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Mouskouri offers Greece pension | Mouskouri offers Greece pension |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Greek singer Nana Mouskouri says debt-laden Greece can have her European Parliament pension to help ease the pressure on the public finances. | Greek singer Nana Mouskouri says debt-laden Greece can have her European Parliament pension to help ease the pressure on the public finances. |
The singer, who served as a Euro MP from 1994 to 1999, said she saw the offer as her "duty to the country". | The singer, who served as a Euro MP from 1994 to 1999, said she saw the offer as her "duty to the country". |
She urged Greeks to help their country. She gets an EU pension of 25,000 euros (£23,000) annually, her agent said. | |
The Greek government has announced tax rises and spending cuts to slash the budget deficit and public debt burden. | The Greek government has announced tax rises and spending cuts to slash the budget deficit and public debt burden. |
Mouskouri's offer came in a letter to the Greek finance ministry, quoted by the Greek daily Eleftherotypia. She said she did not want Greece to be "treated like a dunce". | |
Mouskouri spoke of the country's "new injury which is difficult to treat, and I thought about how to help". | |
She recalled the forest fires that have ravaged parts of Greece in recent years. | She recalled the forest fires that have ravaged parts of Greece in recent years. |
Mouskouri is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time and has sold more than 300 million records. | Mouskouri is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time and has sold more than 300 million records. |
Born on the island of Crete, she has recorded 1,500 songs in seven languages during her career. | Born on the island of Crete, she has recorded 1,500 songs in seven languages during her career. |
She was an MEP for Greece's conservative New Democracy party, which is now in opposition. | She was an MEP for Greece's conservative New Democracy party, which is now in opposition. |
The socialist government has pledged to reduce Greece's budget deficit from 12.7% - more than four times the limit under eurozone rules - to 8.7% during 2010. | The socialist government has pledged to reduce Greece's budget deficit from 12.7% - more than four times the limit under eurozone rules - to 8.7% during 2010. |
It is also seeking to reduce its 300bn euro ($419bn; £259bn) debt. | It is also seeking to reduce its 300bn euro ($419bn; £259bn) debt. |
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