A new series of postage stamps, dedicated to American Philhellenists is expected to circulate next April by the U.S. postal service. The decision was taken after an initiative of the “American Philhellenists Association, 1810-1840”. According to the president of the association, the new series of stamps will be dedicated to Americans who struggled and sacrificed themselves for Greece’s freedom. He also stated that the decision has already been approved and the stamps are expected to circulate on April 19th, the Day of Philhellenism and International Solidarity. The series includes the tomb of George Jarvis, the portrait of Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, as well as the emblem of the “American Philhellenists Association, 1810-1840”.
American Philhellenists Featured on American Postage Stamps
Photo Exhibition at Ouzo Festival Depicts Immigrant Memories, Bayswater
An impressive photo exhibition titled “The Journey” was presented during “The Ouzo Festival”, organized by the Palesviaki Enosis Melbourne in Bayswater. The exhibition’s archive belongs to Vasilis Vasilas. He claims that “every photo is a memory of the immigrant”. He also notes that the exhibition, as well as his book “Journeys of Uncertainty and Hope” are based on his website www.syndesmos.net, where he has a photo archive of the Mytilenean immigrants in Australia. He has detected 750 compatriots of his, up to now. His efforts, which started in Sydney, will be continued in other states of Australia as well. According to Vasilis Vasilas, the majority of Mytileneans migrated to Australia after the Minor Asia catastrophe and the population exchange.
“With the Greek Cinema in Australia-Behind the Projections” Book Presented in Sydney
The educational committee of AHEPA presented in Sydney, a book by Panagiotis Yiannoudis, titled “With the Greek Cinema in Australia- Behind the Projections” (Greek title: “Με τον Ελληνικό Κινηματογράφο στην Αυστραλία – Πίσω από τις προβολές”). In the book, the writer narrates everything he has experienced during his contact with the Greek cinema. He also traces important elements concerning the presence of the Greek cinema in Australia and his cooperation with Greek producers, directors and actors. The book was introduced by journalist, Themis Sofos. The AHEPA building in Rockdale, also hosted an exhibition of posters and photos, related to the Greek cinema in Australia.
Greece Sold EUR390mn Six-Month T-Bills
Greece sold EUR390mn of six-month treasury bills, during an auction of EUR300mn on Tuesday, according to a Greek debt agency report.
The total bids reached EUR1,363mn, with the yield dropping by 26 basis points compared to a previous January auction.
The sale was well covered with the bid-cover ratio at 4.54 versus 3.4 in the previous auction. Greece paid a yield of 4.64%, down from 4.90% in the January 11 auction, Greece΄s Public Debt Management Agency said.
Its head, Petros Christodoulou, said that 80% of the take-up came from foreign investors, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
“This is another positive signal for Greece’s ability to borrow from markets for a second month in a row,” Christodoulou told the news agency.
“It was a small amount on offer, so I don’t draw a major conclusion, but still the 80% uptake again by foreigners is encouraging,” Christodoulou added.
Fitch Expects Greek Real-Estate Prices To Decline By 15%
Fitch Ratings said that Greek real-estate prices are expected to decline 15% over the next two years as interest-rate increases make it harder for borrowers hit by austerity measures to keep up with mortgage payments, according to Bloomberg.
The proportion of loans not paid for more than three months rose to 2.7% in December from 0.9% a year earlier, they said.
“It seems likely that increased arrears will begin to result in increased defaults during the coming year,” Fitch analysts Aksel Etingu and Peter Dossett said in a report.
Greece’s house-price index has dropped by 4.3% since its 2008 peak, due to lower interest rates that have been helping homeowners make debt repayments.
Fitch expects the index to decline a further 15% over the next two years as the European interbank offered rate, or Euribor, drifts up, says Bloomberg.
Government efforts “to control and reduce public-sector debt are also expected to have a major effect on arrears levels,” the analysts wrote.
England Mandates Greek Ship Owners to Relocate
About 120,000 businessmen known as “non-dom”, live and develop their economic activity in Britain. They are under the threat of loosing their tax privileges, the most important of which is taxation for the income coming only from Britain. Brown’s government forced all foreign businessmen and the higly-paid working population, who have been living in Britain for more than 7 years, to pay the amount of 30,000 annually for each family member, for the income not to be checked.
Now, the Minister for Finance is willing to put an end to this situation and disgrace the above mentioned privileges. However, various reactions have been expressed due to the aggravating consequences of the reforms for the city of London and the whole economy alike. Despite the fact that Greek Maritime Bureaus in London offer jobs to many branches and sectors, the new strict fiscal measures “force”, according to a former report, a large number of foreign, and especially of Greek ship-owners to leave London and relocate their firms to other countries. This includes Greece and Switzerland.
Munich City Hall Hosts Greek & German Event Honoring 1960 Agreement
Hellenic – Bavarian friendship has a long history. Germans admire Greece as a land of great ideas, classical beauty and wonderful holidays, while Greeks appreciate the renowned “German virtures”.
This was stressed – among other things – by the Prime Minister of Bavria, Horst Seehofer in his message, during the formal event held in Munich City Hall. Greeks and Bavarians celebrated in a friendly atmosphere, the signing of the employment agreement between Greece and Germany dating back to the 30th of March 1960.
The event at the City Hall of the Bavarian capital was jointly organized on January 24th by the Metropolis of Germany, the Federal Immigrant Agency, the Federal Employment Agency, the Bavarian Government, the Caritas of the Roman Catholic Church, Innere Mission of the Evangelical Church and Greek Associations and Organizations in Munich.
Among Bavarian guests were the President of the Bavarian Constitutional Court, Karl Huber, the Deputy Speaker of the Bavarian Parliament, Reinhold Bocklet, the attaché of the German Government for immigration issues, Martin Neumayer, former Minister Ottmar Bernard, many members of the parliament, city councilors and academics.
The Greek side was represented by the Consul General, Andreas Psycharis, the President of the Greek Community, Spyros Xenakis, Presidents of Greek Associations, academics and many more prominent figures from the community of Munich.
A reception followed the event, whereby the musical group “Southern Melodies” (Noties Melodies in Greek) entertained the attendants with Greek songs and music, while delicacies from Munich restaurants were offered to the guests.
Alexis Georgoulis Stars in Russian Music Video
Greek actor Alexis Georgoulis (My Life In Ruins) stars in Philip Kirkorov’s new music video. Kirkorov is considered the Russian King of pop and his new song “Playing with Fire” is already a hit in his home country. The filming of the music video took place in Hollywood last week and was directed by Andy Soup. Georgoulis is portraying a thief who steals an expensive piece of jewelry, only to give it up for a girl that he meets during the robbery. We met with the Greek actor and talked about the music video and his future plans. Watch the interview below:
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Farming Sector Begins Strike
Among the various groups striking today are also Greek farmers, after a meeting with the Agriculture Minister which they called ”unproductive”.
Today – according to media sources – at 11:00 a.m., farmers from the Serres region will begin a march with their tractors towards the Bulgarian border. They haven the intention to block the important border crossing Promachonas, as well as other national roads to protest against the crisis in the sector. Farmers are demanding new policies concerning agricultural prices, the payment of unpaid subsidies and more aid to the sector.
Strikes & Unrest Continue in Health Sector
The problems in the Greece health sector continue, ahead of the parliament debate over a bill of the Public Health Ministry, that is scheduled for this Thursday.
Doctors of the Social Security Institute will be on strike until Friday, February 11th, cancelling more than 350,000 appointments. Doctors working in hospitals in Athens and Piraeus will not work until Thursday, February 10th. The rest of the nation’s health sector will strike on February 8th and 9th.
Meanwhile, medics who have occupied the Public Health Ministry, for the fifth day now, have invited their colleagues to participate in a protest march in front of the parliament on Wednesday. The situation regarding chemist’s shops is also bleak.
Their owners have decided that their shops will remain closed until Wednesday February 9th, the day on which their association will take a decision on other forms of protest.