(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, OCTOBER 11 - Greece's Finance Ministry on
Thursday denied media reports that troika officials were
allegedly pressing the Greek government to evacuate thinly
populated islands in order to cut costs, as daily Kathimerini
reports. The online version of Proto Thema newspaper earlier on
Thursday reported that the country's foreign lenders suggested
that Greeks residing on islands with less than 150 inhabitants,
be relocated elsewhere. The newspaper was quoting comments
allegedly made by Merchant Marine and Aegean Minister Costas
Mousouroulis during a meeting with representatives of Greece's
shipping industry. ''I told them (the troika) that they must be
out of their minds. This is not something we will negotiate,''
Mousouroulis was quoted as saying. In a statement, the Finance
Ministry said the reports were just ''rumors.'' (ANSAmed).
