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How the world sees Greece
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Venizelos Meets With Papoulias to Discuss Election Aftermath
Evangelos Venizelos had announced the meeting with President Karolos Papoulias, where he intended to comment on the statements of SYRIZA leader, Alexis Tsipras and also to propose some ways to “reunite the nation” and maintain stability in the country. Mr. Venizelos wanted to convey the message he understood from the results of the election, which is that “people cannot take anymore, they want to see the results of change.” The PASOK leader also talked about Europe as a whole, claiming that “we need Europe to be more political, less bureaucratic and friendlier with the European citizens.” He also stressed the need for “development policies that sets aside unemployment and austerity.” Venizelos added that now Greece has a chance to negotiate with the creditors in Europe. This meeting was followed by the proposal of Alexis Tsipras for early elections. Venizelos is clearly opposed to it, as he claimed that “the SYRIZA leader made Papoulias feel uncomfortable hearing such an unconstitutional proposal.” Greece ‘s Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will meet with President Papoulias on Thursday.
7th Biennale of Greece’s Schools of Fine Arts Held in June
One hundred students of the Greek Schools of Fine Arts will present their works in the 7th Student Biennale, organized in June by the Greek art newspaper “Ta Nea tis Technis” (“The Art News”) in cooperation with the Liaison Office of the Athens School of Fine Arts. More specifically, students from the Schools of Fine Arts of Athens, Thessaloniki and Florina will participate in the art exhibition, presenting their works and competing with the other participants. The 7th Biennale will be hosted in the Theocharakis Foundation, in Athens and will be open for visitors from June 6 to June 15. The traditional award ceremony for the distinguished works will take place on June 5 in the same venue. The winners of the three awards and the three accolades will be selected by a committee of professors of the three schools and organizers. The art exhibition will be inaugurated by Panos Charalambous, the president of the Department of Fine Arts of the Athens School of Fine Arts, while representatives of Greece’s Schools of Fine Arts and organizers will speak. The Student Biennale was launched in 1997 as an annual competition among the students of the Athens School of Fine Arts. However, since 2000, students from all three Fine Arts Greek Schools participate and compete every year. Furthermore, the Student Biennale of 2005 traveled to Canada after an invitation of the Greek consulate and joined two major international art exhibitions in Toronto.
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Samaras: ‘Main Opposition Wants to Provoke Ungovernability’
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras launched a full-scale attack on main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) on Wednesday, in his address to the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) annual general meeting. Accusing SYRIZA of behaving arrogantly, he said the party was attempting to make it impossible to govern. “The main opposition failed to overturn the government or to trigger early elections. Now it is trying to provoke ungovernability. It says ‘don’t think of governing without asking us.’ It has acquired the arrogance of power before coming into power. The electorate’s statement of confidence, however, was given in the elections of 2012,” he stressed. The country could not head to general elections after every local or European election, the prime minister added, and underlined that the main opposition’s demands “created a permanent ungovernability.” He also pointed out that the parties in the coalition government, while suffering losses, still had more combined voter support than SYRIZA, which had also lost support relative to the 2012 elections. “I can answer why that is: because people abhor an absence of government. We will continue. If [SYRIZA] wants to contribute, well and good, but we will not allow them to create ungovernability,” he said. Turning to the economy, the prime minister underlined that Greece was finally starting to recover after six years of recession. “International organizations predict growth rates of 2.9 pct this year, 3.7 pct next year and a 10 pct reduction of unemployment by 2018… The economic climate index reached 99.1 in May. This is the highest level since August 2008 when the crisis began,” he pointed out. The prime minister stressed that if Greece continued to do the right things and stayed on the right path, things will get better and that this positive outlook confirmed by the strictest judges of all, the international markets. “They received us earlier than was expected,” Samaras said, underlining that confidence in Greece was restored and was back to stay. The public discourse was shifting from what had been done until now to what must be done from here on, he added. “Greece is looking toward a hopeful future. We are no longer talking about whether or not we will default and whether or not we will stay in the euro. That discussion is over. Now we are talking about growth and competitiveness and exports, with healthy enterprise and above all, with stability that some can still undermine. In short, the culture in Greece is changing,” Samaras said. Outlining his priorities, the prime minister emphasized the need to revise the Constitution in order to boost governability, stability and seriousness in politics. He also presented his goals for the country, saying these hinged on fighting bureaucracy, reforming the justice system, and reducing taxes, which he said was his “dream for Greece.” He said the government will announce a road-map for reducing the tax burden in the autumn, while noting that lower taxes and lower energy costs were essential for improving competitiveness. The prime minister also pledged a more “compassionate” tax collection mechanism that dealt less harshly with those unable to pay, promising to “correct injustices that were made,” as well as promising full access to hospital care for the uninsured from June 1. “We have a plan that works,” Samaras stressed, pointing out that productive investments were now unblocking and some 37.6 billion euros in foreign capital were coming to Greece, while stressing that Greek businessmen must take the lead since the right conditions now existed. (source: ana-mpa)
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When Girls Use the Word ‘Slut’ to Bully Each Other
A new study finds that girls police social hierarchies by slut-shaming one another
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'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' getting bigger, fatter sequel
Writer and star of the surprise 2002 hit "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" Nia Vardolos confirmed a sequel was in the works on Twitter , writing: "Now that I'm experiencing motherhood I feel ready to write this next chapter. A few jaded press corps will claim I ran out of money or just want to kiss John Corbett again. One of these things is true." Yes, the entire original cast — including John Corbett ...
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EU values Greece's role in energy autonomy
KathimeriniEU values Greece's role in energy autonomyKathimeriniAfter meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, European Commissioner for Energy Guenther Oettinger said on Wednesday that the two men had discussed the “important role that Greece will play in the European gas strategy,” as Brussels ...and more »
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Site Blessing Postponed but St. Nick’s on Track
NEW YORK – Although the blessing of the site at Ground Zero has been postponed until the Fall and the start of construction has been pushed back to September after earlier hopes for a July or August beginning, the new Church of St. Nicholas may still be completed in time for Pascha 2016. His Grace […]
The post Site Blessing Postponed but St. Nick’s on Track appeared first on The National Herald.
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Police search for missing Greece man
Police search for missing Greece manRochester Democrat and ChronicleAuthorities in Greece are searching for a missing 42-year-old man last seen Tuesday afternoon. Tyrone B. White left his Greece home around 2 o'clock for his daily walk and never came home, said Deputy Chief Jason Helfer of the Greece Police Department.
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Opa! Nia Vardalos, John Corbett sign on for 'Big Fat Greek Wedding' sequel
Opa! Nia Vardalos, John Corbett sign on for 'Big Fat Greek Wedding' sequelToday.com"My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the little indie picture that surprised everyone in 2002 by raking in over $240 million in domestic box office, is coming back for a new installment — with creator/star Nia Vardalos and co-star John Corbett already attached ...
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Three Greeks to Attend Annual Bilderberg Meeting
Three Greeks are scheduled to attend this year’s conference of the Bilderberg Group, which is set to take place from May 29 to June 1 in Copenhagen, Denmark, as announced by the group on Monday. Among around 140 participants from 22 countries, according to the participants’ list published by the Bilderberg Group, the three Greeks to attend the forthcoming gathering are: Alexandra Mitsotaki – Chair, ActionAid Hellas George Zanias – Chairman of the Board, National Bank of Greece Loukas Tsoukalis – President, Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and a member of the Bilderberg Group’s Steering Commitee Founded in 1954, Bilderberg says it is an annual conference designed “to foster dialogue between Europe and North America”. Every year, between 120-150 political leaders and experts from industry, finance, academia and the media are invited to the conference. The conference claims to be “a forum for informal discussions about megatrends and major issues facing the world”. The meetings are held under rules stating “that participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s) nor of any other participant may be revealed”. The group says its meetings have “no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued”. Key topics for discussion at the 2014 meeting are likely to include: Is the economic recovery sustainable? Who will pay for the demographics? Does privacy exist? How special is the relationship in intelligence sharing? Big shifts in technology and jobs The future of democracy and the middle class trap China’s political and economic outlook The new architecture of the Middle East Ukraine What next for Europe? Current events http://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/participants.html
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AUTH Seismograph Stolen from Evros Site
A seismograph belonging to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) has been stolen in Evros, northern Greece. AUTH scientists from made the discovery after noticing that there was no data coming in about the powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale that occurred on Saturday between Samothrace and Lemnos. According to local media, the seismograph is valued between 15,000 and 20,000 euros, but this theft will cost much more to AUTH and perhaps the whole region, since the device provided valuable data about seismic activity in a highly sensitive area. A team of scientists from the seismological station in Thessaloniki will be arriving in the area Thursday, May 29, to see if anything besides the seismograph, has been removed from the site. Metal thieves are the presumed to be behind the theft.
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Nafplio Greece May be home to World’s Tiniest Car
A very small car making its way around the city of Nafplio Greece, is turning heads. It is believed to possibly be the world’s tiniest car. The attention grabbing car is the legendary BMW Isetta 300, which was manufactured in 1958 in Germany. After an adventurous journey, this car ended up in the ownership of Kostas Dimoulis of Nafplio. When Kostas took possession of the vehicle, it was practically a wreck, he stated to the Athens News Agency. He reconstructed it with effort and enthusiasm, gathering a lot of attention when he first drove it around town. Renzo Rivolta, who was an Italian engineer inspired the making of this vehicle. When he bought the ISO vehicle firm, he decided to show everyone his creations, beginning with scooters and then, in 1952, created the Isetta, which was characterized as the most beautiful and most famous of all microcars. It was presented for the first time in the Turin Auto Show, but got a major boost when BMW acquired the rights and started manufacturing it from 1953 to 1958. by: Konstantinos Kalachanis
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Tsipras Invites Greek Industrialists to Strike ‘New Social Deal’
Main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras has invited Greece’s industrialists to strike “a new social deal for a new Greece” – one aimed at the country’s reconstruction and growth – in his address to the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) annual general assembly on Wednesday. Tsipras also repeated his warnings that the government should not proceed with significant decisions without first seeking consensus, on the grounds that it now lacked the political and moral legitimacy to do so. He stressed that, for SYRIZA, growth was more than just a number with a plus sign attached but a complex of policies and interventions for people and their needs, and repeated his invitation to SEV to “cooperate with sincerity and develop a functional institutional relationship.” “We have a difficult road ahead of us and we know full well that we are not going to take over ‘burnt land’. We will take over a country divided and dismantled – politically, economically and socially – and we will reunite it together. We will lead it to the safe and fertile ground of reconstruction, of growth, of democracy and social justice,” he said. Commenting on the political scene emerging after the European elections, Tsipras said the Greek people had given a clear mandate for a change of policy and shown their disapproval of the current government by granting SYRIZA a clear and indisputable victory. (source: ana-mpa)
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How Often Does Your College Report Sexual Assaults?
High numbers of reported assaults are often a sign a college is doing a better job addressing the issue. See the interactive below to compare schools' reporting
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A Greek tragedy in the making
A Greek tragedy in the makingMarketWatchThe Syriza party's triumph in the Greek European Parliamentary election; Alexis Tsipras's call for an immediate general election; Greek bonds are overpriced, ignoring the rising danger of Athens rejecting new calls for austerity; the current spread ...
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Nation Mourns Maya Angelou – Poet, Author
NEW YORK (AP) — Maya Angelou, a poet and author who rose from poverty, segregation and the harshest of childhoods to become a force on stage, screen and the printed page, has died. She was 86. Her first husband, Enistasious “Tosh” Angelos, was a Greek electrician, former sailor, and aspiring musician. They married at a time when […]
The post Nation Mourns Maya Angelou – Poet, Author appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greece man accused in toddler's death in court
13WHAM-TVGreece man accused in toddler's death in courtRochester Democrat and ChronicleCONNECTTWEETLINKEDINCOMMENTEMAILMORE. A Greece man accused of killing his girlfriend's daughter last month was arraigned Wednesday morning in state Supreme Court. Cory J. Favata, 23, pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder ...Greece man pleads not guilty in death of baby13WHAM-TVMan accused in Greece baby's death to appear in courtGreece PostMan accused in Greece baby's death pleaded not guiltyNews 10NBCall 7 news articles »
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Greek Lenders' Bad Loans Slow
Greek Lenders' Bad Loans SlowWall Street JournalNBG, the country's largest lender by assets, said loan provisions for the first three months of the year stood at €362 million ($424 million), down 7% on quarter and 15% on year. This was due to the continuing reduction of bad loans, which decreased ...Greek bank deposits inch higher in April for second month in a rowMSN Moneyall 7 news articles »
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Reuters: Families Prop Up Failing State Pensions in South EU
A recent Reuters article reports on how the financial crisis is affecting state pension and welfare systems in southern EU member-states. “Greece is the only country to have taken drastic action, forced to cut pensions by 30 percent between 2009 and 2013 under the terms of its international bailouts,” the news agency mentions, arguing that rising youth unemployment across the southern member-states requires reforms be made to rebalance Europe’s welfare systems, making them affordable and socially just. Reuters also reports that in much of southern Europe, pensions have been the most stable type of income during the past five years of economic hardship. At the same time, incomes of people aged between 30 and 44, the biggest group in the working-age population, fell 2.8 percent as millions lost their jobs or took wage cuts. “As today’s young are more likely than in the past to suffer unemployment or under-employment through their careers, their pensions will be lower. This means eventually they won’t be able to cushion their own children financially.” At which point, says Alessandro Gentile, a professor of sociology at the University of Zaragoza, interviewed by Reuters, “the model of family solidarity ‘will short-circuit’.” “With so many Europeans unemployed, there are not enough well-paid workers paying into the system to fund it properly,” Reuters notes. According to figures by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), southern European states, like Greece, Spain and Italy, compensate for the losses of insurance companies by cutting down on other welfare services, such as universal unemployment benefits or care for infants and the elderly. “Yet in most cases, the planned reforms don’t take full effect until 2030 or even later. With pensioners forming an important voting bloc, this reflects political resistance to faster change,” the article said.
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Writer Announces Big Fat Greek Wedding Sequel
The star and writer of the 2002 comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding has announced that a sequel is in the making. Nia Vardalos declared on Twitter: "I'm working on the MBFGWedding sequel; now that I'm experiencing motherhood I feel ready to write this next ...
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Prudent on talks, Turkish Cypriots say gas find could be obstacle
PARIS (Reuters) - Turkish Cyprus's chief negotiator played down on Wednesday the prospect of a quick solution in peace talks with his Greek rivals, warning that the discovery of natural gas in the region was possibly more of an obstacle than of help.
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Rebound in euro zone credit ratings: overdue or overshoot?
By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) - Rating agencies are falling over each other to upgrade the euro zone's crisis countries, but with debt levels in most still rising and growth and reforms slow, the question is whether the new-found optimism has swung too far. Greece's rating was cut by a dozen notches as it went from being an A-grade sovereign to default in less than three years and Ireland was a top-rated AAA country just a year before it had to be bailed out by the EU and IMF. However, following the remarkable rally in euro zone financial markets over the last two years, the tide looks to have finally turned. Moody's has lifted Ireland's rating twice this year by a total of 3 notches, a hefty move for a country just out of an EU/IMF bailout program and with debt still at an all time high.
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Nia Vardalos Confirms ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ Sequel: Will John Stamos Join ‘Wedding’ Party?
Nia Vardalos has confirmed that My Big Fat Greek Wedding is getting a sequel! Twelve years after the first movie’s release, Vardalos has teamed up with Playtone, HBO, and Gold Circle to bring back the Portokalos family for more big Greek fun. According ...
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Papandreou Likes SYRIZA-PASOK Linkup
Former Greek premier George Papandreou said the PASOK Socialists he had led should consider a collaboration with the major opposition SYRIZA.
The post Papandreou Likes SYRIZA-PASOK Linkup appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greek Kids Getting Fat Fast
Getting away from a Mediterranean diet in favor of fast foods and a changing lifestyle is putting pounds on Greek children, one of three who is now overweight or obese.
The post Greek Kids Getting Fat Fast appeared first on The National Herald.
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'Extraordinarily Rare' Crusade-Era Seal Discovered in Jerusalem
A rare Crusade-era lead seal used to secure a letter was uncovered in an ancient farmstead in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced today (May 27).
The 800-year-old seal was likely once fixed to a document delivered to the farm from a sprawling cliffside monastery in the Judean Desert that was founded by Saint Sabas ("Mar Saba" in Aramaic) and once housed hundreds of monks.
"This is an extraordinarily rare find, because no such seal has ever been discovered to date," Benyamin Storchan and Benyamin Dolinka, excavation directors from the Israel Antiquities Authority, said in a statement. [The Holy Land: 7 Amazing Archaeological Finds]
The seal bears the image of the bearded Saint Sabas (also known as Mar Saba) holding a cross.This type of ancient seal was also known as a bulla in Latin. It consisted of two blank lead disks that would have been hammered together with a string between them. Opening the letter would cause obvious damage to the bulla, which was intended to discourage unauthorized people from breaking the seal.
One side of the seal bears the image of the bearded Byzantine-era Saint Sabas, who is wearing a himation (essentially a Greek version of a toga), brandishing a cross in his right hand and perhaps holding a copy of the gospel in his left hand. The other side of the seal is etched with a Greek inscription, translated as: "This is the seal of the Laura of the Holy Sabas." (The monastery was also called the "Great Laura" of Mar Saba. A laura, or lavra, is a type of Orthodox Christian monastery that has a cluster of caves for hermit monks.)
One side of the seal was impressed with Greek text that read: "This is the seal of the Laura of the Holy Sabas.""The Mar Saba monastery apparently played an important role in the affairs of the Kingdom of Jerusalem during the Crusader period, maintaining a close relationship with the ruling royal family," Robert Kool, a researcher with the Israel Antiquities Authority who examined the seal, said in a statement. "The monastery had numerous properties, and this farm may have been part of the monastery's assets during the Crusader period."
The seal was uncovered during excavations in 2012 in southwestern Jerusalem's Bayit VeGan quarter. The farm site was established during the Byzantine period (5th–6th centuries A.D.) and resettled during the Crusader period (11th–12th centuries A.D.).
A document in the archives of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem refers to a farming settlement known as Thora that was sold to the Mar Saba monastery in 1163–1164. The location of that farm was lost to history, but the Mar Saba seal could link the recently excavated farm to Thora, explained Storchan and Dolinka in a statement.
Follow Megan Gannon on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Photos: Roadside Dig Reveals 10,000-Year-Old House in Israel Stark Beauty: Images of Israel's Negev Desert 8 Grisly Archaeological Discoveries Copyright 2014 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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Fear and Self-loathing in Brussels
by
Adam Aton
The wave of eurosceptic parties into the European Parliament might cause gridlock or prompt more centrist policy — but either way, the anti-establishment victories will resonate more loudly in the capitals than in Brussels, according to election analysis from the European Policy Centre.
The anti-European Union parties — European United Left, European Alliance for Freedom, Europe for Freedom and Democracy, as well as “soft eurosceptics” European Conservatives and Reformists — have deep divisions to overcome before they can form a voting bloc, said Corina Stratulat, a senior policy analyst. They often vote against each other, or, in the case of the U.K. Independence Party, “they have a reputation for simply not turning up to vote at all,” the report said.
And even if the eurosceptics do come together, they are simply outnumbered. Although the centre-right European Peoples’ Party and the center-left Socialists and Democrats emerged from the election diminished, they retain a clear majority between them. “The European Parliament has shown itself to be adaptable,” the report says, so the rise of the eurosceptics at the fringes will require more “grand coalitions” to accomplish policy change.
But issues that draw rival parties into such coalitions are few and far between. Common European policies will now only come about if there is absolutely no alternative, said Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive of the European Policy Centre, according to the report.
The anti-establishment parties aren’t only concerned about policy. Although they lack cohesion, they will “inevitably” snag a few committee chairs and garner more speaking time, according to the report. Those parties “tend to use the European Parliament as a platform to ‘broadcast their views to a home audience’; but are less interested in the real work of the European Parliament.”
Shaping the contours of the political debates has already paid dividends for eurosceptics in France, Greece and the United Kingdom, the report said. For instance, UKIPs top position in the polls sent a strong message, and it strengthens anti-EU sentiment in the U.K., said Janis Emmanouilidis, the center’s director of studies. It’s also likely to impact the timing and dynamics of the country’s coming vote whether to leave the EU.
A change in how nations frame pan-continental issues — as well as the shift in which voices are loudest — could also reshape how the EU approaches its core interests, like unemployment and the Ukraine crisis.
“I think we’ll see a spread of the ‘British disease’,” Zuleeg said. “People will say we can’t move because of the strength of the anti-EU parties at home.”
But, Emmanouilidis said, that does not mean this year’s elections represent a permanent shift to the right. Moreover, the impact of the anti-establishment wave may be widespread, but that’s not to say it will be uniform. Each country had it’s own reason for voting in eurosceptics, he said — but that makes any “solution” from the EU inherently problematic. “Trying to do so could even back-fire because amending rules to satisfy one member state would not necessarily go down well in other member states,” according to the report.
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Papandreou: PASOK-SYRIZA Cooperation is Possible
The former Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou was invited by the Hertie School of Governance to participate in a conference on administrative management in Europe and also gave an interview to the German Deutsche Welle. Papandreou expressed his concern about the rise of far-right parties in Europe and argued that the phenomenon is due to the dropping quality of life. Papandreou referred to a “democratic deficit” in the European Union which causes the sense of marginalization shared by Euro-skeptics. He proposed that the European Union should promote education in order to deal with this worrying phenomenon. When asked to comment on the results of the recent municipal and regional elections in Greece and the chances of early elections in the country he answered negatively. “The result was such that it causes no immediate need for national elections,” he said. The former Greek Prime Minister stated that he is willing to help in the recovery of the center left, given that it suffered significant losses in recent years. Papandreou also said that since many former PASOK members have joined SYRIZA, there is a high possibility of a left and center left coalition. Regarding recent revelations on the discussions of EU officials for a “Grexit” in 2011, Papandreou denied being presented with a similar plan when he served as Prime Minister. Concerning his proposal for a referendum on the bailout program, he claimed that the vast majority of Greek citizens would support the bailout.
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April Air Arrivals in Greece Up a Third on Last Year
Latest tourism data from Greece point north of last year’s record-breaking summer season, with arrivals at Greek airports up 33.9% on last April. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, 1.81 million people arrived from abroad at Greek airports in the January-April period, compared with 1.5 million in the same period last year, with the biggest gains at Athens International Airport. Moreover, domestic air traffic also increased by 9.7% on the same period last year, with a 29.8% gain in April alone. Tourists from all over the world are visiting Greece, although there is some concern about the drop in arrivals from Russia after a significant increase earlier in the year. The growth of Greek tourism owes much to the restoration of the country’s image, with major international media touting Greece as an ideal holiday destination, while the increase in available low-cost air seats to Greece, as well as the competitive prices on offer around the country, are helping stimulate the supply and demand, respectively.
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DIMAR’s Kouvelis Quits; Independent Greeks See Changes
After his party’s abysmal showing in European Parliament elections – finishing last among major parties with 1.2 percent of the vote – Democratic Left (DIMAR) leader Fotis Kouvelis has resigned under pressure from unhappy lawmakers. DIMAR failed to elect a single candidate in the European balloting. “I made every attempt to defend democratic values that comprise our political party and express DIMAR’s collective decisions,” he said in a statement. “We all believe in a left which is at the service of social solidarity of dignity and a negotiable politics and partisan honesty,” he added. “The results of the elections for the European Parliament lead me, as I have the obligation, to submit my resignation to the central committee and to the convention of the party according to the charter procedures,” he added. It was reported that he is likely to be replaced by Spyros Lykoukidis, who was one of the few in the party to make personal attacks on Kouvelis as the party fell apart around him, and did not seek the leader’s resignation. Lykoudis though, while he wanted a unified left, also did not favor DIMAR leaving the coalition government last year of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ New Democracy Conservatives and the PASOK Socialists. Kouvelis pulled out after refusing to go along, as PASOK did, with the firing of all 2,653 workers at the now-defunct national broadcaster ERT, which has been replaced by a new station called NERIT. But before that, Kouvelis backed harsh austerity measures that are antithetical to the party’s principles and paid dearly for it in the EU balloting. There is a 3 percent threshold required to enter Parliament. If Lykoudis is elected, the party may follow a completely different direction. Kouvelis had said he would never bring it back into the government although PASOK chief Evangelos Venizelos, who is also Deputy Premier/Foreign Minister, had hinted it would be invited back to shore up the coalition’s thin parliamentary majority. The decision for the date of a convention will be decided in a board meeting of party leaders, although it wasn’t ruled out that Kouvelis would run for the leadership post he just quit. Before he stepped aside, Four DIMAR MPs said that only under certain conditions would they attend the party conference that Kouvelis wanted to assess the fallout from the elections even though polls showed he was headed for a disaster. They demanded the party change direction and should consider joining with PASOK, itself struggling, and the new populist To Potami (The River) whose two elected Members of the European Parliament will sit in the same grouping with the Socialists. The idea would be to create a grand center-left alliance, especially with PASOK tied to the new Elia, Olive Tree, movement that wanted to bring proponents of that ideology together in a country where political rivalries are like warfare. But five of DIMAR’s 14 lawmakers said they wanted the party to move closer to the major opposition Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) which won the EU ballot by 3.8 percent over New Democracy. Led by Yiannis Panousis, the five deputies indicated that they wanted Kouvelis to stand aside so a new leader could take over. DIMAR won 6.2 percent of the vote in the 2012 national elections but has been in a free fall ever since as Kouvelis backed pay cuts, tax hikes and slashed pensions. The Independent Greeks also took a big hit in the European Parliament vote although they are anti-austerity. Despite that stance, their support fell from 7.5 percent two years ago to only 3.4 percent in the May 25 balloting. Party leader Panos Kammenos has called a meeting of the Independent Greeks parliamentary group for May 29. The group is made up primarily of New Democrat ejects and rejects and has feuded bitterly with Samaras. A congress will follow at a later date. Kammenos is not expected to come under the same pressure as Kouvelis but his MPs said they want him to foster cooperation with other right-wing anti-austerity parties who have little support as Greeks keep backing the parties who created the economic crisis and put tough measures on workers, pensioners and the poor.
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5 Key Questions about the E.U. Election Results
Why so many Europeans voted for parties that are hostile to their own political and economic union
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Greece: Leftist party leader quits after EU vote
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The leader of a left-wing party that pulled out of the government coalition a year ago is resigning after winning just 1.2 percent of the vote in European Parliament elections.
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Spain shows that the 'anti-politics' vote is not a monopoly of the right
Podemos, the recently formed anti-austerity and anti-elite group, with a tiny campaign budget, won more than 1m votes in Spain
The disturbing advance by the far-right in Britain, France and Denmark in this week's European elections has been linked to a reaction against established politics. Specifically, it is against two political convergences by the mainstream left and right. First, over neoliberal economic and social policy, which has led to greater inequality, insecurity and poverty, particularly under austerity; and second, over the undesirability of immigration. The former has led to a growing detachment from politics for many; the latter has helped to usher the least liberal of the disengaged into the hands of those posing as the anti-establishment.
Fortunately, the latest elections confirm that detachment from the traditional political order does not just go rightwards. In Greece it was the radical-left party Syriza that topped the poll with 27%, leaving the once-dominant Pasok with 8%. In Portugal and the Netherlands opposition socialist parties overtook those in the centre.
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Greek Paniyiri in Brisbane
The annual Greek Paniyiri, held May 24 and 25 at Musgrave Park, Brisbane attracted more than 60,000 people who had the chance to get to know the Greek culture and tradition. The visitors tasted the traditional Greek dishes sold by the 30 kiosks that took ...
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Bigger Fatter Greek Wedding booked
Press Association - Nia Vardalos and John Corbett will reunite for an even bigger, fatter Greek wedding Nia Vardalos and John Corbett are to be reunited in a sequel to hit comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Nia - who penned the 2002 smash hit rom com - will ...
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Blue Flags For Greek Beaches
As Greece prepares for a second straight record tourist season, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said 93 percent of the country's beaches have an excellent rating.
The post Blue Flags For Greek Beaches appeared first on The National Herald.
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Ctr. for Byz. and Mod. Greek Studies at 40
NEW YORK – Dr. Christos Ioannides, the Director of the Center for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of Queens College, and Effie Lekas, the Asst. Director, told the National Herald that the 40th anniversary graduation ceremony and dinner on May 28 is dedicated to two glorious generations of alumni, but the memory, indeed the spirit […]
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Independent Greeks, DIMAR Shakeup
Crushed in European Parliament elections that saw their bases disintegrate, the right-wing Independent Greeks and Democratic Left are planning what to do next.
The post Independent Greeks, DIMAR Shakeup appeared first on The National Herald.
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Open Festival “Greece All Over” to Start on May 30
Open Festival “Greece All Over” to Start on May 30Greek Reporter“Greece All Over” festival is a celebration of hellenic culture, folklore and produce that aims to boost Greece around the world. The May 30–June 1 event hopes to start a chain reaction of “Greece all over” festivals that spreads worldwide to provide ...and more »
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European elections: Signs of hope in the gloom
Green Left WeeklyEuropean elections: Signs of hope in the gloomGreen Left WeeklySYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras (centre) has called for fresh elections in Greece after his party won the European elections in the country. The European parliamentary poll on May 25 was dominated by the victories of the xenophobic and racist National ...and more »
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Nia Vardalos confirms 'bigger, fatter' Greek Wedding sequel to hit big screen
Nia Vardalos, who picked up a best original screenplay Oscar nomination for her work on the 2002 film, will reprise her role as a first-generation Greek-American who falls in love with a non-Greek. John Corbett is back as the man who married her last time ...
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Dijsselbloem: Greeks Struggling Despite Primary Surplus
The Chairman of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem, speaking in a conference on Europe in the “Hertie School of Governance” in Berlin, Germany, said that although numbers show prosperity, the citizens of countries that have experienced bailout programs still have financial difficulties. “Try to tell a Greek who is struggling to survive that Greece has achieved a primary surplus,” said Dijsselbloem, adding “which to us in the Eurogroup is an important indicator, but what does it tell the people in Greece in real life.” “Try to tell a Spanish citizen who has lost his job, that there is a slight reduction in unemployment in his country, or an Irishman, whose home lost a quarter of its value, that there is a small rise in property prices,” he added speaking at the conference. As he noted, although macroeconomic figures are improving, it’s clear that the EU has a lot of work to do in order to create jobs and achieve sustainable growth. At the same time, he talked about the need to reduce taxes on labor, which he viewed as high. “In almost all eurozone countries we have a tax wedge that is higher than the OECD average,” he said, adding that “the key issue at the moment is simply the return of jobs. The real thing in life that people still feel, such as in Portugal, is massive unemployment. So people ask, will this be jobless growth?”
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Potami Party MEPs to Join Socialists and Democrats Group in EuroParliament
The two Potami party MEPs elected to the European Parliament will join the EU Parliament’s Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats group as collaborating independents, the party announced on Tuesday. The decision was reached in a meeting of the 42 candidates fielded by Potami during last Sunday’s elections and the party’s founder Stavros Theodorakis. It was decided that participation in the second-largest group in the EU Parliament would enhance Potami’s opportunities for action in Europe, while the S&D group has pledged to place political priority on tackling recession and unemployment in Greece and the European south. It also noted an agreement on the view that Europe needs a real counterweight to conservative forces at this time and that the S&D is in a position to play this role, while continuing to decisively oppose nationalist and extreme-right views in Europe. Potami made it clear, however, that they will be not also be joining the Party of European Socialists, adding that more detailed announcements will be made after the election result and the names of the MEPs elected is officially announced. Potami also noted that Theodorakis held talks on the phone with the leader of the EU Parliament Liberals group Guy Verhofstadt and with former European Greens president Daniel Cohn Bendit, who had called to congratulate him on his party’s election results. Theodorakis assured them that dialogue with them will continue since they are “allies in the effort for a fair Europe.” (source: ana-mpa)
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Underwater Wedding in Crete
During the last years, Greece has become the favorite destination among foreigners who want to exchange vows of eternal love. The Greek islands of Santorini and Crete charm tourists who promise that they will return to these places for the happiest day of their lives. However a wedding, held recently in Crete was meant to be unforgettable, both to the couple and to the residents of the island. A couple from Russia chose to get married under the sea. Renat Adykov and Maria Obryvalina from Russia decided to hold an underwater wedding, proving that love has no boundaries. The couple from Saransk in western Russia, won a competition to get married at the Kalypso Dive Center in Rethymno Crete. They had no experience in scuba diving but they had intensive courses to make their dream come true. After a short ceremony on the shore, they plunged into the sea and reached a special platform seven metres below the surface where they carried out a second ceremony lasting 20 minutes, in which they exchanged their vows with the help of plastic cue cards. Greg James who works in the Kalypso Dive Center said to the British Daily Mail, “I think this is the first underwater wedding ever to take place in Crete.”
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One dead after crash in Greece
13WHAM-TVOne dead after crash in GreeceRochester Democrat and ChronicleA person having a medical emergency and being driven to an area hospital died after a car crash in Greece Tuesday night. It is unclear whether the crash contributed to the person's death, said Deputy Chief Jason Helfer of the Greece Police Department.One person dead following crash in GreeceNews 10NBCPerson Dies After Greece CrashWHAMclick here for more13WHAM-TVall 6 news articles »
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What's Cooking: Big fat Greek wedding started cookie tradition
What's Cooking: Big fat Greek wedding started cookie traditionSTLtoday.comHer Greek heritage plays a big role when Vicki Beys-Palmer cooks. Visits to her parents' home country as both a child and an adult have shaped her perspective on everything from goat's milk (not great on cereal!) to farm-fresh ingredients (she has her ...
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Business live: Surprise rise in seasonally adjusted German unemployment
Latest: German unemployment total jumps by 24,000 (seasonally adjusted), but fell in unadjusted terms
Labor ministry: economy is still healthy
Poll: Can capitalism be ethical?
12.08pm BST
The pharmaceutical deals keep coming.... Bedford Labs, which makes generic sterile injectable medicines, has just been gobbled up by London-based Hikma.
Another pharma deal -- Hikma to acquire Bedford Labs for up to $300m http://t.co/2osk2piaSa
12.03pm BST
The yield , or interest rate, on Spanish 10-year government debt has just slipped to a new all-time low of just 2.82%.
Investors are driving up the value of the bonds (and thus lowering the yield) in expectation of new stimulus measures from the European Central Bank this week.
ECB's Mersch says comfortable with conventional and unconventional steps, ECB has room to act (Bloomberg)
11.57am BST
Valeant's letter to Allergan, announcing its newly improved offer, is live on Business Insider.
11.39am BST
The battle for Botox has taken another twist this morning.
Our revised offer is based on specific feedback we received in our discussions with shareholders.
Nestle boosts skincare business with $1.4 billion Valeant deal http://t.co/Jo8KSvWptP
11.12am BST
Growth in UK retail sales has slowed this month, after surging in April as Britons splurged over Easter.
The CBI reported that 38% of retailers have sold more goods this month, while 22% sold less. This creates a net balance of +16, down from +30 in April.
MISS: UK CBI Reported Sales (May) 16 v 35e v 30 Apr #gbp
11.05am BST
May 2014: #Economic Sentiment rises in the #euro area, remains broadly stable in the #EU http://t.co/ZM52Z44TXj pic.twitter.com/Cquoh12iGi
10.56am BST
While economic sentiment across the eurozone is now at a 34-month high, consumer confidence improved to a 79-month high in May.
Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight writes:
Most business sectors saw sentiment improve in May after a widespread dip in April that appeared to partly reflect concerns over the Ukraine crisis in a number of countries, notably Germany. Both services and industrial companies reported a recent improvement in new business.
Meanwhile consumer confidence improved to a 79-month high in May, as it was buoyed by improved optimism over the recent economic situation and outlook, and by reduced job concerns. Consumers willingness to make purchases over the next 12 months rose to a four-year high in May (although the index was still below its long-term average) while their willingness to make purchases at present improved and was just below Marchs 45-month high.
10.51am BST
The EC also reported an improvement in economic sentiment in Greece --Nordea Markets analyst Aurelija Augulyte shows that it's now overtaken France.
Greece > France pic.twitter.com/qpMKvbgfdc
RT @MacroPolis_gr: #Greece May Economic Sentiment +3.7 points to 99.1. Consumer Confidence +2.5 points to -52.5 (EC). #economy #euro #eu #ec
10.47am BST
Eurozone companies have grown more optimistic about economic prospects, according to the latest monthly survey by the European Commission.
10.28am BST
Back in the UK, the Nationwide Building Society warned this morning that the London housing market is slowing.
Prices may start to fall this summer, after surging strongly over the last year.
The London property market is heading for a 'natural correction' with the 'frenetic' pace of buying beginning to fade, according to the head of Britain's biggest building society.
Graham Beale, chief executive of Nationwide building society, said: "We could be seeing the early sign of a natural correction in the London housing market."
10.04am BST
Frank-Juergen Weise, the head of German Labor Office, believes the country's employment sector remains healthy despite the seasonally-adjusted jobless total rising by the fastest amount since 2009.
AP reports:
Because the mild winter meant the loss of fewer seasonal jobs in previous months, Weise said the spring recovery slowed in May, but that "overall the labor market is doing well."
9.25am BST
The German government is blaming the surprise rise in seasonally adjusted unemployment on the mild winter.
It argues that firms were able to keep staff on earlier this year, when they would otherwise have cut back. Thus, you don't get the traditional surge in hiring once the weather improves.
German unemployment jumped unexpectedly in May by the largest amount in several years, a rise the Labour Office attributed to mild winter weather.
The number of people out of work increased by 24,000 to 2.905 million, seasonally-adjusted data showed on Wednesday. The mid-range forecast in a Reuters poll had been for a drop of 15,000. The jobless rate was steady at 6.7 percent.
9.12am BST
JUST IN: The number of people unemployed in German has risen by the largest amount in five years - on a seasonally adjusted basis anyway.
Oops RT @ReutersJamie German jobless +24k in May, a surprise increase (consensus was -15k) and the largest in 5 years. #euro
Largest increase in German joblessness since April 2009
German media running headlines "Unemployment fell in May..." ignoring adjusted figures
8.53am BST
We're running a poll on whether capitalism can be ethical, after the Bank of England governor warned last night that "unchecked market fundamentalism" risks destroying the long-term dynamism of capitalism itself.
8.34am BST
Today's Asian stock market rally has pushed up the FTSE All-World equity index by another 0.1% today.
That means it is barely 1% shy of its 2007 peak, flags up the FT's Jamie Chisholm.
8.25am BST
The gold price has hit a three and a half-month low this morning, trading at just $1,260 per ounce.
That's the lowest since mid-February.
8.18am BST
Germany's DAX index has hit yet another record high at the start of trading in Frankfurt.
The DAX jumped 18 points to 9958, as investors in Europe's largest economy remain upbeat about economic prospects.
Heading for the 10,000 number. #Germany's Dax just hits fresh Life-time high at 9958. cc/ @welt pic.twitter.com/lbA1VlnwJ8
Could today be the day Germany's Dax breaks above 10,000 for the first time in history? Perk up Deutsche Post.
8.12am BST
China Vanke's warning that the Golden Age of Chinese property is Over comes as the markets nervously await the latest house price figures for 100 Chinese cities, due this weekend.
Marketwatch reckons they could show the market has deteriorated:
China's property slump is deepening despite growing government efforts to give home sales a lift, adding to concerns over the health of the world's No. 2 economy.
Cities ranging from Tianjin in the north to Nanning in the south--Ningbo lies in between--have eased government restrictions on home buying and lending for purchases in recent weeks. The central government is also helping, entreating banks this month to lend more.
8.05am BST
Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the financial markets, the global economy, the eurozone and business.
"The ongoing economic recovery is confirmed. Consumer confidence matched expectations."
Asia late... HK up 0.9% Shanghai up 0.5% ASX up 0.3% in rolling close Nikkei ends 0.2% up Sensex flat $NIK $XJO $HSI
"The white silver era has just begun."
"I think China's real estate is like the Titanic and it will soon hit an iceberg up front."
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Greek bank deposits inch higher in April for second month in a row
Greek bank deposits rose slightly in April for the second month in a row, central bank data showed on Wednesday. Business and household deposits rose to 161.3 billion euros from 161.02 billion in March, ...
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Stournaras To Bank of Greece?
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is reportedly going to move out his negotiator with international lenders, Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras to the Bank of Greece.
The post Stournaras To Bank of Greece? appeared first on The National Herald.
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Cup Tuneup: Japan Beats Cyprus 1-0
Atsuto Uchida scored late in the first half on May 27 as Japan beat Cyprus 1-0 in the team's final match on home soil before departing for the World Cup.
The post Cup Tuneup: Japan Beats Cyprus 1-0 appeared first on The National Herald.
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