicians in Zagon are proud of the fact that the village is run by a multi-ethnic team with a Magyar mayor, Joseph Kis, and a Romanian deputy mayor, Nicolae Coznean. Both men have known each other since they shared the same bench in primary school. "I have lived here all my life, and we have never had any ethnic issues with the Magyars and the Gipsies," explains the deputy mayor. "I can honestly say that I don't understand this Szeklerland business. Not long ago, I was talking about what's been happening with a policeman from the Magyar community, and he asked me, 'If we do have an independent Szeklerland, does that mean that I will earn twice as much as my Romanian colleagues?'" Almost everyone in Zagon can speak Romanian and Hungarian, and fluency in both languages is virtual pre-requisite for local government jobs.
