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OECD chief urges banks to lend more

OECD Secretary General Angel Guirra met with MEPs on Tuesday to share his outlook for Europe’s…

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OECD Secretary General Angel Guirra met with MEPs on Tuesday to share his outlook for Europe’s economy.

The OECD sees eurozone growth of 1 percent next year, hitting 1.6 percent in 2015.

Gurria told that banks need to increase lending to homes and businesses to fire up European growth once more.

“It’s not enough that the banks don’t go bankrupt.They have to lend. The problem is that they are not lending,” he told euronews’ Efi Koutsokosta.

“Governments can help by providing some guarantees maybe, some incentives, by sharing some of the initial losses.”

The former Mexican finance minister will be in the Greek capital of Athens on Wednesday when the OECD will unveil its latest report on the country’s economy.

Mr Gurria told euronews: A country like Greece which is not yet out of the programme is vulnerable and needs support. There’s work to be done in terms of collecting taxes and privatization. There’s work to be done in the fundamental elements of competitiveness, in education, innovation issues.”

Greece’s debt pile currently stands at 175.5 percent of GDP.

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Portugal: Anti-austerity protesters occupy government ministries

It was the final straw for some in Portugal.
…

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It was the final straw for some in Portugal.

As parliament passed the 2014 budget on Tuesday, paving the way for more cuts, austerity-weary trade unionists occupied four government ministries for several hours in protest.

Public sector workers are set to face salary cuts of up to 12 percent as well as reductions to their pensions.

“I am nearing retirement and, after 40 years of working, I don’t think I will have enough of a pension to live on. It’s really borderline,” said one elderly woman.

Some marched to parliament, denouncing what will be a third straight year of austerity. The government says cuts are “inevitable” as it struggles to reduce the deficit but many on the sharp end are not convinced.

“They drive people to despair, suicide and starvation,” said another elderly woman. “It can’t go on like this. This is not what the people wanted.”

The opposition has vowed to challenge some measures in the Constitutional Court. But the ruling centre-right coalition is determined to satisfy Portugal’s international lenders and avoid having to ask for a second bailout.

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Egypt: Protesters defy new anti-demonstrations law

In Cairo protests by hundreds of Egyptians continued into Tuesday night despite attempts by riot…

euronews, the most watched news channel in Europe Subscribe for your daily dose of international news, curated and explained:http://eurone.ws/10ZCK4a Euronews is available in 13 other languages: http://eurone.ws/17moBCU

http://www.euronews.com/2013/11/27/eg…
In Cairo protests by hundreds of Egyptians continued into Tuesday night despite attempts by riot police to disperse them.

Most of them were students defying a new law which bans demonstrations without prior police approval.

Activists have described the legislation as a violation of their right to protest.

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Outrage in Slovakia at election of neo-Nazi in regional poll

Authorities in central Slovakia have postponed the inauguration of far-right nationalist Marian…

euronews, the most watched news channel in Europe Subscribe for your daily dose of international news, curated and explained:http://eurone.ws/10ZCK4a Euronews is available in 13 other languages: http://eurone.ws/17moBCU

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Authorities in central Slovakia have postponed the inauguration of far-right nationalist Marian Kotleba as governor after locals protested against his election.

Since the weekend’s poll a nightly candlelight vigil has been held mainly by students at a museum which commemorates Slovakia’s fight against fascism.

Marek Šimon was one of those protesting in the region of Banská Bystrica:

“Firstly everybody was surprised that something like this can happen in the 21st century. But now everybody has woken up. We have to deal with it somehow.”

Kotleba who is leader of “Our Slovakia” party won with over 55 percent of the vote. He has a history of making racist statements and analysts think his success was fuelled by anti-Roma sentiment.

Reporting for euronews, Gergely Bártfai

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