Greece Outside In: 02/25/14

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Moyes shuffles midfield for Olympiakos test

Piraeus (Greece) (AFP) - Manchester United manager David Moyes made three changes to his midfield for his side's Champions League last 16 first-leg match at Olympiakos in Piraeus on Tuesday.

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Tanker hijacked off Angola in Jan returned, minus $8 million of diesel

LUANDA (Reuters) - An oil tanker hijacked for a week off Angola in January has been returned to the country's authorities, a board member at state oil firm Sonangol said on Tuesday, adding that the hijackers had stolen diesel worth $8 million from the ship.

The Liberian-flagged MT Kerala was under a time charter contract for Sonangol when it vanished off the coast of the capital Luanda on January 18 before being intercepted by the Nigerian navy a week later.

The incident raised concerns that piracy is spreading south from the Gulf of Guinea, near Africa's biggest oil producer Nigeria, where most hijacking gangs originate.

Angola is the continent's second-biggest crude operator and almost all of its production is offshore.

The incident sparked a row between the Angolan government, which accused the crew of disabling the ship's communications to fake a pirate attack, and the vessel's Greek owners, who said pirates hijacked the vessel and stole a large quantity of cargo.

"The MT Kerala was found in Nigerian waters, but as the coast there did not offer security it was taken to Ghanaian waters and then recovered with help from both countries' authorities and brought to Luanda," Sonangol board member Anabela Fonseca told a news conference.

"It is now with Angola government authorities ... We (Sonangol) managed to recover around 78 percent of the cargo, but they managed to transfer about 12,000 tonnes of diesel, so that is what we lost," she added, without commenting on who was responsible for the theft.

Mateus Neto, also a member of Sonangol's board, told the news conference that the diesel the company lost was worth around $8 million.

(Reporting by Shrikesh Laxmidas; editing by Andrew Roche)

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This Map Shows Where People Are Most Satisfied With Their Country's Direction

Like many things, optimism about a country's course varies widely around the world. In some countries, an overwhelming majority of citizens feel like their country is on track, and in others, an equally overwhelming majority believe the opposite.

To see this, below is a map based on data from the 2013 Pew Research Global Attitudes Project. It shows the percentage of the populations in the surveyed countries that were satisfied with their country's direction.

The citizens of China and Malaysia appear to be very satisfied with their countries' directions, with 85% and 83% of their respective populations answering positively.

The bottom of the list consists of countries in the troubled Southern European periphery — Spain (5% satisfied), Italy (3%), and Greece (2%). With enduring high unemployment and political turmoil, it is not surprising that huge majorities find their countries headed in the wrong direction.

The United States falls near the middle of the surveyed countries, with 31% of respondents saying they were satisfied with the country's direction.

Here is a list of the countries, adapted from Pew Research's summary data:

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Olive Tree Down: PASOK, The 58 Fall Out

Greece’s already-fractured Center-Left spun out of control into a vortex on Feb. 25 when The 58 Initiative, a collection of intellectuals and academics hoping to unify the alignment, said it would not work with the vanishing PASOK Socialists to form a singular Olive Tree movement. That was in reference to an Italian scheme and was designed to prevent a complete collapse of the Socialists and their ideological kin who fell into chaos instead over voting methods. The 58 wanted to keep the status quo of having candidates on the ballot chosen by parties and not, as PASOK wanted, to let voters pick who they wanted to vote for on the ballot by putting a cross next to their names. That idea was embraced by the ruling New Democracy Conservatives of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, whom PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos serves as his Deputy Premier/Foreign Minister, rewarded with the titles after backing harsh austerity measures imposed by the government on the orders of international lenders. Yiannis Boulgaris, who heads the collection of people frustrated with the fast-fading PASOK and other splintered Leftists parties, called Venizelos and told him the Initiative wouldn’t take part in a collaboration. Venizelos had wanted PASOK, which has hit a rock bottom 3-5 percent in polls and is danger of not making the threshold to enter Parliament in the next elections, to be on a unified ticket with the Initiative to prevent a collapse. Confusion was said to reign between the two sides as neither seemed to know what the other wanted nor how to get it, with PASOK in a panic mode as the major opposition Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) has taken the lead in polls. SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras, who is opposed the terms of two bailouts with the Troika of the European Union-International Monetary Fund-European Central Bank (EU-IMF-ECB) said the ruling parties and he will come to power next year and force a renegotiation or Greece will walk away from the $325 billion it owes, leaving the country broke. Compounding the uncertainty, some members of The 58 disagreed with their leader, setting up a three-way schism of doubt. “It will not participate in the procedures or in the negotiations to draw up a euro voting list. It does not refer to names and there will be no candidates representatives of the 58 listed on the ballot,” the Initiative statement said. The 58 indirectly blamed Venizelos, saying he was defensive and trying to micro-manage and take over the joint effort. The 58 officials stated they would participate in a political conference on March 8-9 with European Parliament President Martin Schulz trying to restructure the democratic left by supporting the European Socialists and Democrats but not PASOK. There was disarray among the Center Leftists as tension was reported high between the two camps. Boulgaris said 20 of his members jumped ship on the Olive Tree idea and he was left with only 38 but it wasn’t clear if the Initiative would go on with a reduced number. The 58 Initiative has decided to be only observers without any political power nor form a party. But it said anyone left in the Initiative who disagrees with the disagreements and wants to agree with PASOK instead of agreeing with the Initiative can still run, even though the Initiative won’t recognize them.

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Four Chinese men sought for blackmailing female compatriot

Police in Katerini, northern Greece, said on Tuesday that they were seeking four Chinese nationals in connection with the alleged blackmail of a female compatriot of theirs who worked as a masseuse on local beaches. The ring members are believed to be beh... ...

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Russian tip-off leads to arrest of hardcore child porn trader

A 50-year-old Thessaloniki man faced a prosecutor on Tuesday on charges of trading in hardcore child pornography over the Internet. The suspect was traced after Russian police told their Greek counterparts that they had seen evidence of him trading in chi... ...

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Greek Piety, Patriotism and Beauty in the Parthenon

A 20th-century student of ancient Athens, R. E. Wycherley, noted that the Parthenon was the culmination of Greek architecture... The temple dominated the Acropolis and was the crowning glory of the city... It was elaborately designed, and... worthy ...

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Greek Party Night with the Sounds of Greece

Experience an authentic Greek party night with great Greek food, live music and dancing to the Sounds of Greece, along with the fun, atmosphere and laughter of a traditional Greek taverna... and especially lots of laughter with larger-than-life host Nikos!

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Greece's plight offers clue to future of EU banking system

Greece's plight offers clue to future of EU banking systemFinancial TimesThere was a brief while last year when Greece looked like a good news story. For the first time since the global downturn hit Europe, the country was reporting decent tourism statistics. Memories of Greece as the doomed coal-mine canary for the ...and more »

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Greece Seals Deal for Lower Natural Gas Prices

Kathimerini Greece Seals Deal for Lower Natural Gas PricesWall Street JournalThe agreement between Greece's natural gas distributor DEPA and the Russian giant offers a 15% price cut and takes effect retroactively, from July last year, the announcement said. It extends a current deal between the two sides by another 10 years to ...Greece confirms 10-year extension of gas supply deal with Russia's GazpromKathimeriniall 4 news articles »

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Greece tempts George

Southampton FC Greece tempts GeorgeSouthampton FC“Greece emailed asking about my eligibility to play for them,” Mells explained to saintsfc.co.uk. “I was lucky in a way that both my parents have got Greek heritage, so it gives me that second option between Australia and Greece. I have backgrounds ...

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Greece confirms 10-year extension of gas supply deal with Russia's Gazprom

Greece’s natural gas distributor DEPA has clinched a new gas supply deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom, which includes a 15 percent price cut backdated to last July, Greece’s energy ministry said on Tuesday. The new agreement extends a current deal be... ...

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Olympiakos coach who found Juan Mata plots Greek tragedy for Manchester United

Such is the wave of quiet confidence sweeping through Athens ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League last 16 first leg, that he sounds genuinely disappointed that his former player will not be able to play. “I would have liked to have given him a ...

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Paideia Project at University of R.I. Halted

Kingston, RI –The construction of the Center of Greek studies, the Greek-Orthodox Chapel of St. Luke, and the Greek outside theater at the University of Rhode Island (URI) by the Hellenic Society Paideia, has completely stopped. URI says that Paideia did not fulfill its promise to finish the entire project in a two-year period, and […]

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Greece raises hopes of recovery

Greece raises hopes of recoveryDeutsche WelleGreece's central bank reports that, in the past year, the crisis-stricken country actually exported more goods and services than it imported. Such a current account surplus has never been recorded in Greece since statistics were introduced 66 years ago.

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Greek inmates leak photos of 'hellish' prison hospital

He has lived there for several years, and says he suffers from a severe form of cancer. We have gone on strike several times in the past few years, and promises have been made, but nothing has changed. So this time, we smuggled in a mobile phone ...

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Year of the PIIGS? Greece leads 2014 stock market league table

Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain have been the best performers in Europe so far in 2014

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Latest Forecast on Greece Shows Growth in 2014

A recent economic forecast, which was published early on Tuesday ... The budget deficit of Greece is expected to shrink from 13.1 percent of GDP in 2013 to 2.1 percent in 2014, while eventually reaching 1 percent in 2015. Greek public debt ...

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The Greek Freak Goes Hunting For Blocks

The Greek Freak Goes Hunting For BlocksDeadspinGiannis Antetokounmpo only got credit for one block on this play, but a hometown scorer would have probably given him two. He barely got a finger on the first ball, but it's safe to assume that the Greek Freak's footsteps and flying limbs had something ...and more »

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Greek Gold Medalist in National Mathematical Olympiad

The students were selected after two national competitions,”Thales” in October ... their interest in the science of mathematics and that Greece has a bright future in science. The Hellenic Mathematical Society, which was founded in 1918 ...

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In a Rush: Greek Life’s role on campus

Greek Life comprises approximately 13% of BU’s student ... Prospective sorority members attended all-day recruitment events over Presidents’ Day weekend. On Saturday, the first day of recruitment, they met members of all 10 sororities.

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Photos: Olive oil production affected by financial crisis in Greece

Photos: Olive oil production affected by financial crisis in GreeceSan Jose Mercury News media centerOlive oil could be the latest victim of Greece's grueling financial crisis. Plans to extend a brutal efficiency drive to olive oil production have been met with anger and disbelief. If proposals from a government funded study are adopted, olive oil ...

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EU revises growth forecasts up slightly; Timid rise for Greek GDP

Economic growth across Europe is expected to be slightly stronger this year as the recovery gains ground, according to the European Commission's new forecast released Tuesday. The 18-country eurozone's economy is expected to grow by 1.2 percent in 2014 an... ...

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Cost of Greek Bureaucracy Exceeds 10 Billion Dollars

According to Hellenic Federation of Enterprises’ (SEV) report on the business environment, the annual cost of Greece’s bureaucracy exceeds 10 billion dollars. The report indicates that the required time to complete the process of a public contract is 230 days – the second longest time period in the European Union. The report dates back to 2005 when Greece ranked last among the 17 member-states that the EU included at that time. The report mentions the most significant bureaucratic obstacles in order of fields are: business setup/licensing, financial services, taxation, justice, development incentives as well as public procurements. On the other hand, sectors on which people meet fewer obstacles are imports/exports, standards/certifications, company law, labor relations, supervision and control as well as research/innovation. The most effective operator according to the report is the Citizen Service Centers (KEP), while the less effective sector seems to be the Urban Planning Department along with the Municipalities and the central departments of the Greek government. More specifically, according to the Ministry of Justice’s data, on March 31, 2013, the Greek Council of State had more than 29,000 pending cases and the Administrative Court of First Instance about 333,000. The SEV also noted that the arrangements for facilitating an acceleration of the process for environmental licensing in Greece are not implemented, as the time required is three or sometimes even five percent longer than that provided by law.

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Why were Greek authorities so quick to rule on the brutal deaths at sea of ...

Why were Greek authorities so quick to rule on the brutal deaths at sea of ...Herald SunIn the first of our new True Crime Scene series Holiday Horrors, we look at the disturbing case of two young relatives and mates whose horrible deaths were initially swept under the carpet by Greek authorities. ———————. IT WAS a grisly discovery ...

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Greece back in the black for first time since 1948: EU

(BRUSSELS ) - Greece was back in the black for the first time since 1948, the EU's economics commissioner Olli Rehn said on Tuesday as figures showed the economically-hobbled nation returning to growth.

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WORLD SPORTS at 1330 GMT

by Associated Press WORLD SPORTS at 1330 GMT Associated Press - 25 February 2014 08:35-05:00

Greek-Australian Couple Donates $1.5 Mln to Charity

A famous Greek couple donated 1.5 million dollars to a Greek-Australian charitable organization named Fronditha Care. Fronditha Care – formerly called the Australian Greek Society for Care of the Elderly – was founded in 1976 and is a ...

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Germany leaves Italy and France behind in euro zone recovery

By John O'Donnell and Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Germany is set to accelerate away from France and Italy in 2014 as the fragmented euro zone gradually recovers from its worst crisis, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

In a departure from the gloom of the crisis years, Brussels slightly increased its growth prediction for the bloc's 9-trillion-euro economy to 1.2 percent in 2014 from an earlier 1.1 percent forecast.

It was powered chiefly by a 1.8 percent jump in Germany.

But the statistics also made clear the scale of the challenge facing Italy and its new prime minister, Matteo Renzi, in turning around the bloc's third-largest economy. The Commission predicts meager growth of 0.6 percent this year.

France is expected to grow 1 percent in 2014.

"Recovery is gaining ground," said Olli Rehn, the EU commissioner in charge of economic policy. "The worst of the crisis may now be behind us," he said, cautioning, however, that the recovery was "still modest".

While the improving outlook will relieve the European Central Bank, the figures also outline how Europe still lags the United States. The U.S. economy is expected to grow by around 3 percent in 2014, buoyed by massive money printing programs that the European Central Bank has been unable to emulate.

The figures also draw a clear dividing line in the euro zone between southern countries such as Greece, struggling economically and arguing for more freedom to spend, and Germany, buoyed by strong exports and determined to enforce thrift.

Paul De Grauwe, an economist with the London School of Economics, blamed Germany for hampering the ECB and said the time had come for the central bank to act following its creation of a special emergency program to buy state bonds through outright monetary transactions, known as OMT.

"They need to take some risks," he said. "The ECB has been bold once when they announced OMT but since that it has done nothing."

"The Germans are afraid of their own shadow. The U.S. has been willing to go further in stimulating the economy. As a result, growth has accelerated," he said.

ECB President Mario Draghi has less freedom, however. Under its statutes, it is banned from buying bonds directly from governments, although it can find ways to buy them from banks, for example, on the open market or accept them as security in return for finance.

Markets expect the ECB's next move could be to offer a further round of cheap, long-term loans to banks.

Complicating the picture further for the ECB, the Commission sees consumer price inflation at well below the central bank's target of around 2 percent. Inflation is likely to be 1 percent in 2014 and 1.3 percent next year.

(Additional reporting by Leigh Thomas in Paris Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)

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Not So Fast: Troika Talks Tough

Greece’s claim that a deal with its international lenders was imminent over unsettled reforms and a hole in the 2014 budget appeared overly optimistic as the two sides became involved in tough negotiations that must be finished before a next installment of rescue monies is disbursed. Envoys from the Troika of the European Union-International Monetary Fund-European Central Bank (EU-IMF-ECB) began the new round of talks with Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras, trying to break a six-month deadlock over disputed areas but the going was reportedly slow, dimming the government’s prospects for a swifter resolution. The big hang-up is the size of a primary surplus which the government says is as much as 1.5 billion euros ($2.07 billion) and a trigger to ask for debt relief from the $325 billion owed in two bailouts. That money runs out this year and Greece needs the next installment to meet a big bond payment in May. That has already been undercut by reports the country’s highest court will rule unconstitutional the pay cuts to members of the military and retroactive services that were part of austerity measures insisted upon by the lenders. That could cost the government 500 million euros ($687.7 million) and has led other public workers to demand the same treatment. The auditors’ questioning of the surplus figure means the European Commission’s statistics service, Eurostat, will decide whether certain revenues used by Greek officials in their calculations should count toward it or be shifted to the 2014 budget as the government tries to delay adverse effects ahead of May municipal and European Parliament elections. Another major obstacle now for the government is that the Court of Audit also has deemed unconstitutional giant cuts in lump sum payments pensioners receive, up to 38 percent and more. The court said the government can’t touch the money because it was deducted from workers salaries over the years for their retirement and belongs to the beneficiaries. That case will now before the high court, the Council of State, and, if upheld, could cost the government billions. It was expected that the issue of court rulings would be raised by the troika as their arrival in Athens coincided with a decision by the Court of Audit deeming as unconstitutional the reduction of civil servants’ lump sum pension payments. The case, which will now go to the Council of State, is the latest legal ruling to challenge troika-imposed measures. Talks also focused on key reforms that auditors are pressing for – the implementation of market-liberalizing measures set out in a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an overhaul of the civil service and the reduction of employers’ social security contributions among other reforms. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has stressed that the OECD’s recommendations, dubbed “the toolkit” by the Troika, is “not gospel,” and that they don’t have to followed religiously. Some 153 reforms remain undone. Some of the Troika’s proposals, including the extension of the shelf-life of fresh milk and giving supermarkets the right to sell over-the-counter medicines, are expected to be challenged as Samaras, buoyed by the primary surplus, has been digging in his heels after relenting to the lenders since he took office in June, 2012. He embraced austerity after previously opposing it.

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Museum Hosts Replica of Argo Ship

A museum in the port city of Volos in eastern Greece will host the replica of Argo, the legendary ship propelled by 50 oars-men and sail on which according to Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to the Black Sea to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The city of Volos is hosting a competition for projects on the ”Creation of a museum to value the ship of Argo.” The application deadline for those wishing to take part in the competition expired at the beginning of the month. The 68 projects sent from architects in Greece and Italy as well as other countries, will be evaluated next spring and then construction work will begin. Currently, the replica of the ship – inaugurated in 2007 and entirely built with traditional methods and materials used at the time like oak, beech, pine, ash and fir wood (for the mast and oars) – is still at the port of Volos, in the gulf of Pagassitikos, for students and tourists who want to go on board and discover the story of its mythical trips. ”But Argo, which is owned by Volos, doesn’t just aim to be an attraction for tourists,” said Deputy Mayor Fotis Lambrinidis, who is in charge of technical services at the municipality of Volos. ”This ship represents for us an element of culture, a real symbol of our city. The objective of the competition we called as a first concrete step for the creation of a museum to valorise Argo, is to gather proposals for the creation of a thematic museum to turn the contemporary Argo into a monument, presenting its history through myth and historical elements connected to it,” concluded Lambrinidis. (source: ANSA)

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Mykonos: Former Wealthy Greeks Sell Villas to Foreigners

The villas of Mykonos hit the market and shipowners as well as Greek and foreign businessmen are ready to invest millions of euros on the island of the winds, as people call it, and its luxurious residencies. However, these sales have nothing to do with the true picture of the Greek real estate market where all the transactions have been frozen. To start with, Antonis Lymperis, the once powerful man of publishing, is selling his two villas of 500 and 800 m2 for about five million euros. The former star of Greek TV, Roula Koromila, agreed to sell her villa with the panoramic view of Delos island and Ai-Yiannis beach for 2.5 million euros. The buyer seems to be a Greek banker in Panama, Antonis Takis. Aliki Livaniou is also rumored to have received 2.5 million euros for her villa of 600 m2 with six bedrooms and a pool, to a Lebanese businessman who according to sources, visits the island every summer. The interior designer Mina Karayiannis decided to put her villas on the market too. From time to time, these villas have hosted the Kardashian family, the Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic with his partner and other famous showbiz figures. The “Mykonos Retreat” complex includes three villas, a small chapel, a private beach and a heliport. The accommodation cost per week for each of these villas exceeds 10,000 euros, while their selling price starts at three million euros. Greek realtors support that these transactions do not reflect the actual situation of the real estate market in Greece. However, it makes sense for those who have great financial liquidity – especially foreign entrepreneurs – since this is an excellent opportunity for investments.

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IMF using old data for Greek banks capital requirements, sources say

The International Monetary Fund is considering financial data from two years ago with regard to its estimation for the capital requirements of Greek lenders, local sources have told Skai. In a report published in the Financial Times on Monday, the IMF had... ...

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Wayne Rooney earns congratulations in cash-strapped Greece for £300k-a ...

Irish Independent Wayne Rooney earns congratulations in cash-strapped Greece for £300k-a ...Irish IndependentWith Greece still suffering biting austerity measures due to the prolonged financial crisis engulfing the country, news of Rooney's recently-signed 5½-year contract – which will earn him more than £300,000 a week because of the unique commercial ...Olympiacos manager Michel believes Manchester United could buckle under ...ITV NewsChampions League: David Moyes' Manchester United prepare for Olympiakos tieSkySportsRoy Carroll: Olympiakos ready for 'nervous' Manchester UnitedBBC SportSB Nation -The Independent -Independent Online all 2,056 news articles »

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Greek Court Rulings Bleed Primary Surplus

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' game plan to get the economy going after after seven years of a deep recession have run into rulings from courts that the government must repay salary cuts to the military and emergency services - and now that big cuts in lump sums for pensioners are unconstitutional. Samaras had said he expects a primary surplus of as much as 1.5 billion euros ($2.07 billion).

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Greece Eyes Tough Corruption Penalties

Greece's crackdown on wrongdoing could include stiffer penalties for corruption and wouldn't exempt even the Prime Minister or President.

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Germany mulls giving Greece more autonomy over reforms decisions, says daily

Germany is considering giving Greece more leeway to decide itself which reforms to take if it requires a third bailout package, a German daily reported on Tuesday, citing government sources. Creditors would no longer dictate in detail which reforms Athens... ...

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Greek Olive Oil Dilution Drive

Under pressure from lenders, Greece is squeezing olive oil producers to dilute their products to make it cheaper and more competitive around the world.

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Greek Jews Want Nazi Ransom Back

Greece's biggest Jewish community wants the return of a ransom paid to to Nazis in WWII to free thousands of slave laborers, most of whom were killed.

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Greek Cypriot archbishop warns Turks over peace talks

Expressing the stance of the Orthodox church on the negotiations, Greek Cypriot archbishop Chrysostomos II said that Greek Cypriots were giving Turkish Cypriots another chance to live together, but this would only be possible under certain conditions.

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Greeks celebrate leadership, progress

Greeks celebrate leadership, progressMinnesota DailyLakhram was one of three recognized as standouts in the greek community last year who won awards at the ceremony, which for the first time honored leaders from the Multicultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council. Katelyn Wright from ...

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What lies at the heart of differences over Greek banks' capital needs?

What lies at the heart of differences over Greek banks' capital needs?The Corner EconomicATHENS | By MacroPolis | Following a meeting last week between Bank of Greece (BoG) senior officials with the top management of the four Greek systemic banks (Alpha, Eurobank, National and Piraeus), where the central bank reportedly informed lenders ...Greek top banks require 5bn euro injection: reportsTaipei TimesBoG: Greek banks΄ capital needs total 5.5 bln euros‏Capital.gr (press release)all 24 news articles »

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New Health System to Go into Operation on March 20

Dispensaries of the newly introduced Primary National Health Network (PEDY) will start operating in Greece on March 20 with as many of doctors of the former health care system (5,500 in total) decide to work exclusively for the state, shutting down their private practice, while any staffing gaps will be covered by supplementary staff, the political leadership of the Greek Ministry of Health stressed. Doctors have until this Thursday to apply for membership in the new health system. According to the ministry, 1,389 applications have been filed so far. Once the deadline ends “the system locks” and doctors who have not applied will have their contracts reviewed. The minister Adonis Georgiadis made it clear that doctors who apply and do not shut down their own offices, will be excluded from the system, losing the right to have a contract with EOPYY. Their exclusion will create a huge problem in the new organization and to insured citizens as it is difficult to open new doctors’ positions in the the intermediate process. ”Anyone who files the application will be part of PEDY,” stressed the minister explaining however that “those who purposely cause trouble to the operation of PEDY have no place in the system”. “Trade unionist games are not approved, they only cause damage to doctors,” concluded the minister. (source: ana-mpa)

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Golden Dawn Cop Candidate Probed

With the Greek government trying to dismantle the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party as May elections loom for municipalities and the European Parliament, authorities are now investigating whether a police office on Crete is going to run as a candidate. That report came a day after party leaders appeared on the island at a rally where one of its Members of Parliament, Michalis Arvanitis gave a Heil Hitler salute to followers, saying it was an ancient Greek gesture. Party officials deny any link to Nazism although included in more than 10,000 pages of evidence and digital documents are reports that Mein Kamp was a favorite text, Nazi methodology and ideology was used on recruits and Nazi memorabilia had been found. It had been reported previously that nearly half the police force voted for Golden Dawn when it won 6.97 percent of the vote in June, 2012 and gained 18 seats in Parliament and authorities said they would try to identify the sympathizers. An international investigation last year was also conducted to determine if the party had infiltrated the ranks of police and a number of top cops were removed from their posts. The police officer candidate, who was not named, addressed the party gathering at the port of Hersonissos, according to local reports. Televised footage from the event has been given to a prosecutor. The party is to run under the name National Dawn in the elections as nine of its MPs already face criminal charges and the remaining nine are to be charged with forming a criminal organization. Party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, one of the nine MPs already charged with membership of a criminal organization, was present at the Hersonissos event along with other MPs. In a related development, it emerged that the evidence collected by magistrates to support their request for the parliamentary immunity of the remaining nine GD MPs to be lifted contains testimony from a former party member who claims he was stabbed several times last year after quitting the group. Meanwhile, the Appellate court handling the Golden Dawn investigations has forwarded to Parliament media files that were recovered from the mobile phones of Golden Dawn suspects, to assist Parliament in decided whether the approve an immunity lift on the party’s MPs, To Vima said. One video was recovered from the mobile phone of Yannis Kazantzoglou, who has been detained for this involvement in the murder of anti-fascist hip-hop artist Pavlos Fyssas and for participating in a criminal organization. In the video the black-clad members of the local Golden Dawn offices in Nikea can be seen in the streets chanting violent and racist-fueled slogans against Albanians., urging their comrades to “sew clothes with their skins” and “paint our houses with their blood”.

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Putting off investors

The present and future of the Greek banking system is way too crucial and sensitive an issue to tamper with. It really is too bad that for a considerable period of time the question of recapitalizing the country’s banks appeared to have become a bone of c... ...

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Rainbow Alliance, Greek councils host talk on being LGBTQ in Greek life

Daily Northwestern Rainbow Alliance, Greek councils host talk on being LGBTQ in Greek lifeDaily Northwestern“We don't really talk about heteronormativity as a risk within the Greek community,” said Weinberg sophomore Hannah Merens, vice president of risk management for PHA and a member of Delta Delta Delta. To open the discussion, each person in attendance ...

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Piraeus Port Becomes Hub in Greek Logistics-Industry Push

The Greek port of Piraeus could become one of Europe's top five container-shipping hubs as the government spurs logistics activities in a bid to kick-start economic growth, said Development Minister Kostis Hatzidakis. Piraeus, now the 11th-largest container-shipping port in the European Union, is expanding as China-based Cosco Pacific Ltd. (1199) operates one of two piers, builds a third and ...

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014