On Friday morning the Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis visited the small and middle companies Guarantee Fund.

Karamanlis got acquainted with the execution of support programs for small firms by the Minister of development, Kostas Hadzidakis, the Fund's chairman, Niko Domeniko and the general manager, Niko Tritari.

In an announcement made after the meeting the Prime Minister assessed the work of the fund as very good and said hat one of the most serious problems that evolved from the crisis was the lack of liquidity on the market, adding that the government has undertaken measures, through the work of this fund, to support businesses and protect working places.

European economies curve is dropping to the low-results areas, pushing the government down, and according to experts this will soon result into changes in the cabinet, expected to be announced next week. This is a presumable attempt of Mr. Karamanlis to rescue the government, despite no alterations can entirely change the current situation of constant scandals.

Some of the changes result from the round of meetings the prime-minister had with particular ministers. According to sources, Karamanlis is going to create an independent Environmental Ministry and unite the Public projects Ministry with the Ministry of Transportation into a Ministry of Infrastructure. Dora Backoyani will remain on her position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The changes will be officially announced during the week, when the President Karolos Papoulias will return from holiday.

The two political powers need to reach a consensus on the choice of head of state but in case this does not happen, since the expectations are that PASOK is not going to support any nomination, preliminary elections will most certainly take place, say experts.

Dilyana Ivanova