Ferida Osmanović, who fled from Srebrenica, hanged herself near the UN base at Tuzla, 1995. Joseph Stalin is said to have remarked, "The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a stati...
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How the world sees Greece
Monday, October 22, 2018
Christian Academy adds Greek to curriculum
ELKO — Είρήνη (Eirene) to most modern Americans is quite foreign, but this word is becoming familiar to the students and teachers at Spring Creek Christian Academy. When Jon Michael Samek ...
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Canadian embassy in Greece vandalized by anti-mining group
A Greek anarchist group has claimed responsibility for an attack of vandalism on the Canadian embassy in the country early Sunday morning. The group known as Rouvikonas says in a statement posted onli...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.680news.com |
Aegean picks Pratt & Whitney engines for its A320neo aircraft
Greece's largest carrier Aegean Airlines picked U.S. engine maker Pratt & Whitney to power up to 62 Airbus A320neo aircraft, the carrier said on Monday.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.reuters.com |
Greece’s music rights sector in turmoil as head of copyright office steps down
Greece’s scandal-hit authors’ rights sector has just been plunged back into crisis. The country’s major CMO, AEPI (the Hellenic Society for Protection of Intellectual Property), was investigated by th...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.musicbusinessworldwide.com |
Turkish MoD warns Greece and Cyprus over moves in Mediterranean and Aegean Sea
Turkey ratchets up provocative rhetoric against Greece, Cyprus, and Israel
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Cleveland man charged with selling drugs to Greek billionaire's son who died of overdose in July
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man is accused of selling drugs to a Greek billionaire's son, who was found dead in July in a downtown Cleveland hotel. Terry Lee Christian, 35, is charged with dealing ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.cleveland.com |
NILE Is Flying To Greece To Begin Recording A New Album
Nile has spent a good amount of time in 2017 and 2018 writing a brand new album with the promise that it would be out sometime next year. Frontman Karl Sanders has now taken to Facebook to announce Ni...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.metalinjection.net |
Russia: FYROM parliament vote “rigged” by the U.S. “with threats, bribes and…”
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the vote in FYROM parliament vote to approve a proposed change to the country’s name, was “rigged” by the U.S. with “blackmail, threats and bribes,” international media report Monday afternoon. In a statement Monday, the ministry accused the U.S. of orchestrating an “unfair vote” through a combination of “blackmail, … The post Russia: FYROM parliament vote “rigged” by the U.S. “with threats, bribes and…” appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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Energy Ministry to abolish two fees on electricity production
Energy producers and suppliers will benefit from the abolition of two fees imposed on electricity, Environment and Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency on Monday. Stathakis said that the move will also benefit consumers and the Public Power Corporation (PPC). PPC stands to gain at least 200-250 million euros from 2018 to … The post Energy Ministry to abolish two fees on electricity production appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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Greeks permanently exempted from visa before traveling to U.S.
Greek nationals are permanently exempted from the obligation to obtain travel documents (a visa) before travelling to the United States, according to a letter sent by US authorities to Citizen Protection Minister Olga Gerovassili made public on Monday. According to the ministry, the letter noted that Greek citizens were included in the Visa Waiver Program, … The post Greeks permanently exempted from visa before traveling to U.S. appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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Samaria Gorge closed on Tue due to upcoming extreme weather
Samaria Gorge on the island of Crete will remain closed to public on Tuesday, October 22, 2018. This was the decision by the Forestry Department in Chania as meteorologists forecast extreme weather phenomena due to barometric low “Orestis.” When the weather conditions normalize and no damages have occurred, the Samaria Gorge will open again on … The post Samaria Gorge closed on Tue due to upcoming extreme weather appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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Greek power utility PPC to make savings after government scraps charge
ATHENS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Greek utility Public Power Corp. (PPC), which is struggling with unpaid bills, will benefit from a government decision to scrap a charge to fund renewable energy, the ...
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Meet the 95-Year-Old who Runs Greece’s Last Combined Coffee Shop-General Store
The combination coffee shop-general store has become a relic of a bygone era, similarly to old transistor radios or the laterna. There was a time though in living memory where in rural areas and ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Greece's primary surplus of 2017 set at 3.9 pct of GDP
ATHENS, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Greece's primary surplus for 2017 was finally set at 3.9 percent of the GDP, according to a Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) report released on Monday. The previous ...
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PICS: Survivor South Africa's Nico Panagio in Greece
As his wife, Christi Panagio, was not able to make the trip, Panagio said on Instagram that he drank a Mythos, a Greek beer, everytime he missed her. Panagio visited Peloponnese mountains where his Gr...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.iol.co.za |
Angry Students Storm Office of Greek Education Minister
Angry students confront Greece’s Minister of Education, Costas Gavroglou. Photo by Kathimerini. A group of demonstrators entered the office of Greece’s Minister of Education Costas Gavroglou ...
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Leaders of Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece attend joint press conference
Leaders of Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece agreed on Saturday that the whole region needs to be included in the European Union (EU) and that the cooperation on joint projects can bring the region long-awaited prosperity and stability.
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Kyrenia Opera Presents The Art of Greek Song with Georgia Dagaki
NEW YORK – Kyrenia Opera with Artistic Director Constantinos Yiannoudes presented The Art of Greek Song with Georgia Dagaki and her lyre at Merkin Concert Hall […] The post Kyrenia Opera Presents The Art of Greek Song with Georgia Dagaki appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greek organizations and community partners for a ‘Stroll to the Polls’ ahead of election
COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - We are under three weeks away from Election Day and early voting is happening now in Georgia. The Divine Nine Greek organizations and community partners are having an event to he...
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ELSTAT: Greek GDP Rises by $4.2 Billion in 2017
According to the final figures for 2017 released by Greece’s Statistics Authority (ELSTAT), Greek GDP increased by €3.75 billion ($4.20 billion). This increase is attributed to economic growth ...
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ANA-MPA: Dijsselbloem: Greece will access markets steadily and gradually
Sofia. Greece will access markets gradually more and more, while "markets will want to know whether Greece can maintain a solid economic and financial course," former Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsse...
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Tourism Growth Continues as Visitors to Greece set to Surpass 32 Million in 2018
Greece is expected to attract more than 32 million tourists in 2018, according to Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura, speaking at the “Blue Flags” annual meeting organized by the Hellenic ...
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Penn State Fraternities’ CPR Training Is a Step Toward Safer Greek Life
A new policy from the Penn State Interfraternity Council is designed to make recognizing emergencies and providing necessary assistance at parties easier. Under the new policy, which goes into effect ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.statecollege.com |
EU Strangulation of Greece Described as “Genocide” of a Nation
ATHENS, Greece — Despite what the establishment media’s headlines claim, the Greek economy is still in bad shape. Really, really bad shape — terrible, in fact. The dire situation goes way beyond even ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenewamerican.com |
“Greece, Cyprus and Israel play dirty game against Turkey,” says Erdogan’s
Turkey is furious at the energy cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel. They “play a dirty game against Turkey,” Yigit Bulut, the economic advisor of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said and warned that “Greece will be destroyed if there would be a naval combat” between the two countries.” “Greece is playing a new dirty game … The post “Greece, Cyprus and Israel play dirty game against Turkey,” says Erdogan’s appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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Egypt suggests Greece invests in Suez Canal Economic Zone
Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, met on Sunday with the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Terence Quick to enhance bilateral cooperation and discuss issues of common interest. During the meeting, Shoukry hailed the notable progress achieved in the bilateral relations and the strategic partnership between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry’s statement said. Both agreed on … The post Egypt suggests Greece invests in Suez Canal Economic Zone appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.keeptalkinggreece.com |
Alexander Vinnik must be extradited to Russia for fair trial , says lawyer
Vinnik was detained in Greece in 2017
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT tass.com |
Greek court postpones hearing of Russian national’s appeal against extradition to France
Another session to consider the appeal against Alexander Vinnik’s extradition to France was scheduled for November 5
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT tass.com |
Robots bring Greek statues to life
Since it was first unearthed in 1506, Laocoön and His Sons has been one of the most revered works of classical sculpture.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.cnn.com |
The Myth Of Whiteness In Classical Sculpture
Greek and Roman statues were often painted, but assumptions about race and aesthetics have suppressed this truth. Now scholars are making a color correction.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.newyorker.com |
Canadian embassy in Greece vandalized by group in apparent opposition to mining
OTTAWA — A Greek anarchist group has claimed responsibility for an attack on the Canadian embassy in the country early Sunday morning. The group known as Rouvikonas says in a statement posted ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT leaderpost.com |
Rift between Ecumenical Patriarchate and Russia affects religious tourism in Greece
Over 800.000 Russian visitors arrived in Greece in 2018
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT en.protothema.gr |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Handover Ceremony
N. KOTZIAS: I have spent half of my professional life here, a total of 1/3 of my life. We have been at the Ministry for 23 years. You remember, when I came I said, “I’ve returned home, I left for the University, I will go and teach again. I have many things to do, both here and abroad. So good morning to you. First of all, I would like to thank the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic for the honour they bestowed upon me and the opportunity he gave me, to measure myself against the problems of foreign policy. As I always told you, people should not measure themselves against other people, they must have the ambition to measure themselves against the problems they must face. We are always smaller than the problems but, in our effort to solve them, we grow. And in terms of age, at this Ministry, and weight - literally - and thinking, and thanks also to the discussions, the guidance and the urging I had from the Prime Minister, I dealt with these problems for as long as I could. Mr. Prime Minister, under your leadership, our Government, our Ministry, was able to lead the country out of the mire it found itself stuck in, to overcome the disrepute and a situation where they would not listen to us. Today, not only do they listen to us, they also seek our opinion. And I am happy about the congratulations I received from all my colleagues for the work I have done - and the expression of sadness for “freeing” myself from the weight of these problems; about the fact that everyone wants to maintain this relationship with which they honoured me by seeking my advice. The country, with this Government, conducted a democratic active foreign policy, with sobriety, seriousness, with a goal of potential, looking far into the future, possessing an organised strategy and maintaining alliances. It was able to create and develop - something unprecedented in international relations - 16 international and regional forms of cooperation. The most recent - and I am certain that under your guidance it is bound to grow - is the cooperation of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean which includes Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Malta, Greece, and Cyprus, within the European Union, on issues relating to convergence policies, the old Common Agricultural Policy, as we used to say. In the almost 4 years that have passed, we were able to place on the negotiating table a package of issues that have been pending with Albania for 70 or perhaps 100 years: the mutual recognition that took place -it’s a small thing but shows the willingness- of professional driving licenses and, most importantly, the burial our men, the heroes in the 1940 epic, who had not been buried in the manner worthy of the glory and the honour that Greek society must bestow upon them. We were able to take a step forward with regard to the Skopje problem, the issue of Macedonia. And I must thank Zaev, Dimitrov and the 80 MPs who voted in favour of the Agreement because, lest I hide it from you, the same thing will happen with you too; we are experiencing, both you and I, the same paradox, to have resigned and to be happy. Happy because I am leaving having made a serious step, a step of hope for the implementation of this agreement towards which we worked so hard, you and I, my Diplomatic Cabinet. Let me thank Mr. Passas together with whom we negotiated, let me especially thank the A3 Directorate, Ms. Grammata and our Expert on FYROM, Mr. Psilos. It was an extraordinary team, 15 of us worked together, openly, all of us service diplomats, and we proved that what is said about “secret diplomacy” does not hold true. During the same period, we changed the agenda for the Cyprus issue. For decades, the Cyprus issue strayed from its true international basis which was the occupation and the presence of occupation forces. We were able, under your guidance Mr. Prime Minister, to put on the table the issue of guarantees and security. An issue which, as the UN Secretary General himself stated, cannot continue to exist. For the first time, we came out of negotiations without the blame game against us, having ensured that the next round will begin from much more correct and pragmatic stances for our country. We have made serious steps with regard to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). We are in a stage of final negotiations with Italy, with Albania. The 10th round will take place -as you agreed with President Sisi of Egypt- the 10th round of the Technical Committee to decide on partially setting the boundaries of the EEZ with Egypt. We also promoted other forms of diplomacy, from diplomacy of stability and security as occurred in Rhodes where we met, 24 European and Arab States, and the global initiative with China which we took on ancient civilisations that resonate even today, civilisations which today have their headquarters, the ACForum, in Bolivia. We upgraded our relations in general, and we also have two draft laws ready, Mr. President. You and your colleagues will see them together with the other Ministers. They pertain to the draft law on the Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is ready. For the new Organisation draft, we have taken the observations for the various sides. Some we have adopted and some not, as is only logical. And the draft law that is in its final form for the National Security Council, which was also a major concern for you with regard also to the discussions you had with third parties. We created new Consulates or renovated old ones. Let me thank the Technical Service, Ms. Damigou. We inaugurated the consulate in Izmir, we are ready, in Korçë, to have Seferis’ house as our Consulate, in that beautiful city which will be a joy for you to visit. We established a new Consulate in Erbil which you, or someone representing you, must inaugurate, as well as our Embassy in Singapore. I am especially pleased that we obtained the plot of land in Cyprus, because everyone back then said I was crazy. A plot of land which the previous memoranda governments had sold. A plot of land valued at 10 million which, with judicial proceedings and thanks to the Church of Cyprus and the abbot at Kykkos Monastery, was returned to Greece, and we have also located the backers who will financially support it. After 94 years -if I am not mistaken- we are also ready to lay the cornerstone of the new Embassy in Ankara, for which we have also located backers from the Foundations. This is a plot of land of which, unfortunately, only 4.5 out of 7 hectares remain, because these were lost along the way, since 1932 when it was first donated - we officially got it in 1938 - but there too we shall build a new Embassy, and I hope that the one in Berlin is also completed. I am very proud, Mr. President - perhaps I am tiring you a bit, but it’s been 4 years, I have to say it somehow - that with your line of policy we sent a total of 93 cases of corruption to the Prosecutor. And some, who today pretend to be incorruptible, hurling mud with their dirty hands, never wished to record these things which pertain to cases ranging from abuse of funds all the way to selling visas. We even have cases of unaccompanied babies, 14 months old. Anyone can figure out what this was about. And we cracked down on all of this. I believe that referring all these cases to the Prosecutors and the Courts was not a strict measure, it is a measure that we owe to the hundreds - the vast majority - of our employees, of our colleagues at this Ministry who are faultless, who work, who are charged with serving the country, and who benefit the country. We also established a special law, as you are aware Mr. President, on secret funds. We are the sole ministry that has a clear-cut procedure, the secret funds are monitored, they pass before and are authorised by the Service Council, under the Secretary General, along with high-ranking diplomats and not myself. From there the confidential funds go directly to Parliament and Parliament grants authorisation. Some in Parliament were under the impressions that they can go publicise them. They provided skewed information in any case. And from Parliament, for any confidential amount to be drawn, it must have confirmation from Parliament that it has been approved. And they go to the competent Services, Departments of the Ministry that advance them. They do not come to the office of any Minister. Everything that has been going on in recent days, the deplorable allegations on secret funds, prove that many aspects of Greek society still lack seriousness and democratic sensitivity. That is our big problem. If what they are saying were true, and they do it consciously, it’s as if they are betraying people, as if they are saying to third countries, “Don’t cooperate with the Greeks because in the end they will out you, they will expose you, they will put you in danger.” Those doing this are deplorable. Who is going to trust us if we don’t exhibit seriousness on the whole, as we here at the Ministry have exhibited, and I am happy about that. Because this issue, seriousness, sobriety, a sense of responsibility, is an element of democracy. Democracy cannot function without seriousness and responsibility. Democracy cannot function with the sense on the part of some people that we can give everything away and scorn everything just because this is what is convenient for us. I would like to say that coming here, I was happy with the developments on the Skopje issue. My friends from Skopje sent me SMSs, but when I called them at 5:30 in the morning, they had gone to bed. But, Mr. President, I would like to say one last thing which you gave me permission to announce in advance, and I thank you. This has to do with the fact that our foreign policy is wrapping up, as a first step, a major issue that is 120 years old, which has been a State issue for 28 years, but it is also opening and implementing a very significant policy for me, the expansion of the sovereignty of the country, for the first time in 70 years, since we got the Dodecanese back. The Presidential Decrees are ready, Mr. President and, in accordance to the instructions that I received, the country is expanding its territorial waters, as a first step from Othonoi, the Diapontian islands, all the way to Antikythera. The expansion of territorial waters comes in three steps, which have all been completed. The first step is for the bays to be closed off, the second step is for the baselines to be created everywhere, together with the bays, and the third is, based on these things, for an expansion to be carried out from 6 to 12 nautical miles. This will assist us with the EEZ, with Italy and Albania. This extends our area of sovereignty. These are not sovereign rights, as is the EEZ, but normal “territorial” sovereignty -in quotation marks as it pertains to the sea. The country is expanding. The country is expanding to 12 nautical miles, except for where straights exist, where we go with the median line principle. The expansion of the territorial waters means that the country’s area of national sovereignty is expanding, as well that under the responsibility of the Prime Minister and the entire Government. This means that we are a littoral State that exercises all its right based in law. The extension from the Diapontian islands to Antikythera, in accordance with the instructions of the Government, is the first Presidential Decree. Mr President, it is ready. It simply needs to be checked again by the people who help us with mapping. These things need to be checked over and over again, because the closing off of the bays and the baselines needs to be submitted to the UN. I have already agreed and given instructions when I visited New York to attend the UNGA, as Minister. The second, which is almost complete, concerns Crete. It has been completed by us; we simply need it to be checked by the international cartographers. And it is ready but it needs to be measured again from Antikythera and Crete up to the Saronic Gulf and, as a rough draft, it is more from the Saronic on top up to the Pagasetic Gulf, up to Magnesia, including Euboea etc. As you are aware, we are planning to incrementally complete this plan as a Government. These Presidential Decrees prove that the proper policy, in our opinion, is not to say that we will not expand because we have negotiations about the continental shelf with Turkey, nor to not expand if the negotiations have not been concluded, because this way we essentially do not take what is rightfully ours. Expansion of the territorial waters also means, for all our friends and allies, that for any economic activity or other activity within this zone, they must now seek our permission, though they did not have to seek until now, and to pay the price provided for by each agreement, whatever might be provided for, be it formal or essential. Mr. President, everyone when departing from somewhere takes with him memories, love, disappointment, but I am happy today because I am leaving having made the big step with regard to the Macedonian issue, with your support, and I am leaving having handed over the Presidential Decrees that extend the sovereignty of our country, our common country which we both love. I believe that, despite my many faults, my weak sides, my errors which I have clearly made since we had over-activity, I am leaving pleased. I believe that we are handing over a country that is stronger than it was when we took it over. And I am certain that whenever you hand it over - and I imagine it will be in a long time, to the dismay of the opposition - it will be a country that is even stronger. Mr. President, I thank you for appointing me Minister of Foreign Affairs. Colleagues and friends, thank you for all the daily assistance, the critical opinions, the critical observations, the assistance to make this project even more essential. I especially thank all those who were part of the negotiations with Cyprus, Turkey, Albania, FYROM with whom, thanks to this collective effort, we were able to make this project a reality. There are no smart Ministers. There are no great talents beyond those of normal people. There are only entities and collective efforts. This Ministry that you are taking over, Mr. Minister, is a source of pride for our country, a gem of a Ministry. I thank all the people who are here, who truly are gems. A. TSIPRAS I would like to warmly thank Nikos Kotzias for all he has done for our country’s foreign policy, for almost 4 years that he led the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For me, he was a valuable and close partner. A short while ago, Nikos Kotzias tried, as concisely as he could, to convey the main idea , a summary of a career that was never without clouds, of a path which was never straight and easy, of a path that was difficult for the country as well as its foreign policy. And I say this because today we can say with certainty that we took over, during a difficult 2015, a country which had not only suffered great damage to everything that pertained to economic policy; not only was it on the verge of bankruptcy and being scorned by the international market, by our partners and our lenders, an outcast of the global economy, but it was also a country that had suffered great damage, had lost a large part- of the value if you will - of its geopolitical power. And this was perhaps the most difficult thing. Because financial crises come and go. When a country suffers damage to the role it can play on the international scene, this is perhaps something that can be dealt with great difficulty. And today, after 3.5 years, it is common knowledge, I am faced with it and I run into it at all the international Fora where I find myself, not only in the European Union but also in my meetings with international leaders, and these occur frequently, until recently it was not that frequent those meeting for the country’s Prime Ministers with great powers of our planet: the United States of America, China, Russia. I run into it and I ran into it last month at the United Nations Summit in New York, the country’s standing and geopolitical power have now been upgraded. The country plays a leading role in the Balkans and represents an undoubted pillar of stability in the greater destabilised region in the Southeastern Mediterranean. And, at the same time, the country is expanding, given everything that Nikos Kotzias announced a short while ago, and this constitutes part of the strategies that were his inspiration, which we designed together and which we implement, and shall implement going forward, the gradual expansion of the territorial waters is a very significant event for our country. Of course, Nikos Kotzias - as was only logical - did not wish to say more about the significant achievements in foreign policy. He spoke with emotion. He always said, and continues to say, that politics requires emotion. Therefore, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank him for all that he gave to Greece from that key position, to the Greek people, for defending our sovereign rights and our national interest, for the creation of a new doctrine for our foreign policy, which is the doctrine of active patriotic multidimensional foreign policy. Permit me to outline some of the achievements of our foreign policy recently. First of all, Greece managed, through a very serious effort in the negotiations for seeking a just and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue, to remove from itself the stigma of responsibility for the non-resolution of the Cyprus issue, which certain people wanted to attribute to Greece following the Annan Plan and the Referendum in Cyprus. We were able to come closer than ever to a just and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue, establishing our stance internationally, according to which a just and sustainable solution must first and foremost mean abolition of the guarantees, of the rights of intervention by third countries, and of course departure on the part of the occupation forces, proving that the Cyprus issue is above all an issue of illegal invasion and occupation of the island of Cyprus. We were also able, through a very difficult period in the Balkans, to upgrade the international position and the role of the country, decisively contributing to the regeneration of the region’s European perspective, and to promote numerous bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral initiatives with the Balkan countries, with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Balkans recognising Greece’s drive and, of course, that of its foreign policy. In this context, the Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in a series of multilateral cooperation schemes, as did I as Prime Minister in a new quadrilateral cooperation scheme between Greece, Bulgaria, Romania - three countries that are part of the European Union - as well as Serbia. Mainly, though, we were able to proceed, after 27 years, with resolving an issue which of course has not existed for only 27 years, it existed a century ago, which pertains to the difference with our neighbouring country, our neighbours to the North, related to their name and related to the use and their constitutional name, which we must not forget is “the Republic of Macedonia”, their constitutional name which is recognised by more than or almost 140 countries as well as the most important countries in the international arena, the United States of America, Russia, China among them, and which today we understand, all of us, how difficult it is for a country in a time of peace to change its name, its constitution, and what a significant achievement this is for our foreign policy. Never did Greece manage -it did not attempt it neither did it manage this from 1990 until today- where this issue represents a problem in our foreign policy. And, at the same time, I would say that it is proven today that this national line that has been designed a long time ago, since 2008, since Bucharest I mean, is today implemented decisively, as the path is opening for the change in the constitutional name of our neighbouring country and, of course, the path is opening, after this, which was always a condition for Greece, but which was not so discernible, that in practice it also represents a condition for the international community - now it is clear, the path is opening - because the path will indeed open - for their inclusion in international Organisations, the European Union and NATO, should they desire it. But, then and only then. And in this sense, I would like to say that today is truly a symbolic and historic day for our foreign policy, after yesterday’s decision in the Skopjan Parliament which paves the way for a historic agreement to be implemented. Fourth, in the Balkans, it’s not just about our relationship with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, but it has to do, on the whole, with our relationship with other countries, including Albania. We were able to provide the perspective for the accession course of Albania, laying the foundation for the implementation of the Maritime Zone agreement and of the law on minorities, promoting changes in rulebooks, for the first time burying our dead, the heroes of World War II. Fifth, we were able, as I said earlier, to upgrade our regional role in the Eastern Mediterranean and to become, together with the Republic of Cyprus, a catalyst of stability and cooperation in the region, promoting and expanding the trilateral schemes with Israel and Egypt, and of course with other countries in the region, establishing new partnerships with Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine as well as expanding trilateral schemes with other significant countries such as France, Italy, the United States of America, with Nikos Kotzias working steadily, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of course, and his entire diplomatic service, also, for defining our Exclusive Economic Zone as well as for initiatives that reiterate energy safety while bolstering our sovereign rights against threats in the region of the Southeastern Mediterranean. The sixth point is that we are able, with Nikos Kotzias, to maintain, over this entire difficult period, valuable and open channels with Turkey, as well as cooperation in crucial sectors such as security and immigration, during a very difficult period for the region as well as for the neighbouring country. At the same time making it completely clear that we are not going to accept any violation of our sovereign rights, and that the only path towards the development of stable relations between us is the path of respecting International Law. The seventh point, in as brief a summary as I can make of these 3.5 years, is that we were able to upgrade our cooperation with the United States of America, with our European partners, as well as with many significant powers on the planet, such as Russia and China, on the basis of mutual respect, and not in the search of protectors. We were able to open the path towards the establishment of a strategic dialogue with the United States of America and, with regard to Germany, we began the reparation...we managed, to put it otherwise, to begin an essential dialogue, and the steps are maturing in order to proceed with the next actions, which pertains to the reparation of the blows from the traumatic years of the past, on the basis of the action plan which Nikos Kotzias signed with his German counterpart at the time and the current President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr Steinmeier. Additionally, we were able to develop initiatives that highlight our country’s international and regional influence and its role in culture, as well as dialogue and regional stability such as the Rhodes Conference for Security, the Conference on the Protection of Religious and Cultural Pluralism in the Middle East as well as that extraordinary initiative, the Ancient Civilizations Forum, where I of course have the pleasure, every time I meet important leaders, such as those of China, India, Bolivia, of hearing them refer to this very important initiative. We were able, finally, at the initiative of Nikos Kotzias, to pass for the first time - and I would like to insist on this for a bit - a law which pertains to the special funds of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and to put an order to the generalised chaos of the previous years. And please give me the opportunity to say a few words about that. I was the one who, from the ranks of the opposition party in 2011, was the first to highlight this issue. I had stressed that the process which pertains to the special funds of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is carried out completely outside the framework of control and institutional transparency. Since then, water has flowed under the bridge, but I believe that indeed one of our Government’s achievements is not only the fact that we reduced the total number, it is five or six times smaller, but mainly that we created a framework of transparency and institutional fortification. No longer does this imprudent use of special funds exist where, without the signature of a principal - this is what I had denounced in 2011 - money was taking off in black bags, left and right. Every country that respects itself ought to have a foreign policy which it supports. Therefore, the special funds are necessary, unless somebody disagrees with this. Not the number and size which we experienced in the past, and not without an institutional framework for control. This is what we managed to do. And the discussion taking place recently, in a deplorable manner by a sector of the opposition Press aims precisely at damaging this process of transparency. When you see deplorable headlines hanging from kiosks with obviously false information, which clearly seek to politically damage the Government and our foreign policy but end up hurting the country. And I would like to repeat once again that we shall not permit anybody to attack the standing of our foreign policy, nor that of Greece, in a period when it is being upgraded internationally. And once again, I invite all the political powers, and mainly the Head of the Main Opposition Party, to come so that I can give him a report at either of my two offices - because I now have two offices, at Maximos Mansion and here - euro for euro. We have nothing to hide from the country’s political powers with regard to how we manage - with transparency and fairness - the money of the Greek taxpayer in order to strengthen our foreign policy, something which had not happened for many years in this country. Dear friends, I would like to say, finally, that, as Nikos Kotzias said earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not limited to the political leadership, there is its diplomatic leadership as well, the diplomats, the people who work graciously so that the country can go forward. And they work, and they will have to work independent of the political leaderships, independent of which political power is in power in the country. We shall continue on this path in the near future, with the invaluable contribution of Giorgos Katrougalos, Terens Quick, and Markos Bolaris and, of course, with the diplomatic leadership, and I would like to assure you that we have much to do. And let me repeat that you are our most significant support, the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with your advanced training and your professionalism. I would like for you to know that, for as long as I am responsible for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I look forward to your collaboration, I look forward to your proposals, your thoughts as to how we will be able to go even further and, of course, I look forward to a substantial cooperation between us. I know that your work here is complex, but I believe that with good and honest communication, everything can be resolved and we can have even better results.I conclude by addressing Nikos Kotzias, thanking him warmly once again for his contribution to foreign policy. But I would like to add two things that are a bit more personal. I believe that what has stuck in my mind from our collaboration are not the undoubted abilities of Nikos Kotzias as Minister of Foreign Affairs, but the deep sense of patriotic duty that set him apart, which continues to set him apart. And I say this because at very difficult times, and very trying times for him, he never abandoned his duty, and indeed, a Minister of Foreign Affairs who wishes to be proactive and to put into practice that dogma of multidimensional foreign policy, must continuously go from one airplane to another, from trip to trip, and I would like to say that for me, placing this much priority on patriotic duty, setting aside even personal difficulties, is something that will stay with me. Finally, I would like to say, because he referred to the oxymoron of the moment. I don’t know if you recall Nikos, I don’t remember if it was in 2011 or 2012, at some point when you were giving me advice as the head of the main opposition party then, on the issue of foreign policy, you had told me the following wise thing: That whoever deals with politics, in a leading role, must know that politics has more troubles than joys and that mainly, the usual thing is that when someone departs, he is not happy to leave. In your case, in your departure from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - not from politics - life brought things in such a way for that not to occur. So today you have every reason to be happy and content. Because you are departing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a happy moment, on a happy day for our foreign policy. And I would say on a happy and optimistic day for the country since yesterday we had two successes: not only the fact that the path is being paved for the implementation of an historic agreement with our neighbours which paves the way for the prospect of prosperity and peace in our region, but also because the European Commission approved the Greek budget without cuts to pensions, after 8 years of austerity, something which paves the way for more optimistic times for the Greek people. So, with these thoughts, I would like to say that this is a good sign, that it is not a sad day but a happy one, the day on which you depart from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but I would like to repeat that you are not leaving, you are switching corners, and I shall always look forward to your invaluable advice and to continuing our collaboration so that I can face, in the best possible way, the new duties that will be assigned to me in the near future. I thank you warmly and I thank all of you.
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New Book Uses Psychology, Greek Mythology and Sports to Help Readers...
As a psychotherapist, Maura Matarese found her clients living quiet lives of desperation, when they really wanted to live authentically doing what their souls longed for. After realizing she needed to ...
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Police arrests street musician for “beggary” in Thessaloniki, triggering outrage
Greek police has arrested a young street musician in Thessaloniki and triggered an outrage in media and internet community. The young woman was playing music in the city’s central Aristotelous square on Sunday. Police officers arrested her and furthermore they filed a lawsuit for beggary. The arrest triggered an outrage first of all among the … The post Police arrests street musician for “beggary” in Thessaloniki, triggering outrage appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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US Embassy Blasts Greek Terrorist’s Prison Release Prospects
ATHENS – Changing its party line that Greece is “a pillar of stability in the region,” the US Embassy denounced the idea that a notorious […] The post US Embassy Blasts Greek Terrorist’s Prison Release Prospects appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greek Court Rejects Folli Follie’s Resort Seeking Protection from Creditors
ATHENS – A Greek court of First Instance on Monday rejected a resort by Folli Follie seeking protection from its creditors. The resort was rejected […] The post Greek Court Rejects Folli Follie’s Resort Seeking Protection from Creditors appeared first on The National Herald.
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Archbishop Ieronymos Honors Late Philanthropist Santikos
A foundation that received a $500,000 donation from the late Greek-American real estate developer and entertainment businessman John Santikos of Texas to do charitable work […] The post Archbishop Ieronymos Honors Late Philanthropist Santikos appeared first on The National Herald.
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Don’t Mess With Texas: Houston’s Greek Festival Roars On
This year’s Original Greek Festival in Houston was held at the newly renovated Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and was a feast of Greek food, music, […] The post Don’t Mess With Texas: Houston’s Greek Festival Roars On appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greek court rejects Folli's injunction for creditor protection
ATHENS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - A Greek court has rejected an injunction filed by jewellery maker Folli Follie for temporary protection of its assets from creditors, according to a court document seen by R...
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ELSTAT: The Greek debt is 176,1% of GDP…
...or 317,4 billion Euros!
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Social dividend of up to 1 billion euros to be distributed by the Greek Government
According to information the Greek government intends to proceed to the distribution of a social dividend of at least 800 million eurosAnyway next year this will not be happe
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Petition demanding €8mn ECB profits return to Greece handed to Eurogroup
In a meeting with Eurogroup spokesperson Luis Rego, a group of campaigners including Positive Money Europe handed a petition to euro zone finance ministers demanding that Greece gets back the profits made off of its debt. Luis Rego promised the campaigners to bring the issue to the attention of EG chief Mario Centento and committed … The post Petition demanding €8mn ECB profits return to Greece handed to Eurogroup appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.
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Greek ship, first in the world to use wind power
Greece has once again proved it is a pioneer in shipping innovation, as Blue Planet Shipping based in Piraeus recently became the first company worldwide to manage a bulk carrier equipped with wind ro...
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Enormous 3,000-Foot Spider Web Shrouds Greek Lake-and It Looks Set to Grow
Hundreds of thousands of spiders have blanketed a Greek lake in an enormous web stretching some 3,300 feet—just in time for Halloween. Local biologists have said that the spooky shroud could grow even ...
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Greece Current Account Surplus Declines In August
(RTTNews) - Greece's current account surplus decreased in August on widening shortfall in primary income, the Bank of Greece reported Monday. The current account surplus fell to EUR 1.5 billion ...
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Turkey: 2 migrants die amid crossing Greek borders attempt
(MENAFN) The Turkish coast guard declared that over two illegal migrants have been killed after a boat capsized off Turkey's Aegean coast on Monday. The force added that the inflatable boat with ...
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In Patras, Greece’s Oldest Turkish Bath, Operating Since 1400
The oldest Turkish bath in Greece was built in the port city of Patras in 1400—during the Venetian rule—and remains in operation today. The hammam, as it is known in Turkish, is located in the ...
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Dan Georgakas Honored at NYC Greek Film Festival Tribute
NEW YORK – The New York Greek Film Festival Tribute to Dan Georgakas took place on October 20, at the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) […] The post Dan Georgakas Honored at NYC Greek Film Festival Tribute appeared first on The National Herald.
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