On Thursday a foreign ministry spokesman condemned an incident in neighbouring Albania this past week. The incident concerns the burning of wreaths, or stephanas laid at a military cemetery in Bobostitsa where Greek servicemen who fell on the Albanian front during WWII are buried.
“This is an unacceptable incident, one that expresses circles that are unable to comprehend the new framework of relations between Greece and Albania, as well as the symbolism of the struggle against the Axis forces,” spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras said during a regular press briefing.
Asked about a bilateral agreement on the upkeep of military cemeteries, the spokesman said both Athens and Tirana have expressed their satisfaction with only the pact’s implementation now pending.
Incidents of racial hatred against native Greeks in Albania are on the rise. Three months ago, 37- year-old Aristotelis Goumas who is a member of the Greek minority in Albania, was murdered in Himara by three Albanians. He died as a result of refusing to stop speaking Greek in his own shop.
Greek Foreign Ministry Condemns Stephana Burning in Albania
Dr. Black Appointed Honorary Doctor at Aristotle University
Dr. Peter McLaren Black is one of the most famous researchers in the field of new techologies in brain scans as well as in image-guided surgery. In addition to this, he is professor at Harvard University in the Medicine Department and President of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS). Dr. Black has been appointed as an honorary Doctor at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki.
“I teach my students, following Aristotle’s rules. It is extremely essential to show them how to think, how to act, but especially how to assess their knowledge through their personal experience.”, declared Dr. Black during the ceremony. The doctor has won 16 scholarships and awards and is the author of numerous scientific books.
Honorary Italian Consulate Opens in Piraeus
The new honorary Italian Consulate has been opened today in Piraeus. It will manage a number of services across areas of significance to Italian economic and trade interests in Greece.
The ceremony was attended by Italy’s Ambassador to Athens Franceso Trupiano and Coordinator of the Embassy’s Consular Chancellery Martin Brook. After the hoisting of the flag, Honorary Consul Mauro Renaldi officially opened to the public a building that lies in a strategic area; the biggest port in the eastern Mediterranean. This location represents a crucial junction for bilateral commercial relations, with daily dockings by dozens of Italian ships.
Contacts and all useful references about the Consulate will be available on the embassy’s website at: www.ambatene.esteri.it
EU Demands Greece to Repay 347.5 Million Euros Wrongfully Spent
Athens has been given a rude awakening by the EU. Greece will have to repay the European Commission 347.5 million euros that were wrongfully spent, against the rules of the common agricultural policy. The announcement came today from Brussels, which asked 19 states to repay the EU a total of 578.5 million euros. Athens is paying the highest price, since they have a long list of unfulfilled obligations.
The sum includes 210.9 million euros for deficiencies in the identification system for agricultural parcels and the geographic information system. The sum also includes onsite inspections for the 2006 questions regarding spending for aid received for land, including rural development measures associated with land. Another 54.7 million euros involve raising production due to shortcomings associated with reducing the minimum yields, the specialisation of lands, management of the vineyard register and the integrated management and control system for the 2003-2007 fiscal years. Another 50.16 million euros will be reimbursed for not having reduced the aid distributed for not adhering to requirements associated with keeping records for sheep, a lack of onsite and administrative inspections and the absence of specific risk criteria regarding inspections for supplementary bonuses for disadvantaged areas.
Another 19.76 million euros will be repaid due to tobacco deliveries after preset limits, a lack of payment of the primary processors and the transferral of cultivation contracts. The entire amount to be paid back totals 347.5 million euros. “We are working to carefully control agricultural spending and to guarantee that the taxpayers’ money is being well-spent,” said EU Agricultural Commissioner Dacian Ciolos.
Decline of Car & Motorcycle Registration this Year
Car sales dropped 31.7 % in the ten month period of January to October this year, offering more proof of the crisis hitting the domestic car market.
The independent Hellenic Statistical Authority said on Friday that car registrations including both new and used, totalled 168,981 vehicles in the January-October period, compared with the corresponding period last year. Car registrations declined 22.1% in the ten month period in 2009. October sales fell 31.5% compared with the same month last year.
New motorcycles registrations totalled 56,409 units in the January-October period, with a decline of 14.1% from the same period last year. In October motorcycle sales fell 16%.
(source: ana-mpa)
Athens Metro New U Line!
Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister Dimitris Reppas announced a new contract for the first section of a new addition to the Athens metro on Thursday. The new route will be a u-shaped line linking the city’s western districts with the centre and the east. Implementation will start in the beginning of 2011.
The new line 4 will be 33 kilometres long and will begin in the western Athens district of Galatsi. It will pass through the city centre and the Evangelismos hospital station. It will then turn via Ilioupolis in the east and wrapp around to end at Lykovrisi in the north.
The Minister spoke after a meeting at Attiko Metro headquarters concerning additions to the network.
Reppas said the tender process for the first section of the new line will have ended at the start of 2011. Tenders for further extensions will be concluded by the middle of 2012.
These will be an extension from Veikou park to Perissos to link up with the ISAP overground electric railway. It will also include an extension from the Zografou area toward the districts of Vyronas and Hymettus, up to the borders of Ilioupolis. The main line from the Zografou area will continue on to Lykovrisi.
The total cost of the project is estimated at 3.3 billion euros, with one billion euros in funding from the European Investment Bank. For the remaining cost, efforst are being made to tap into funds available for boosting accessibility.
Reppas said that the new line will include 29 stations along its route and have an ultra modern network in which trains will be driver-less and remote operated.
Concerning other extensions to the existing metro network, the Minister said that outstanding problems with lawsuits will probably be resolved by the end of the year. Work on an extension of the line to Piraeus will be started then. The Agia Paraskevi metro station that is currently under construction is expected to be ready in December.
AHEPA President Issues 2010 Mid-Term Election Statements
AHEPA National President Nicholas A. Karacostas issued the following statements on the outcome of the 2010 mid-term elections:
“We congratulate our fellow Greek Americans and champions of the Greek American community who won re-election to Congress, including Hellenic Caucus Co-Chairs U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Carolyn Maloney; and U.S. Representatives John Sarbanes, Shelley Berkley, and Niki Tsongas. We look forward to their continued unwavering support of Greek American issues in the 112th Congress.”
“We regret that U.S. Representatives Zack Space, Dina Titus, and Suzanne Kosmas were not successful in their re-election bids to Congress. They were champions of Greek American issues and their enthusiasm and steadfast support will be sorely missed. We wish them the best in their future endeavors. In addition, we were disappointed that Dean Scontras was not elected to the House of Representatives.”
“We also regret that Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Florida Governor Charlie Crist were not elected to the U.S. Senate which would have augmented the community’s voice in that hallowed chamber. We look forward to their future endeavors and wish them the best.”
“Moreover, the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues will lose at least 28 members, and depending on the outcome of a few outstanding election results, as many as 32 members. Therefore, we have a lot of work to do to regrow the Caucus to its record number in the 111th Congress and eventually meet our goal to surpass it.”
“Finally, we congratulate all Ahepans who sought public office whether they were successful or not because we commend their dedication to public service.”
Riot Police Use Teargas Against Protesting Firefighters
Riot police in Greece have used tear gas and flash grenades to disperse firefighters protesting outside the Parliament amid the financial crisis.
The clashes between the firefighters and the police turned violent forcing officers to fire tear gas in a bid to disperse the angry crowd.
The firefighters, most of whom are on short-term contracts, were protesting over job and wage cuts.
Firefighters have been camped out in tents on Athens’ main Syntagma Square just opposite Parliament, for more than a week.
In addition to the protesting firefighters, hundreds of shipyard workers headed to the Ministry of Finance to make their voices heard as well. They slammed the government’s decision to sell shipyards, cut jobs and reduce wages.
Former Labor Minister Theophanous Claims Court Victory Over Rape Charge
Former Victorian Government Minister Theo Theophanous claimed a court victory over the woman who accused him of rape, according to the Herald Sun newspaper.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court dismissed the case against Theophanous last year after finding the complainant lacked credibility.
The Melbourne woman who accused the former Labor Minister of rape later moved to Greece with her family.
Theophanous applied to the district attorney in Athens to pursue the case.
He and his wife travelled to Greece to offer a testimony. However the woman did not appear in court, as it is not compulsory for the accused to appear.
In an ABC news report Theophanous said the woman was found guilty of criminal defamation and a two-year jail sentence has been imposed.
“That sentence is probably unlikely to be carried out. There was an immediate appeal launched. That will probably be heard a little later,” he said.
“My whole purpose in this is not to seek revenge. What I’m about is justice, because an enormous crime was committed against me and my family.”
(source: neos kosmos)
Greek Designer Wins 2010 Swiss Textile Award!
The Swiss Textile Award for 2010 has gone to London based Greek designer Mary Katrantzou.
The prize is worth €100,000 or 136,000 Swiss Franks. It was presented during the Zurich Fashion Days on Thursday night. The money is used for the designer’s next collection and for the purchase of Swiss fabrics.
The jury was made up of representatives of top fashion magazines including Vogue and GQ Style. Members said Katrantzou had a talent for working with form and colour and her collections were a: “play on the senses, with unique eye-catching patterns that flatter the feminine silhouette and at the same time express attitude and symmetry”.
The 27-year-old is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.
She has made graphic art her area of expertise and trained under Greek designer Sophia Kokosalaki and the United States fashion house Bill Blass.
Last year’s winner Alexander Wang showed his 2011 summer collection during the Fashion Days. The award has been presented for the past eleven years.