Greeks to vote for local officials in foretaste of EU elections

Greeks vote on May 18 to elect representatives in the country’s municipalities and prefectures in a last confrontation between the government of Antonis Samaras and the main opposition Syriza party before next week’s European elections. The local governme... ...

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Greek bronze medalist Pollatou killed in car crash

Greek gymnast Anna Pollatou, who won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, was killed in a car crash on Saturday, local media reported. "The Greek Gymnastics Federation expresses its condolences to the relatives of Anna Pollatou and feels deep sorrow for the untimely loss of a gymnast who was a role model," the national body said in a statement. "She was a young woman who had much to ...

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Turkey's foreign minister says US vice president's Cyprus visit important for peace talks

by  Associated Press Turkey: US vice president's Cyprus visit key Associated Press - 17 May 2014 11:55-04:00

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Turkey's foreign minister says U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit to ethnically split Cyprus next week sends an important message of American support for renewed talks aimed at unifying the island.

Ahmet Davutoglu says Biden's three-day trip — the first by a U.S. vice president in 52 years — "isn't an ordinary visit."

Davutoglu was speaking at a press conference Saturday after talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes the Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains 35,000 troops in the breakaway north.

Negotiations resumed in February after the two sides agreed on a joint statement outlining key principles of an envisioned federation.

News Topics: General news, Peace process, Diplomacy, International relations, Government and politics

People, Places and Companies: Joe Biden, Ahmet Davutoglu, Dervis Eroglu, Turkey, Cyprus, United States, Middle East, Western Europe, Europe, North America

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Skeleton in "black hole" sheds light on early Americans

A skeleton discovered in a watery grave called Hoyo Negro – or black hole - has shed light on the origins of the original people of the Americas. The skeleton of a teenage girl, found in a cave in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is between 12,000 and 13,000 years old and the most intact human remains of that era. Dubbed Naia, in refrence to Greek water nymphs, she lay submerged more than 150 feet below the water, until cave divers came upon her. “It’s difficult to say...

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Emir of Qatar Creating Emirate in the Ionian Sea

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, after the purchase of the Greek island Oxia in the Ionian Sea, Greece, is planning to buy seven more islands located in the Echinades group, Ionian Sea. As reported, the family of the Emir of Qatar, has already bought half the island of Petalas and will soon proceed in purchasing the whole area. The acquisition of Petalas is considered very important as it is the biggest island in the Echinades group. Al-Thani bought the island of Oxia for 5.6 million euros from the Greek-Australian family Stamoulis. The investment, is expected to be around 250-300 million euros. Oxia covers a surface area of about 500 hectares which is half the size of the Italian island Capri and is 38 km away from the island of Ithaca. Al-Thani plans to transform the island into a luxury resort which will include a five-star hotel, a boutique hotel, two tourist resorts, a series of bungalows on the beach, bars, restaurants, a shopping area, sports facilities and a heliport. Part of the island is under the protection of the environmental organization “Natura 2000,” but the rest can be used for commercial purposes. However, The “transformation” project is moving at snail’s pace due to bureaucracy.

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Thessaloniki to Vote on Water Privatization

The citizens of Thessaloniki, northern Greece are invited to vote on Sunday in an unofficial referendum concerning water privatization while casting their ballot in the local and regional elections.  In 2011, the Greek government announced its plans to privatize Eyath, the state-run company that provides the city’s 1.5 million residents with water and sanitation services. The denationalization process is underway and two multinational companies have made it to the second phase of the tender for the utility.  The Greek law does not allow for the citizens to be consulted on government policy unless they are ratified by presidential decree or an enhanced majority of MPs. However, the citizens of Thessaloniki believe that  the results of the referendum will clearly show that they want water to remain in public ownership.  The decision to privatize the city’s water supply has caused the reaction of several coalition groups, including political parties, trade unions and the Orthodox church. The polls show that over 70% of the citizens are against Eyath’s privatization. They believe that such services must stay public to ensure quality, safety and affordable services under democratic control. Referendum on water privatization banned The Greek Ministry of Interior deemed the referendum organized by the city’s municipalities as “illegal.” The Interior Minister, Yiannis Michelakis with a circular sent on Saturday, May 17 to the municipalities of Thessaloniki banned the referendum.

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Ukraine Crisis Dominates EU Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Athens

Europe is considering increasing the size of security stockpiles of natural gas that member-states are obliged to have in storage in between 50 and 60 days, instead of the 30 days envisaged by current directives, in case of a possible supply crisis due to developments in Ukraine, European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said in Athens on Friday. The Commissioner was speaking at a press conference that wrapped up an informal EU energy ministers’ council held in Athens, Greece. In a joint press conference with Greece ‘s Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Yiannis Maniatis, Oettinger stressed that Russia must continue to meet its contractual obligations to the EU and the countries of the Western Balkans, the Ukraine and Moldova, refraining from using natural gas supply as a “weapon.” Commenting on a letter sent to EU leaders on Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he said that Ukraine must pay in advance for any natural gas it imports from Russia, the Commissioner said that negotiations will be held over the next 15 days so that security of supply remains guaranteed. Oettinger also noted that the Russian side now only demanded pre-payment of imports, while in previous communications had also called for a settlement of Ukraine’s debts and the activation of the ‘take or pay’ clause. He also said that a uniform price for natural gas in the EU should arise from the operation of the market and not through a political decision. Maniatis noted that events in Ukraine and the short-term and long-term measures for coping with an EU supply crisis had been among the issues discussed at the council meeting. These had included increasing security stockpiles (to be examined with respect to cost), emergency plans, installing reverse flow mechanisms in interstate pipelines, measures to reduce demand, as well as turning to internal energy sources and diversifying supply routes and sources. Oettinger stressed the last point, pointing out that if there were more than one provider, then no one could be blackmailed. Energy security will also be discussed at the ministers’ council in June, at which point the EU will make an announcement. Other issues covered at the Athens meeting included energy infrastructure, energy efficiency and conservation and climate change targets until 2030. Replying to questions about the privatization of the Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA), Maniatis said that EU approval was still pending, while Oettinger clarified that the process will be completed within 2014. (source: ana-mpa)

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