UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has sent out a supportive message to the Greek people, who are currently undergoing hard times.
After the cancellation of Greek PM Giorgos Papandreou visit to New York had been announced, the UN SG telephonically contacted the Permanent Representative of Greece at the UN, Ambassador Anastasis Mitsialis, so as to express his interest in all that is going on in Greece and his sympathy for its people.
Furthermore, he asked Mr. Mitsialis to give Mr. Papandreou his best wishes on coming out on top of all today’s economic difficulties.
“Greece is a country of enormous potential. Despite all of its own financial problems and the ones of Europe affecting it, Greece managed not only to avoid becoming insular but to become more extrovert than before” stressed out Mr. Stavros Labrinidis, Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs while meeting with Archbishop Demetrios of America yesterday evening.
At the same time, Mr. Labrinidis underlined the fact that “Greece is defending its national interests and thus playing a much more dynamic role in major events with an international dimension”.
After concluding his meeting in the premises of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Manhattan, NY, Mr. Labrinidis referred to the cancellation of the visit of Greek PM Giorgos Papandreou to the USA, underling how important these days are for the implementation of the decisions made during the EU Summit of the 21st of July concerning structural financial improvements both for Greece and the Eurozone.
“We are being active in every field, both in Greece and in the UN, and that’s the way it should be” said Mr. Labrinidis.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs will be representing Mr. Papandreou at some of the latter’s scheduled meetings besides following his own contact schedule, which includes meeting with his counterparts and attending special sessions and meetings within the 66th United Nations General Assembly.
A 26-year-old man in Rethymnon was arrested by the Security Division of Rethymnon for theft.
More specifically, the offender of non-greek nationality, had breached the auxilliary input of the Metropolitan Church of Rethymnon, from where he took 300 euros from the candle stand and caused 100 euros of damages.
Soccer club owner Makis Psomiadis – one of Greece’s most wanted men- was arrested after the anti-terrorist squad raided a luxurious villa in south Attica rented by Psomiadi’s friend, a thirty-eight year old former beauty Queen and model. For the past six months, taped conversations of Makis Psomiadis and his “friends” have shaken-yet again- Greek football to its foundations. The conversations appeared to lift the lid on a world of favours and behind-the-scenes deals between Psomiadis and other mafia-style club officials, the famous “παράγοντες”. Unsavoury as these conversations were, they represent only the tip of the iceberg. While “Makaros” colourful character has always been an easy target to ridicule, it is what lies beneath the surface of the “Big Mac” phenomenon that should worry Greeks instead of making them smile with a hint of sarcasm. Makis-Makaros- Big Mac- Mac Boy
With his bushy moustache and eyebrows and smoking one of his trademark cigars, Makis Psomiadis depicts much more than the Greek “παράγκα” as Greek football fans call the deeply corrupted national Greek football league. He symbolizes the moral decay of a part of the Greek society that many hold responsible for the country’s economic debt crisis that has brought it to the brink of financial collapse. Most importantly, Psomiadis signals the ethical downfall that has created an enduring damage to the country prompting months of demonstrations in central Athens against alleged corruption by public officials.
From alegedly being a Junta torturer in his early youth, Psomiadis ended up owning newspapers, football teams, a horseracing stud farm and night clubs. He was involved in all sorts of illegal activities including smuggling, embezzlement, money laundering, forgery, kidnapping-and who knows what else- while at the same time he enjoyed a rather luxurious lifestyle with fast cars, beautiful women, bodyguards and constant media coverage that he thoroughly enjoyed.
Back in 2001, as the owner of AEK, the third biggest Greek Soccer club, “Makaros” pulled some strings once again and managed to have a handshake with the clueless President of Greek Democracy Kostis Stefanopoulos who not knowing how to react reciprocated politely.
Makaros Impunity
“Makaros” always managed to “fool” Greek judicial authorities and politicians using his Greek “μαγκιά”, mainly because they too seem to have been filling their bank accounts via illicit deals here and there. Psomiadi’s immunity is the sad result of a country drowning in corruption. A country where according to Transparency International there is a going bribe rate for everything. From 300 Euros to pass an automobile emission inspection or get a driver’s license, to 2.500 -5.000 Euros to jump to the top of a waiting list for an operation, or get a construction permit, Makis had a great playground “to play ball”.
Carrying black garbage bags stuffed with millions of drachmas and later Euros, Makis always did business in cash. From giving his AEK football players their “bonuses” in 500 Euro notes, to American basketball player Andy Vrein’s declaration that his payment by the AEK president came in a garbage bag that on the top was stuffed with bananas while at the bottom there were hidden Euro notes, to paying five billion (?) drachmas in cash for the AEK stadium in Nea Philadelhia to be refurbished, Makaros has always been allergic to bank accounts and checks or any other form of payment that could trace his steps and make him pay taxes.
Using fake Swiss passports and bribing Greek police officers and judges, Psomiadis managed to get away even from Interpol and avoided imprisonment for more than two decades. From minor uses of influence and patronage to do and return favours, to institutionalised bribery and beyond Makis took advantage of the chaotic Greek public sector and manoeuvred as he wished without anyone bothering him. He has been convicted of a number of crimes, but has avoided serving time in jail by claiming ill health.
Bribing doctors from major Athenian Hospitals like “Sotiria” and “Onasio” to postpone trials has been one of his favorite hobbies for the past twenty five years. In fact, one doctor who in the past diagnosed him as being sick later committed suicide. At one instant he even claimed he suffered from tuberculosis while on the same day he was spotted smoking his cigar and having coffee in his favourite Athens’ posh hillside Kolonaki neighbourhood. The doctor who granted him the certificate later said he thought Psomiadis had tuberculosis because of a blood stain he saw on his tissue! Makaros Wrath
His legendary mafia tactics for resolving disputes with players and referees allegedly involved beating, threatening even kidnapping. From storming into the referee’s locker room and pining a football official against the wall under the threat of a gun, to sending his henchmen warning a footballer that they would brake both his legs should he not obey to their commands, burning down his footballers’ cars, there even are unverified rumours that he kidnapped one of his basketball player’s children for a couple of hours in order to scare him off and play a game. Psomiadis was unstoppable. His famous wrath wouldn’t even stop to top-notch politicians like the Minister of Environment, Town Planning and Public Works, Kostas Laliotis whom Psomiadis tried to blackmail using his newspaper “Onoma”. Laliotis took Psomiadis to court and after six (?) years of continuus trials Psomiadis was found guilty-but again, never went to jail. Makaros Legacy
The worst legacy of the “Psomiadis” Greek stereotype of “μάγκα”- even more so than the million of Euros he has added to the current debt Greek people have to pay- is his contribution to the moral depression that has affected Greek society. Undeniably, Greek economy needs deep structural reforms and successive governments have wasted 30 years in that regard. But the damage to the economy-at some point- can be repaired. The moral damage, however, is longer lasting and the wounds in the Greek society run deeper. Corruption takes two to tango and explaining to the 500-euro-a-month-generation- members of the new Greek underclass why they have to pay a 23% VAT on souvlaki to make up years of kleptocracy by various “Psomiadides”, government officials, civil servants and other “fat cat” tax evaders, is the hardest task Mr Papandreou has to accomplish.
EU leaders must understand that in the current Greek political realm, decades of tollerance of fat-cat evaders/high-class thieves have undermined the legitimacy of Greek governments. And as Papandreou’s accountability and representaion in policymaking has been reducced to zero, democratic values such as trust and tolerance that are intertwined with economic development are absent. At the same time, continuous scandals in the judiciary body suspend the rule of law in a system where junkies end up going to jail while multi-million scandal suspects use their high-places friends and end up free.
And while proclaimed “experts” have offered as many explanations, causes and even justifications for the Greek riots as there are stars in the sky, the truth of the matter is that if the legal authorities of this country won’t go ahead to press charges and put behind bars Psomiadis-like “businessmen” and politicians, Greek people will not develop the desired “tax conscience”and will find ways to not pay the price no matter how many revised economic programs the Greek parliament votes for every month.
Kostas Tsalikidis’ death could be the result of an attempted murder instead of a suicide. According to the forensic reports, the most possible explanation for his demise was that he was initially poisoned and afterwards placed in a noose position.
In Dr.Med. Steven Karch’s report on the death of Vodafone-Greece Network Planning Manager, it is mentioned that the “autopsy was faulty” and it is underlined that the tox screen of the victim was not thoroughly completed as it should have been.
The other coroner, Dr. Med.Th. Vougiouklis, points out that “there is enough evidence to prohibit us from saying for sure what Tsalikidis’ cause of death was. Therefore, we cannot be positive that he committed suicide”.
Both medical experts mentioned that Tsalikidis body did not bear the common characteristics and signs people do after hanging themselves.
Kostas Tsalikidis died on March 9th, 2005 at the age of 39 after the Greek telephone tapping case 2004-2005 scandal became public.
Euroleague Basketball joins the world basketball family in mourning legend Phedon Mattheou, who passed away on Saturday at age 87.
Mattheou was born in 1924 in Thessaloniki, grew up with Aris BC, and dedicated more than 70 years of his life in basketball and sports. He was a very talented athlete and became champion in basketball, rowing, water polo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, fencing and cycling.
He participated in the 1948 Olympic Games as a rower and in the 1952 Olympic Games with the Greek national basketball team.
Mattheou, who was nicknamed the Patriarch, played for Aris Thessaloniki, Panathinaikos, Panionios, Sporting, Storm Varese and Benelli Pesaro. He became the first Greek basketball player to play abroad and was a globally recognized and respected basketball personality. As a player, Mattheou led Panathinaikos to three Greek League titles (1950, 1951, 1954) and to two local championships with Aris (1948, 1949).
He played 44 games with the Greek national team, winning the bronze medal at the 1949 European Championships and bronze again at the 1955 Mediterranean Games.
As a coach, Mattheou worked for clubs YMCA Nikaia, Pagrati, Aris Thessaloniki (men and women), Olympiacos Piraeus, Panionios, AEK, PAOK, Peristeri and Olympiada Patras. He also coached both the men’s and women’s national teams in Greece, as well as the men’s team in Lebanon. He coached Olympiacos to the 1976 Greek League title with a record of 22 wins in 22 games.
They also won the Greek Cup that year, a feat that Matteou repeated in 1984 with PAOK.
He coached in a total of 385 games in the Greek League and had 250 wins and 135 defeats.
The operation of cleaning and planting close to the beach Sofouli in Thessaloniki was carried out successfully.
Thousands of volunteers took part in the initiative of Deputy Municipality of the program “Environment, Quality of life and Available places in Thessaloniki”
The cleaning was made on the day of “International Coastal Cleanup” and was accompanied by many volunteers who gather garbage of the coast and plant trees close to the beach. The mayor of the city was present at he occurrence.
According to the last announcement of the government, there is weakness in funding the Greek Universities, while the Ministry of Finance has to pay off huge amounts of installments in the following months.
According to the statement, universities and technical colleges will receive 90% lower than the initial plan.
Universities have to start implementing the new law and adjusting their costs regarding their reduced funding.
Source: Kathimerini
The greek documentary festival of Chalkida Doc-Fest will be held for the fifth year, from the 4th till the 9th of October.
At a time, when the audiovisual element in our country is dominated by uniform products, the greek documentary is a valid social barometer, retaining its immediacy and diversity of its creators’ writing, reminding us that the cinema is primarly art…
The aim of the bill on Greek Language Education abroad, presented to the Cabinet, is firstly to make a connection between the expenditures and the quality of education, so that maximum efficiency can be accomplished.
According to the new bill, the framework for the development and the strengthening of activities and initiatives in the sector of Greek Language Education abroad are regulated by the Ministry of Education concerning:
1)teaching, cultivation and spread of the Greek language
2)multilateral development of personality of the Greek pupils abroad
3)elevation of the special cultural elements, history, knowledgement of the Greek diaspora
4)mutual exchange and communication among all communities of the Greek diaspora
5)support of the different kinds of Greek Language Education that are a sign of qualitative education.
Greek Language Education is offered by educational units abroad and by current schools of every educational level, whose graduates receive certifications that are equal to those in Greece, after a desicion-taking by the Minister of Education. In addition, education is provided through bilingual schools of foreign countries, Greek classes of European schools and educational units of Greek Language or bilingual education.
Under international agreements, bilingual schools of every educational level can be founded in foreign countries, following the regulations of each country.
Finally, after a decision of the Minister of Education, educational units of especially qualitative and substantial content, concerning the promotion of this law targets are going to be characterized as ‘Educational Centers-Logos’.
The new operating procedures on Greek Language Education abroad are going to be presented within the next days.
UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has sent out a supportive message to the Greek people, who are currently undergoing hard times.
