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How the world sees Greece
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Vote for Greece!
Greek ReporterVote for Greece!Greek ReporterThe online polls have begun and your active participation in Greece coming top in the Best Destination Award is just a click away. The poll is organized by the travel website minube.net and ends midnight on February 23. Participating is a piece of cake.
Lunch like a Greek God at Phoenicia's in Redlands
Lunch like a Greek God at Phoenicia's in RedlandsInland Valley Daily BulletinGoing out to lunch and writing about the experience as part of my job description has been a lot of fun for the past six years. The best part is trying new places and different foods that are not my usual meal routine. One such place I tried this week ...and more »
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Authentic Greek cuisine comes to Lansdale
Authentic Greek cuisine comes to LansdaleThe ReporterYanni Lambros, owner of Yanni's Gyros, prepares authentic Greek cuisine at his new restaurant on Main Street in Lansdale on Tuesday, Jan. 28,2014. Photo by Mark C Psoras. By VICTORIA WOLK, vwolk@thereporteronline.com. Posted: 01/30/14, 1:44 PM ...
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Evolution, You’re Drunk
The idea of directionality in nature, a gradient from simple to complex, began with the Greek s, who called nature physis , meaning growth.
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Chobani Can't Be Marketed as 'Greek Yogurt' in the U.K.
A British court ruled that Chobani can't call their product 'Greek yogurt' because it is made in the U.S.
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Charlemagne: The euro’s hellhound
IN GREEK mythology, Cerberus is the three-headed dog guarding the gates to Hades. In modern Greek politics, the troika is the three-headed monster that traps the country in an economic underworld. At the finance ministry in Athens, even the cleaning ladies shout “murderers” at visiting members of the troika. In Lisbon protest banners declare “Fuck the troika”. There is now a popular Portuguese neologism, entroikado, roughly meaning “economically screwed”.As guardian of the creditors, the troika was never going to be loved. The trio of the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank was improvised at the time of the first Greek bail-out in May 2010. It has since been at the heart of other rescues, of Ireland, Portugal and, most recently, Cyprus. Increasingly, its role is being questioned. Is the monster ripping too much living flesh from the countries it is supposed to be saving? And who controls the beast anyway?The European Parliament has begun an inquiry into the troika’s workings. MEPs have been visiting bailed-out countries and have summoned troika officials for a grilling. Socialists accuse the...
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Paris flights cut by 20 percent as air traffic controllers strike
FRANKFURT/PARIS (Reuters) - Travelers faced a day of disruption on Thursday as air traffic controllers in France and across Europe went on strike over cost cuts and pan-European safety rules. France's DGAC authority asked airlines operating services to and from the three Paris-region airports - Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais - to reduce flights by about 20 percent because of the strike, which runs until 0500 GMT on Friday. The French strike is part of a day of action called by the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) to protest against safety and savings targets planned by the European Commission. Slovakian and Italian air traffic controllers are also striking for short periods during the day, while their colleagues in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Portugal, Bulgaria and Greece will take measures such as performing only basic contracted duties.
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There's Only One Place to Put a Yoplait Greek Taste-Off Store: Across the Street from the Chobani Store
NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the doors of the Yoplait® Greek Taste-Off store open in New York's SoHo neighborhood, kicking off three days of side-by-side consumer taste tests between Yoplait Greek blueberry yogurt and Chobani ...
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Greece’s Samaras Says 2013 Primary Surplus Better Than Expected
The latest data showed that Greece’s 2013 primary budget surplus was more than 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion), Samaras told his party’s lawmakers in a speech in Athens today. The government’s 2014 budget estimated that it had achieved a ...
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Greek Cypriot archbishop Chrysostomos II said ‘for us, a Turkish Cypriot state means annexation, which nobody wants.'
Chrysostomos II, the archbishop of the Greek Cypriot administration of southern Cyprus, said that it did not matter whether or not Turkey recognized his country while speaking on a local radio station. The Greek Orthodox archbishop said ‘The entire world ...
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Book News: Two Poems By Greek Poet Sappho Discovered
NPR (blog)Book News: Two Poems By Greek Poet Sappho DiscoveredNPR (blog)Parts of two previously unknown poems by the Greek lyric poet Sappho have been discovered on an ancient papyrus. An anonymous collector happened to show the papyrus to the Oxford University classicist Dirk Obbink, who realized its significance.'Two new poems' by Greek poet Sappho recoveredBBC Newsall 2 news articles »
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Archaeological Findings Will Remain in Thessaloniki Metro
After a long meeting that lasted over 10 hours and was accompanied by a heated debate, the Greek Central Archaeological Council favored the detachment of the Byzantine findings of Venizelos station of Thessaloniki Metro and their repositioning to a specially formed area within the metro station. The debate was also attended by the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Yiannis Boutaris, who supported the preservation of antiquities in the station. He also presented his vision which is the creation of an archaeological park in the city center, which will include, archaeological monuments of the city and antiquities found during works for the construction of the Metro. The meeting was also attended by the president of the Association of Greek Archaeologists, Despina Koutsouba, who supported among other things the creation of an open archaeological site, which will be accessible to all citizens of Thessaloniki and not only to the passengers of the metro. The general secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Greece pointed out that any further delay of the project must be avoided as it may jeopardize its realization. It is noted that the construction of the Thessaloniki Metro started in June 2006 and must be completed by 2018.
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Greek Government Reveals Plan for Greek Police Force Overhaul
The Greek Ministry of Public Order and Protection submitted a new draft law unveiling in this way the Greek government’s plans to overhaul the Greek Police( ELAS) in a bid to improve patrols and cut spending. During an Athens press briefing, Minister Nikos Dendias presented the bill, which includes decoupling the ministry from police, turning the latter into a political organization under a general directorate. Police headquarters will be abolished under its current form and will be replaced by a directorate overlooking three main and autonomous sectors: public order, security (set up along the FBI model) and foreigners/border protection sector in Greece. The bill, which was tabled in Parliament Wednesday, foresees the scrapping of about 6,700 permanent posts, which are currently vacant, as well as the merging of ELAS’s surplus administrative departments. The move is expected to cut their number almost in half, from 120 to 68. With the exception of the Attica and Thessaloniki prefectures, the remaining 52 police directorates will be substituted by the 12 regional directorates. Changes will also take place in the Fire Brigade structure, which will act as the operational branch of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection. The whole project, according to the data presented, will result in a 43 percent reduction in the police structure (including mergers of units and services), 30 percent reduction in the Fire Brigade and 36 percent in the General Secretariat.
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Mistake Averts Political Storm between MEP Karas and SYRIZA
During a meeting held on Wednesday in a committee of the Greek Parliament between the vice president of the European parliament, MEP Othmar Karas, and Greek MP’s, a major political outbreak was prevented, as an intriguing part of the conversation was lost in translation. The Austrian MEP, who is visiting Athens as head of the EU committee monitoring the actions of the Troika in EU member states, made remarks in reference to the leader of the major opposition party SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras, mentioning that during their last meeting in Strasbourg, Tsipras seemed to be unprepared. “We met in Strasbourg with the opposition leader and asked Mr. Tsipras to present us his objectives and proposals, while also asking him what can be corrected. For the next hour though, he didn’t say anything. He only said that he supports the European parliament and wants our committee to take on more responsibilities,” Karas said. This statement met no response by the SYRIZA MP’s who were present at the meeting, as the crucial part concerning the name of the opposition leader had been mistakenly interpreted as “Cyprus,” thus leaving the MP’s puzzled about the choice of the Austrian MEP to talk about the neighboring country’s opposition leader. Later, upon examining the audio and video transcripts the mistake was revealed. “I said Tsipras. I couldn’t be asking a country,” Karas said answering to news editors. The SYRIZA MP’s present in the room later stated that if they had realized that the accusations of Karas were targeting their leader, they wouldn’t have let the MEP go on with his speech. SYRIZA issued a statement condemning the “false and defamatory allegations by Mr. Karas,” while mentioning, “these unacceptable allegations were not even taken seriously by the interpreter, who thought that Karas was talking about Cyprus.” Recently, the head of the Troika’s monitoring committee admitted in an interview that the troika has made mistakes but eventually saved Greece from bankruptcy. “The troika was necessary. The EU wasn’t ready to deal with the financial crisis on its own,” Karas said on Wednesday.
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Samaras Rules Out Early Elections, Will Stay Course Until 2016
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has insisted that his coalition government aims to hold general elections as scheduled in 2016, dismissing speculation about an early vote to coincide with polls in May for local government and the European Parliament, as support for his New Democracy Conservatives is waning.
The post Samaras Rules Out Early Elections, Will Stay Course Until 2016 appeared first on The National Herald.
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Protests, Probe Calls For Boat Sinking
ATHENS – As protests stepped up over the sinking of a boat packed with migrants that was being towed by the Greek Coast Guard, in which 12 people went missed and presumed drowned, the country’s Ombudsman and Human Rights Watch joined the chorus of activists demanding an investigation about what happened. Members of the police […]
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Chobani Yogurt Isn’t Greek
LONDON - It’s not all Greek to yogurt makers. A British court has ruled that Chobani, the company leading the burgeoning Greek yogurt market in the U.S., cannot label its products “Greek” in the U.K. because they are made in America. Chobani said it was disappointed with the ruling, but added that “the fight is […]
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EU Lawmakers Check Troika Effect
ATHENS – A team of European Parliament lawmakers visiting Greece to see for themselves the effect of harsh austerity measures imposed by successive governments on the orders of international lenders quickly decided they were worth it to save the economy of the country and the Eurozone. The group was supposed to have come earlier in […]
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Greek Economy Sees Bottom
Greek think tank IOBE said while the economy's free-fall should slow by the end of the year that it could still shrink in 2015, disputing rosy government estimates.
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Spain's black economy booming as GDP continues slow growth
Report finds shadow economy has expanded to 24.6% of GDP, as official figures show fourth-quarter economic growth at 0.3%
While the rest of Spain's economy is either stagnant or in decline, a new report shows that the so-called submerged economy is booming and accounted for 24.6% of GDP in 2012, 6.8% higher than in 2008.
The report by Spain's inland revenue department titled The Cost of the Submerged Economy: Increased Fraud During the Crisis claims that the black economy is now worth €253bn (£208bn) – €60bn more than in 2008.
Meanwhile, figures released on Thursday show that Spain's GDP rose by 0.3% in the last quarter of 2013, up from 0.1% in the third quarter. This represents the biggest rise in Spanish GDP since the beginning of 2008.
The inland revenue report says the submerged economy has grown fastest in those areas most affected by unemployment and the burst housing bubble, such as Andalusia, the Canaries, Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha. The figure for Extremadura, where unemployment stands above 30%, is 31.1%.
The housing boom "created a huge reserve of black money, especially in coastal areas", demonstrated by the "massive use" of €500 notes, which the report claims account for 70% of all the cash in circulation.
Other factors are the punitive social security regime imposed on the self-employed and the lengthy and labyrinthine process of establishing a legal enterprise, both of which discourage entrepreneurship and boost the cash-in-hand economy.
The report comments on the "serious moral problem when it comes to paying taxes", a situation that has put Spain's black economy high above Germany (13.1%), France (10.8%) and the UK (10.1%), although the rate in Italy, Portugal and Greece is closer to Spain's.
Shadow economic activity in Greece is equivalent to almost a quarter of national output, a study by the London-based Institute of Economic Affairs found. The research found that Greece's shadow economy was equivalent to 24% of GDP last year, which was one of the highest rates in Europe but lower than a decade earlier when it surpassed 28%.
The authors of the Spanish report, carried out for the tax department by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, criticise the government for turning a blind eye to fraud. They also say it is only thanks to the black economy, along with family support and charity, that there has not been widespread social unrest. Although unemployment stands at around 26%, it is an open secret that this figure disguises the large numbers working in the submerged economy.
In spite of the high levels of fraud, there is only one Spanish tax inspector for every 1,928 taxpayers, compared with 860 in France and 729 in Germany.
Global economyEconomicsSpainEuropeStephen Burgentheguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds |
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Greek PM promises hefty budget surplus, recovery in sight
* Samaras rules out early election, attacks anti-bailout opposition ATHENS, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Greece will post a budget surplus of at least 1 billion euros in 2013 and return the bulk of that to cash-strapped Greeks, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Thursday, seeking to wrest momentum back from an emboldened leftist opposition. Greece's economy shrank by almost a quarter and unemployment ...
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Greek police detain dozens protesting at marine minister's office over immigrant boat deaths
by
Associated Press
Greek police detain dozens protesting boat deaths
Associated Press - 30 January 2014 06:18-05:00
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek police have detained dozens of people for allegedly trying to occupy the office of the government's marine minister in a protest over the recent deadly sinking of a boat carrying migrants from Turkey to Greece.
Police said Thursday more than 40 people had been detained, but not arrested, during the protest at Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis' political office in central Athens.
Twelve people, mostly children, are believed to have died last week when the boat carrying them illegally sank in the eastern Aegean Sea. Two bodies were recovered.
An investigation is being conducted after the crew of a coast guard vessel at the scene was accused of mishandling the rescue operation. Varvitsiotis' ministry is responsible for the coast guard.
News Topics: General news, Boat accidents, Arrests, Protests and demonstrations, Maritime accidents, Transportation accidents, Accidents, Accidents and disasters, Transportation, Law and order, Crime, Political and civil unrestPeople, Places and Companies: Greece, Athens, Western Europe, Europe
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Greece: Investigate Pushbacks, Summary Expulsions
Parliament should exercise its oversight powers to examine the scope of these illegal actions and determine whether they amount to a de facto policy, Human Rights Watch said. “Despite government denials, we’ve heard many accounts of pushback ...
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Greek water company plans Roanoke Valley plant
Greek water company plans Roanoke Valley plantRoanoke TimesCuster said she has worked with The Hellenic Initiative, a nonprofit organization focused on helping the Greek economy recover from crisis, to support Greek businesses by importing their products. She acknowledged that the bottled water market in the ...
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National Bank of Greece Said to Explore Sale of NBGI
KathimeriniNational Bank of Greece Said to Explore Sale of NBGIBloombergNational Bank of Greece SA, the nation's oldest and largest lender, is exploring a sale of London-based NBGI Private Equity Ltd. to raise capital, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. National Bank is working with investment bank ...Greece's National Bank plans to shed private equity business-sourcesReutersall 7 news articles »
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Go Greek in 2014 With Dannon Light & Fit® Greek
Let Dannon Light & Fit Greek Nonfat Yogurt help you mind what you eat. Not only does this menu MVP combine the thick, creamy satisfaction of Greek nonfat yogurt with the taste you expect from Dannon Light & Fit, it has 80 calories, 12g of protein ...
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Greece: Govt rules out early general election
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A spokesman for Greece's coalition government has denied that it is considering an early general election to coincide with polls in May for the European Parliament and local government.
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Sandy, A Bowlegged Dog, Gets The Life-Changing Surgery He Needed
Who could turn away this lovable pooch?
Sandy, a severely bowlegged pup nicknamed "the wonky dog" by British press, was abandoned in Greece. After learning about the animal, however, United Kingdom charity Mutts in Distress helped raise the money to fly Sandy to the U.K. for life-changing surgery.
Pat Clark, of Mutts in Distress, said she first found out about Sandy, who also has difficulty seeing, through her contacts at an animal sanctuary in Corfu, Greece.
"I saw a picture of Sandy and knew we had to bring him here," Clark told the BBC. "He was so [bowlegged] and wonky he was almost walking on his chest."
Clark called for donations through the Mutts in Distress website, and animal lovers responded generously, donating hundreds of pounds for the dog's airfare and keep. Sandy arrived in the U.K. in December and successfully underwent surgery last week to repair one of his legs.
Chaim Pilsof, a veterinary surgeon at Companion Care vets in Cambridge, England, offered to perform the surgery free of charge, Yahoo! News reports.
"So far it has gone really well," Pilsof said, according to the outlet. "At the moment he is on cage rest because he needs to rest a lot but he is already trying to do much more than we allow him to."
Plates were inserted in one of the dog's deformed legs, but Sandy will need months of physiotherapy as well as a consult with an eye specialist. Still, Clark said that Sandy has been given a new lease on life.
"A month ago he had no hope of ever walking properly or hope of the gift of sight," Clark said, according to Yahoo. "No-one had heard his name or knew of his existence. "Here he is now, facing a whole new life, happy and safe, thanks to people prepared to give."
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Coca-Cola doing its bit to add life to Greece
KathimeriniCoca-Cola doing its bit to add life to GreeceKathimeriniAfter a long period of uncertainty, Greece's finances are slowly but steadily returning to positive territory and the country is making a reappearance on the world investment map, says Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola, in an interview with ...
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Science Is Thinking About the World in the Greek Way
Science Is Thinking About the World in the Greek WayHuffington Post"[The Greeks] had the desire and the power to see the world as it is. By this essential quality they gave Europe the conception of philosophy and science. These we inherit from them alone; Palestine and our German ancestors neither created them, nor ...
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Eat Greek founder transplants fast-casual concept to Miami Beach
Eat Greek founder transplants fast-casual concept to Miami BeachMiamiHerald.comEat Greek has arrived on the shores of Biscayne Bay from the azure waters of the Aegean. Owner Vassilios “Billy” Dimotakis was born in Montreal but spent the past decade in his ancestral home of Chania on the north coast of Crete. He ran several Eat ...
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EU Austerity Triggers Treaty Violations
Budget austerity in Europe has caused a number of the region's governments to violate a regional human-rights treaty, particularly in Greece, according to reports by the Council of Europe.
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Sappho: two previously unknown poems indubitably hers, says scholar
University of Oxford papyrologist convinced poems preserved on ancient papyrus are by sixth-century lyricist of Lesbos
Sappho is one of the most elusive and mysterious – as well as best-loved – of ancient Greek poets. Only one of her poems, out of a reputed total of nine volumes' worth, survives absolutely intact. Otherwise, she is known by fragments and shards of lines – and still adored for her delicate outpourings of love, longing and desire.
But now, two hitherto unknown works by the sixth-century lyricist of Lesbos have been discovered. One is a substantially complete work about her brothers; another, an extremely fragmentary piece apparently about unrequited love.
The poems came to light when an anonymous private collector in London showed a piece of papyrus fragment to Dr Dirk Obbink, a papyrologist at Oxford University.
According to Obbink, in an article to be published this spring, the poems, preserved on what is probably third-century AD papyrus, are "indubitably" by Sappho.
Not only do elements of the longer poem link up with fragments already known to be by her, but the metre and dialect in which the poems are written point to Sappho.
The clincher is a reference to her brother, Charaxos – whose very existence has long been doubted, since he is mentioned nowhere in previously discovered fragments of Sappho.
However, Herodotus, the fifth-century BC historian, named the brother when describing a poem by Sappho that recounts the tale of a love affair between Charaxos and a slave in Egypt.
In this poem – though it is not the precise one that Herodotus mentions – the writer addresses her audience, seeming to berate them for taking Charaxos's return by ship from a trading trip for granted.
Pray to Hera, says the narrator, "so that Charaxos may return here, with his ship intact; for the rest let us leave it all to the gods, for often calm quickly follows a great storm".
The poem goes on to say that those whom Zeus chooses to save from great storms are truly blessed and "lucky without compare". The poem ends with the hope that another brother, Larichos, might become a man – "freeing us from much anxiety".
According to Tim Whitmarsh, a professor of ancient languages at Oxford University, the poem could be read as a play on Homer's Odyssey, and the idea of Penelope waiting patiently at home for the return of Odysseus. Sappho frequently reworked Homeric themes in her poems.
Sappho, who was born in about 630BC, is known for her lyric verse of longing, often directed at women and girls – the bittersweet feeling of love, impossible-to-fulfil desire and the sensation of jealousy when you see the object of your obsession across the room, talking intimately with someone else.
She was admired in antiquity for her delicate, passionate verses. The only evidence for her biography comes from within her poems – and the naming of her brothers, Charaxos and Larichos, adds substantially to a sketchy knowledge of the poet's life.
Sappho's poems, which were lost from the manuscript tradition and were not collated and copied by medieval monks as were so many surviving ancient texts, have been preserved by two main means: either through quotation by other authors (often as examples of particular syntactical points by ancient grammarians) or through the discovery of fragments written on ancient papyrus. There is hope yet for more poems to come to light, preserved in the Egyptian sands.
Obbink's article, with a transcription of the original poems, is to be published in the journal Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik.
PoetryGreeceUniversity of OxfordClassicsCharlotte Higginstheguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds |
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Greek taxpayers ‘exhausted’, report warns
Greece’s parliamentary budget office has warned the country’s taxpayers are exhausted after four straight years of tax increases
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Winter Sail on the Greek Islands
Unless you are a very creative person, very rich, or very lucky, it would be difficult to find a sense of freedom more exquisite than sailing the Greek islands with your family or friends in a yacht selected especially to fit your particular needs. Yet this is the unique service offered by Skipper Stefan Ritscher […]
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New Troika Review For Cyprus
While President Nicos Anastasiades was in Qatar wooing investors in a bid to help his country recover from a still-growing economic crisis caused by bad bank loans and exposure to devalued Greek bonds, envoys from international lenders were back in Nicosia checking the books to see if the government is living up to its targets […]
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Samaras Visits Earthquake-Hit Kefalonia, Says Safe
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras visited the earthquake-struck island of Kefalonia to inspect relief efforts as thousands of residents stayed away from their homes.
The post Samaras Visits Earthquake-Hit Kefalonia, Says Safe appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greek Workers, Pensioners Pay The Tax
The complaint of Greeks that the burden of the country’s economic crisis has fallen on them unfairly has been borne out by a study that shows workers and pensioners pay 78 percent while a huge majoritiy of the self-employed and farmers declare they make incomes of only 4,800-10,000 euros, or $6,557-$13,660 a year in a […]
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Houston Boy Makes – and Does – Good
By Dr. Constantina Michalos HOUSTON, TX – I haven’t seen Dean Triantafilou since he and his family left Houston in 1987. I remember a sweet young man with a wry sense of humor. As the only son of our Proestamenos, he lived in a fishbowl, but he was comfortable in his own skin and wore […]
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NYT: Greeks Promote Different Kinds of Economy
The New York Times published an extensive article on how Greeks have decided to experiment with a new kind of economy by redefining the market, in order to save their businesses. The article was entitled “After Crisis, Greek Work to Promote ‘Social’ Economy” and it was published on January 28. According to NYT, the existing Greek market system has failed due to “endemic corruption, budgetary mismanagement by the state and the overbearing demands of global financial markets.” Therefore, businessmen across Greece are experimenting with the idea of completely bypassing middlemen and starting to sell directly to consumers instead. Even though these might not be long-term solutions, at this moment they are the Greeks’ last effort to face the economic crisis. Furthermore, the article stresses the fact that attacks against capitalism are common in Greece, where SYRIZA, “a coalition of radical leftist forces, narrowly lost the last national election in 2012 and according to opinion polls, is now the country’s most popular party.” While, the party’s leader, Alexis Tsipras “decorates his party’s office in Athens with a poster of the revolutionary icon Che Guevara.” SYRIZA has mainly complained about the cutting of jobs, particularly in the public sector and fought against the austerity measures imposed to Greece by international creditors. “As the left remains deeply committed to much of the status quo, the task of answering calls for a new economic order and bringing some relief to Greece’s misery has fallen to people like Mr. Tsolakidis, who organizes the ranks of the no-middlemen movement in his region through a local nonprofit collective called the Voluntary Action Group of Pieria.” Finally, the article presents these initiatives in detail and presents statements from the activists who participated in them in order to tackle the despair of many Greeks who are trying to exit the economic crisis.
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New Evidence, Prosecutions in Armaments Bribary Scandal
New incriminating evidence has come to light in the Greek armaments bribery scandal, implicating many state employees, politicians and businessmen. A list found during a search of Dimitris Papachristos’ office, former representative of German weapons manufacturer Krauss Maffei-Wegmann, points to additional money trails and companies which have until today managed to remain out of the frame. Papachristos was arrested some time ago on charges relating to bribery and corruption. Later on Wednesday, former deputy director of armaments at the Ministry of Defense during the tenure of Akis Tsochatzopoulos, Antonis Kantas, is scheduled to appear before the prosecutor, where he is expected to present new evidence regarding the purchase of PZ90 machine guns from the German manufacturer. The Greek prosecutors Spyros Georgouleas and Christoforos Markou have also summoned Papachristos’ son, who appears to be the manager of two offshore companies which may have been involved in money laundering for Kantas, of over €600,000. Greek judicial officials are also expected to summon their first German citizen in relation to the bribery scandal, the vice president of the weapons manufacturer at the time of the deals, Olaf Eschler. He appears to have received bribes from Papachristos via Switzerland. Greek-Swiss banker Fanis Lyginos has also been called by the prosecutors, as he appears to have helped the former armaments director to launder bribe money in various Swiss bank accounts. According to Kantas’ testimony, Lyginos regularly visited Greece with the explicit intention of participating in the laundering of million-euro bribes in the scandals currently being investigated by Greek authorities. From the evidence so far, it seems that the implicated companies were extremely “generous” towards the accused, since even Kantas, who was at the bottom of the ladder in terms of bribes, is reported to have received at least €12 million. Although having returned about €10 million, other huge amounts received by himself and other accomplices still remain accounted for. Kantas has stated his intention to cooperate with the Greek authorities, however according to his lawyers, his testimony today is not expected to be particular fruitful.
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Greek Medicinal and Aromatic Plants on International Market
The president of the Association for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Greece (EAFFE), Katerina Grigoriadou, declared that the industry intends to expand into the international market. “The market for aromatic plants can bloom outside Greece,” she said. “Such a development will boost the Greek economy by creating new job opportunities. However, this will require cooperation,” explained Grigoriadou. “Partnerships are essential not only for the survival and growth of this market, which is still in its early stages, but also for our products to receive the market acceptance they deserve. This is a market with unlimited potential but in order to succeed a serious commitment is required,” she added. Grigoriadou explained that during 2014 the Association will have completed the recording of all aromatic and medicinal plants in Greece. The objectives of the Association are the promotion and development of Greek aromatic and medicinal plants, the promotion of research, production, distribution and use of these and the establishment of a national policy in order to produce and market in Greece and internationally. Greece represents 50 percent of EU plant biodiversity, 80 percent of Balkan flora and 6,500 species that have been recorded as Greek flora. Among these are 2,944 endemic aromatic and medicinal plants. Most remain unused while the international market is valued at over 20 billion Euros. Aromatic and medicinal plants will be presented at a conference organized during the 25th Agrotica exhibition which will be held from January 31 to February 2 at the Helexpo International Exhibition Center in Thessaloniki.
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Fulham Closing in on Greek Striker Kostas Mitroglou
Greek 25-year-old explosive striker, Kostas Mitroglou is one step closer to completing his transfer to the English football club Fulham. The “Cottagers” will sign the Greek hitman for 15 million euros. Greek champions Olympiacos have reached agreement with Fulham on the terms of the transfer and the official announcement that will seal the deal is only a matter of time. Mitroglou is travelling to London for a medical and to sign a lucrative 4-year deal with a salary of 2.5 million euros per year. The Greek international striker has been in superb form this season, leading the scoring table of the Greek Super league with 14 goals. Moreover, Mitroglou’s goals have helped Olympiacos to reach the final 16 of the Champions League, where they face Manchester United. Fulham made a previous 11 million euro bid for Mitroglou, which was turned down by Olympiacos. But the Cottagers were determined to attract the Greek striker to London, so they offered 14 million euros which it was expected that Olympiacos would accept. However they stood their ground and pushed for 15 million. Fulham agreed and this particular transfer thriller it seems will have a happy ending. Mitroglou was left out of the Olympiacos squad for today’s quarter-final match in the Greek cup against Atromitos, in order that he travel to London for his medical and to sign contracts. Kostas Mitroglou will team up with another Greek international, Giorgos Karagounis. The ex-Panathinaikos player has done his utmost to convince Mitroglou to join him at Fulham. In order to convince Mitroglou to join the club, Fulham have made it clear that he will be a key player and that they wish to build the team around him. Mitroglou is relishing the prospect of participating in top flight football, the English Premier League, and helping Fulham avoid relegation. Mitroglou has recently renewed his contact with Olympiacos but the Greek champions will not keep him in Piraeus against his will as they realize that this is a great opportunity. This will be the most expensive transfer ever for a Greek player participating abroad. Olympiacos it seems have already found Mitroglou’s replacement. They have been in discussions with the Paraguayan striker Nelson Valdez, who it is hoped can fill Mitroglou’s boots. Not an easy job.
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Indian Oil Company Interested in Greek Hydrocarbons
Another oil company, the Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been added to the list of those interested in hydrocarbon exploration in Greece. Its interest was made clear during a meeting between the Minister of Environment Giannis Maniatis and a delegation of ONGC executives. The executives said that they were following developments in the region and that they were interested in taking part in the tenders for the Ionian Sea and southern Crete regions which are expected to be launched later this year. The ONGC visit to Greece was organized after an invitation by the Greek start-up company “Invest in Greece.” During the visit, Indian executives also met with representatives of Greek oil companies. ONGC is the largest state-owned oil and gas exploration and production company in India. It produces 69 percent of India’s crude oil and 62 percent of its natural gas. It employs 32,000 people world-wide and is the second largest company listed on the Indian stock market in terms of market capitalization.
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Greece man charged following incident at fire scene in Webster
A Greece man is facing charges following an incident at a fire scene in Webster...
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The Greek “Angela Merkel”
Greek ReporterThe Greek “Angela Merkel”Greek ReporterIn addition to Merkel's double, we found a video recorded in 2011 of a heavy metal singer who could be the lost twin brother of the Greek Deputy Prime Minister, Evangelos Venizelos. It was hard to believe that the video was not a product of montage ...
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2 Poems by Greek Writer Sappho Discovered on Papyrus
LiveScience.com2 Poems by Greek Writer Sappho Discovered on PapyrusLiveScience.comTwo new poems by the ancient Greek poet Sappho have been discovered on a papyrus owned by a private collector. The woman, who hailed from the island of Lesbos, was one of the most famous lyric poets of her day, during the seventh century B.C. But ...and more »
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Large Increase in Greek Court Cases
Greek ReporterLarge Increase in Greek Court CasesGreek ReporterThe President of the Greek Union of Judges and Prosecutors, Vassiliki Thanou announced that during the next judicial year, the 18-month custody will probably cease to exist. She spoke during the hearing of the parliamentary committee that is in charge ...and more »
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4-Things you must do in Greece
Now that you’ve no doubt got your hearts set on Greece, here are some of the top things you should do there, that will make your holiday one of, if not the best, of your entire lives. Relax on a gorgeous sandy beach –For many of you, the weather is no ...
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Greece's National Bank plans to shed private equity business-sources
Greece's biggest lender National Bank (NBG) (ATH:ETE) plans to shed its private equity business to boost its capital, three banking sources said on Wednesday. A sale of the London-based NBGI arm would form part of a restructuring plan that National is following under the terms of its rescue by Greece's creditors, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. NBG is one of four top ...
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