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WEATHER ALERT - 27 October, 2010 Thunderstorms are expected to hit the western coast of Greece early this morning before moving across to eastern parts and the Aegean, the National Meteorological Service warned yesterday. Western Greece, which is expected to be the hardest hit, will begin seeing improved weather by early this evening. The Attica region is also forecast to see its share of wet weather, with downpours expected, while those due to travel in the Aegean are warned that winds will reach speeds of 9 Beaufort. Temperatures will dip across the board, bringing snow to regions in the north. Cannabis haul Narcotics officers in Hania, Crete, yesterday seized a large cannabis plantation containing 700 trees and 330 kilos of unprocessed marijuana. Acting on a tip, officers raided the makeshift plantation that had been carved into a forest in Rodovani and became embroiled in a shootout with a group of unidentified suspects who fled into the woods. Further investigation also revealed a large drying shed containing the 330 kilos of unprocessed cannabis. From: Kathimerini Weather warning - 18 October, 2010 The National Meteorological Service and the Civil Protection Authority warned last night that many parts of Greece were set to experience heavy rainfall today, which is set to continue until tomorrow. The rain is expected to be accompanied by strong winds, which are expected to reach gale force in the Aegean today. Tomorrow, western Greece, the Ionian islands, Crete and the Dodecanese islands are likely to bear the brunt of the bad weather. From: Kathimerini Flight disruption - 13 October, 2010 All scheduled flights for this Sunday will be canceled as air-traffic controllers are to hold a 24-hour strike, it emerged yesterday. The strike is a bid to put pressure on the Transport Ministry to separate their sector from the rest of the public sector when the government overhauls Greece's bureaucracy. From: Kathimerini Fava 'protected' - 12 October, 2010 The version of fava, a popular split pea puree, made on the southern Aegean island of Santorini, is to be included on the European Union's official list of "protected designations of origin" (PDO) and "protected geographical indication" (PGI), it emerged yesterday. The puree joins a list of another 87 goods produced in different parts of Greece – including olives and olive oil as well as various fruits and vegetables and different types of cheese – that enjoy the special PDO and PGI status. The use of EU symbols on the labels of such products provides consumers with information regarding the products' origin. From: Kathimerini Greek men are mommy's boys - 9 October, 2010 It seems that the stereotype of the average Greek man who lives at home until a worryingly advanced age and relies on his mother to do all his cooking and cleaning might be accurate after all. According to figures made public yesterday by Eurostat, the European Union's statistics agency, Greeks are more likely to live at home with their parents until their late 20s or mid-30s than almost any other European men. The numbers indicate that 56 percent of Greek men aged 25 to 34 live in their parents' home. Only men in Bulgaria (61 percent) and Slovenia (60) percent are more reliant on their mothers and fathers. By contrast, only 8 percent of Finns, 4 percent of Swedes and 3 percent of Danes in the same age group live at their parental homes. The EU average was 32 percent. Greek men also rank last in terms of the proportion who cohabit with their partners. However, the survey was also revealing about the tendencies of Greek women in their 20s and 30s. It indicated that 36 percent of them also remain with mom and dad between the ages of 25 and 34, just behind Slovenia (38 percent) and Slovakia (42 percent). The EU average was 20 percent. Unsurprisingly, Greece also ranks high in the 18-24 age group, where 67.7 percent of women and 84.4 percent of men live with their parents. The EU average in this age group was 71 percent for women and 82 percent for men. The survey, which used 2008 figures, found that 46 percent of Europeans aged 18 to 34 (or 51 million people in total) still live with their parents. From: Kathimerini Truckers extend protest action - 16 September, 2010 Protesting truck drivers kept their vehicles parked alongside major highways in Athens and other cities for a third day yesterday after union representatives told a parliamentary committee that draft legislation foreseeing the liberalization of their sector would be catastrophic for thousands of workers and their families. [...] In a related development yesterday, the government revoked its decision to set a price ceiling for fuel – 1.47 euros per liter for unleaded gasoline – after gas station managers threatened to strike in protest at the decision. The ceiling was imposed on Monday after a rush for fuel by motorists sparked widespread profiteering at gas stations. The motorists had sought to fill up on gasoline in case supplies run dry, as they did in July when extended strike action by truckers froze deliveries of fuel and other goods. Briton arrested A 54-year-old Briton was being held on charges of attempted rape against a 28-year-old compatriot in the tourist resort town of Malia on Crete, yesterday. Police arrested the unnamed suspect after the woman, who was allegedly a friend of his, told officers he had tried to rape her after an argument turned violent. From: Kathimerini Residents' protests - 15 September, 2010 Truckers' action revives fuel rush - 14 September, 2010 Fears of fuel shortages returned yesterday, as hundreds of truckers protesting plans to liberalize their sector stopped deliveries and parked their vehicles along major highways. After rumors emerged that some truck drivers were planning to drive into central Athens to stage a protest, police were dispatched to the junctions at Metamorphosi, Aspropyrgos and Haidari in northwestern Attica and Neo Faliro, in southern Attica, to block them. Police are on standby again today as it is thought the truckers will try to drive into central Athens with the aim of reaching Parliament where a draft bill foreseeing the liberalization of their profession is to be debated. Unionists representing the truckers insisted yesterday that their action would not disrupt deliveries of fuel and food as they had done in July. But despite the truck drivers' reassurances, motorists waited in long lines outside gas stations for a second day to fill up on fuel. The peak in demand yesterday resulted in some gas stations running low on supplies. It also triggered widespread profiteering, leading the government to declare a ceiling of 1.47 euros per liter for unleaded gasoline in Attica. Government inspectors said that regular inspections were being held to crack down on gas station managers found to be profiteering. Supreme Court prosecutor Yiannis Tentes said all violators would be brought before a prosecutor. The government wants to fully liberalize the road freight market within three years to bring down transport costs, which traders say push up the prices of many goods. But the truckers complain that opening up their sector to competition is unfair to existing operators, some of whom have paid more than 200,000 euros for their licenses. Pharmacies closed Pharmacies across the country will be closed today in observance of the Day of the Finding of the Timios Stavros (True Cross). Emergency duty pharmacies, however, will operate as usual. A list is available on the hotline 1434, but only in Greek, as well as in signs posted in all pharmacy windows. From: Kathimerini Truckers start new walkout - 13 September, 2010 Motorists waited in long lines outside gas stations in Attica and other cities yesterday after the union representing the country's truck drivers said it would launch a new wave of strike action. Vehicle owners rushed to tank up on fuel fearing a repeat of an extended strike by truckers in July which froze deliveries to gas stations and caused them to run dry. That strike was finally called off on August 1 after the government pledged to review their demands and discuss their objections against plans to open up their profession to competition. Despite its reassurances, the government has little room for maneuver. Opening up so-called closed professions is part of a raft of reforms it has promised its creditors. Truck drivers worry that opening up their sector will result in the devaluation of their operating licenses. From: Kathimerini Weather turning - 11 September, 2010 The hot and dry weather of the past few weeks is to give way to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in many parts of the country over the weekend, meteorologists have said. The rain is expected to be heavier in northern Greece and the Ionian islands. Most of Attica will not be affected. From: Kathimerini Dodgy hotelier - 10 September, 2010 The owner of a hotel in the Cretan prefecture of Iraklio was yesterday detained by police after a search on his premises turned up a submachine gun, ammunition and several detonator fuses. Police got involved after guests at the hotel complained about the installation of surveillance cameras that they felt violated their privacy. It was unclear exactly where the cameras had been installed. Competitiveness not a Greek word Greece slipped down a global list assessing competitiveness levels, falling below nations such as Rwanda and Botswana, in a decline unlikely to be reversed for a number of years. According to an annual survey put together by the World Economic Forum, Greece fell 12 places to position 83 among 139 countries. "The decline follows the well-publicized revision of the government's fiscal spending numbers and the ensuing sovereign debt crisis," it said. Greece scored poorly due to its public institutions, assessments of government efficiency and corruption, and its inefficient labor market, the report added. The rankings are based on 12 pillars of competitiveness, including, among others, an assessment of infrastructure, macroeconomic stability, health and primary education, financial market sophistication and innovation. Switzerland topped the global list, followed by Sweden and Singapore. Scared of shaking the public opinion boat, consecutive Greek governments have failed to make crucial reforms to keep up with the country's faster-evolving neighbors. [...] From: Kathimerini Tourism sector warns against further VAT hike - 9 September, 2010 While the decline in annual tourism revenues is no longer expected to exceed 10 percent, thanks to numerous offers made by the sector's enterprises to offset the drop, tourism professionals are warning of greater losses and more unemployment next year if the government raises value-added tax higher still. The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) suggested in a statement yesterday that even a 1 percent VAT hike for tourism services would result in a considerable loss in revenues, given that demand in the sector is particularly sensitive to price changes. Companies in Greece managed to absorb this year's repeated increases but a new one will be beyond their ability to absorb and will have to be passed on to tourists, it warned. The Hellenic Hotels Federation added that imposing VAT of 15 to 18 percent (from 11 percent today) would be disastrous. From: Kathimerini Beach thieves - 7 September, 2010 Police in Hania, Crete, yesterday arrested two Algerians, aged 20 and 30, believed to have been stealing purses and other valuables from beaches in the area. Officers caught the suspects following a complaint lodged by a 54-year-old Danish tourist who said he was robbed while swimming in the sea. The Dane had cash and valuables amounting to 1,100 euros in his beach bag. From: Kathimerini Minister aims to boost tourism - 6 September, 2010 Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos is due to hold a series of meetings in Israel today as the government looks to capitalize on a recent improvement in relations between the two countries. Greece has recently seen a rise in Israeli visitors, at a time when Israeli tourists going to Turkey have dropped on the back of worsening relations between Tel Aviv and Ankara. Geroulanos will meet with his Israeli counterpart Stas Misezhnikov as well as local tour operators. From: Kathimerini
Tourists were able to admire the Temple of Athena Nike in all its glory yesterday after experts completed another stage of the Acropolis restoration program. The Ionic monument was the last site to be restored as part of a project that started in 2001 and has cost 42.6 million euros. The government pledged in May to press ahead with the project despite its debt problems. Doctors only Prison staff will no longer be permitted to subject female inmates to vaginal examinations in jail, according to a decision by Deputy Justice Minister Apostolos Katsifaras that was made public yesterday. From now on, an internal examination can only be conducted on a female inmate if there is a special judicial order and must be carried out by a doctor, not by prison staff. Katsifaras's decision came after years of lobbying by female prisoners and by human rights organizations. From: Kathimerini ABDUCTION ARRESTS - 2 September, 2010 Police in the Cretan prefecture of Rethymno said yesterday that they had arrested five additional suspects in connection to the abduction of a 50-year-old professor at the University of Manchester. The suspects are all Greek – three women aged 32 and 60 and three men aged 37, 41 and 43 – and are believed to have been involved in planning and executing the kidnapping. One of the suspects is the brother of an 18-year-old girl with whom the teacher was believed to be friendly, police said. It remained unclear whether the teacher was in Crete on vacation or a permanent resident of the island. Mailman mugged Unidentified robbers fled with about 12,000 euros in cash after holding up a mailman who had been due to deliver cash to pensioners near the port city of Iraklio on Crete. The robbers blocked the mailman's vehicle with their truck and forced him to hand over the cash at gunpoint. From: Kathimerini Seizure linked to missing girl - 1 September, 2010 The brother of a 20-year-old woman who went missing on Crete in February turned himself in to police in Rethymno yesterday and allegedly admitted that he had kidnapped a lecturer from Manchester University in England who was holidaying on the island because he thought the academic had information about his sister's disappearance. Police said that the 40-year-old brother of student Angeliki Stavroulaki told them he abducted the unnamed lecturer, who was friends with his sister. The 50-year-old academic had been on holiday in Lasithi when he was abducted last Thursday. Four more people, two men and two women, are being sought in connection to his kidnapping. The victim has been found but officers said that he had been tortured physically and mentally by his captors, who hid him in abandoned buildings near Iraklio during his ordeal. Stavroulaki went missing after leaving her home earlier this year. Tourists rescued An air force helicopter yesterday rescued three New Zealand tourists who had lost their bearings off the island of Santorini after going out on jet skis. One of the three tourists had sustained minor injuries. From: Kathimerini Kiosks and taxis in the grip of crisis - 30 August, 2010 Ubiquitous, distinctive, frequently useful and maddeningly self-serving, corner kiosks and Athens's yellow cabs are symbols of the country's closed professions. The unprecedented challenges they face reveal how fast Greece is changing as the economic crisis takes grip. Until recently, owning or operating a kiosk or taxi provided a good and steady income as the limited number of licenses created an oligopoly for those with the precious papers. This was reflected by the fact that until recently a license for a cab cost about 250,000 euros. A few months ago it was half that; now, cabbies say, they would be lucky to get 60,000 euros – if anyone was buying. Kiosks, once the most coveted two or three square meters of real estate in Greece, are closing down one after the other. The crisis is overwhelming these two symbols of Greece. The kiosks (endearing in their wealth of merchandise and infuriating in the way they annex ever greater parts of the sidewalk) are being squeezed by a combination of high taxes and the reduction of customers' disposable income. Cab owners and drivers have managed to price themselves out of the market for many customers, raising their fares at the same time that the government is planning to break open their profession and allow more people to operate taxis. It obviously does not help cabbies that their reputation for rudeness, cheating and self-centeredness has made it easier for customers to turn to public transport now that every euro counts. Cabbies complain that they are already short of work and that opening up their profession will destroy their livelihood. So, change is clearly upon kiosks and taxis. What will it look like? Will it be for better or worse? Will the number of kiosks and taxis – and many other factors of Greek life – disappear or will they be taken over by companies that will be able to achieve economies of scale, squeezing profits out of their employees and customers where the self-employed cannot? The head of the Attica kiosk owners' union, Yiannis Plakopoulos, has the right attitude: Use the kiosk's prime location to make it relevant to customers again. Kiosks can become service centers, providing a variety of goods and services that their location and long work hours – sometimes 24/7 – allow. The marriage of the digital age with such operating hours and locations offer a world of opportunity for diversification and specialization – kiosks can find ways to meet the needs of harried citizens. Taxi drivers may have a harder task gaining the confidence of customers but they have to realize that they will survive only if they offer services of a level that matches the price of the ride. This they will achieve only when they become accountable to someone – either the shift supervisor of a large taxi company or a watchdog set up by the drivers' union itself. For too long, cabbies have allowed their profession to be sullied by bullies, crooks and incompetents. If they want to survive in the new, very demanding environment, they will have to become serious professionals and seek to please – rather than exploit – their customers. This applies to every sector of Greece's economy. Two of its most visible manifestations – kiosks and taxis – will demonstrate whether the Greeks' instinct for survival is alive after all these years of distorted development and lawlessness. From: Athens Plus From 16 Municipalities of Chania Prefecture - 28 August, 2010 Up to 7.5 million euro of debt owes the Prefecture of Chania to the Banks and the Deposits and Loans Fund , according to official figures of the Union of Greek Banks and the Bank of Greece. [...] IN Chania • Municipality Akrotiri : 0 euro.
The Pancretian 30th Mountain Gathering is organized by the Mountaineering Club of Hania, on 11 and 12 September, 2010 in Sfakia. This is the annual regional meeting of the Associations of Crete, which will take place concurrently with the celebration of 80 years of life and action of the Mountaineering Association of Chania, from its founding in 1930. The event is organized under the auspices of the Greek Federation of Mountaineering - Climbing. Access to the area will become the village corner of the plateau Askifou Sfakia. The small village square corner is important to stay open to receiving and reversing of buses and cars of the participants. Our club will pay his own transportation, carry bags of the participating at the camp. Access to the campsite will be allowed only in vehicles to support the event. The volunteers are members of the Association have been properly cleared and marked trails in the area of Laxaná and to the top of Mt Mega and will provide for the receiving and guiding the participants at the day of collection . Samaritans, volunteers of the Regional Department of Chania of the Greek Red Cross will help with their experience of such events in First Aid. The Prefecture of Chania is co-hosting together with the municipality of Sfakia's Benefit Company, which already helps significantly in this event. The sponsors of the event are the companies Kretemporiki - Giannenakis SA Gerani Soft Inc. and ET.AN.AP. SA with Natural Table Water Samaria, which will help to feed on a small celebration of the gathering. CBA Events, Management & Marketing will help to highlight the organization'. From: Haniotika Nea Flight disruption - 27 August, 2010 Flight disruptions can be expected to affect arrivals and departures at all Greek airports until Sunday after air-traffic controllers said yesterday that they would reduce by 20 percent the number of airplanes entering Greek air space at any given time as they are switching guiding systems. The main communication system collapsed last Sunday, causing long delays for travelers. From: Kathimerini Draft bill for compensation of tourists tabled - 26 August, 2010 The Culture and Tourism Ministry submitted to Parliament yesterday a draft bill to compensate tourists stranded in the country. Tourists stuck in Greece due to strike action or the occurrence of a natural disaster will qualify for a payment of 50 euros per diem from the Greek state, for a maximum of two days. The daily fee is intended to cover a day's accommodation and food expenses. Once passed, the draft bill will provide tourists with the right to compensation retroactively from June 28, 2010, until the end of September. The government office that is to handle the claims and paperwork will be decided at a later date by the ministry. From: Kathimerini Forest fires The head of the regional authority of Crete, Athanassios Karountzos, yesterday called for an urgent investigation into what caused Sunday's catastrophic fire in Preveli, in the island's south, following reports suggesting that a fire detection system had not functioned properly. Meanwhile a prosecutor in Pyrgos, in the Peloponnese, called for the indictment of several individuals in connection to the catastrophic forest fires that ravaged the prefecture of Ileia in August 2007. The individuals include the prefect of Ileia, the mayor of Zacharo, a local resident and three fire-service officials. From: Kathimerini INSUFFICIENT FIRE PROTECTION PLAN Shortages in human resources and lack of a modern fire protection plan threaten the Samaria Gorge. The constant presence in the gorge of a group of firefighters, who would intervene directly in case of fire, can not be done due to plaguing budget cuts. From: Haniotika Nea Wind fans fires on Crete - 23 August, 2010 [...] On Crete, firefighters yesterday fought three blazes in the prefecture of Rethymno. The worst of the blazes razed several hectares of forestland above the beach of Preveli, in the island's south. The blaze, which was also fanned by strong winds, had approached a local monastery at one point but firemen managed to contain it before it posed a real threat to the monastic community. The local prefectural official responsible for civil protection, Antonis Bayiartakis, described the damage wreaked by the blaze as "a massive disaster – a huge blow for the environment, culture and tourism sectors." The fire had been brought under partial control by late last night. Moored Strong winds, reaching up to 11 on the Beaufort scale, meant that many ferries remained moored to the ports of Piraeus and Rafina yesterday. Passengers due to travel to Aegean islands from Piraeus or other ports were advised to communicate with their travel agent or port authority officials for information about possible changes to scheduled departures. From: Kathimerini Greek airports communications system shut down for more than 2 hours; flights grounded - 22 August, 2010 ATHENS, Greece - Officials say a breakdown in the communications system linking Greek airports prevented flights from taking off for 2 1/2 hours today, Sunday 22nd August. They say takeoffs were stopped at all airports at 8:30 a.m. (0530 GMT; 1:30 a.m. EDT) Sunday. Athens International Airport says that flights resumed around 11 a.m. (0800 GMT). The cause of the breakdown is unknown. The head of the civil aviation employees' union told a radio station that the system was last upgraded 17 years ago. From: The Associated Press Holidays of 5000 Scots in disarray - 21 August, 2010 Thousands of Scots have had their holiday plans plunged into turmoil by the collapse of budget tour operator Kiss. It is estimated 4000 people booked on Kiss flights from Glasgow Airport between the end of September and the end of the year will now be seeking refunds. Trips to Malaga in Spain, Faro in Portugal, Dalaman in Turkey, Cyprus, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Corfu, Crete, Kos and Rhodes were affected. A further 750 due to fly from Edinburgh Airport on flights to Rhodes, Corfu and Crete are also known to be affected. Around 13,000 UK travellers were already abroad at the time of the Kiss collapse and an estimated 60,000 have forward bookings. Concerns that hundreds of Scots might have been stranded abroad receded yesterday. The last summer Kiss flights left Glasgow and Edinburgh airports last month, although some Scots could have flown out of English airports. [...] From: Herald Scotland Tourism income... - 20 August, 2010 Cruise ships docked yesterday in the port of Piraeus. Data showing a 14.8 percent dip in tourism income in the first half of the year to 2.7 billion euros has raised concerns among government officials about the health of one of the country's most crucial sectors. In a report issued yesterday, Alpha Bank blamed the drop-off on continued strike action that has hurt the country's image as a holiday destination. 'The opportunity Greece had to increase revenues from foreign visitors in the first half of the year due to a recovery in the global economy was lost due to protest action from certain groups, which harmed Greece's image,' Alpha Bank said. From: Kathimerini
Each year there is a revival of the celebration for the Madariani Gruyere of Sfakia by farmers of Anopoli. The promoter of the Cultural Association of the village managed to attract over a thousand visitors, which this year was held on the evening of Sunday, August 15, exceeding the visitors number of all previous years. The festival was successfully launched several years ago by the Agricultural Society of Anopoli but progress stopped for reasons unknown to a steady from 2004 to date, according to the Cultural Association of the village's first president, Mr Fani Arvanitaki .For this year's celebration, the President of the Cultural Association was Mr. George Protopapadakis, who said: "Collective responsibility established the celebration of gruyere as an institution, after all the villagers can help in realising it. This year's festival is dedicated to the great case of the Sfakia Education and will not stop fighting for the upgrading of education provided at that location. Anopoli, apart from being in high mountains and a historic village that gave birth to great figures of fighters, against all odds manages to raise enough people with new families. In recent years especially it is growing rapidly, acquiring a tourist infrastructure. We are a large village with nine neighborhoods, Kambia, Mariani, Skala , Kambo, Pavliani, Agios Dimitrios, Giro, and the root Limnia, which are all inhabited. For the evening celebration we have invited the great artist Perikles Tzouganakis, while dancing will be performed by the traditional music and dance Association "Ta Sfakia" and 'rizitika' traditional songs will be sung by the Cretan Association "Chrysothemis". Among us are many local councilors, political candidates , the president of New York Cretan Association Mr. Giannis Kriaras, the chairman of the Association of Greeks Sfakia Mr. Pavlos Polakis, and celebrates the presence of the independent MP Ms Sofia Sakorafa, who is on holiday in our region". There were beautiful views of the wonderful Anopolitiki "gravierovradia" table which was set with great care, and the dances lasted until dawn. From: Haniotika Nea Brief respite from heat on the way - 18 August, 2010 Temperatures are expected to drop this week after Greece experienced one of the hottest days of the summer yesterday but experts have warned that there is a clear trend that shows the climate is heating up. The highest temperature recorded yesterday was 39C (102F) in Sofades, near Karditsa in central Greece. In Athens and Larissa, the temperature reached 38C (100F) and was made more uncomfortable by high levels of humidity. "The heat should slowly begin to abate as of Wednesday," the head of the National Meteorological Service (EMY), Dimitris Ziakopoulos, told Kathimerini. "Temperatures should drop by two to three degrees, mainly in the western and northern parts. There will be a further drop over the weekend, when temperatures will return to seasonable levels." It is rare for Greece to experience a heat wave in August, although there have been several devastating bouts of hot weather at this time of year in the past. In 1956, temperatures reached 47C (117F) between August 20 and 26, when some 600 people died as a result of the heat. The previous year, temperatures hit 45C (113F) between August 10 and 16. As for this year, the highest temperature was recorded Saturday, August 14, when thermometers at the National Observatory in Athens showed 41C (106F), according to head of research, Haris Kambezidis. According to data collected by the observatory, since 1998 temperatures have broken the 40C (104F) barrier more regularly than in previous years. Kambezidis said that in the 13 years since then, at some point in the summer, the temperature has exceeded 40C in 11 of those years. However, in the 18 years before then, temperatures reached 40C just six times. Caught on camera A 39-year-old man has been arrested in Hersonissos, Crete, on suspicion of pretending to be a photographer so that he could steal potential customers' money and valuables. The suspect, a foreign national, was arrested after an 18-year-old British woman complained to police that the man had stolen her wallet after approaching her to take her photo. Police said that when they arrested the 39-year-old, they found stolen watches, cameras, cell phones, a gold ring and a purse containing 400 euros in his possession. Heat turned up on tax cheats Upon his return from his summer break yesterday, Finance Minister Giorgos Papaconstantinou's first meeting of the day was with the head of the financial crimes squad (SDOE), Yiannis Kapeleris. As government officials nervously watch budget revenues fall short of targets, Papaconstantinou agreed with the SDOE boss to set up within September five different teams, consisting of a total of 250 staff members, that will go after tax cheats. The teams will be based in either Athens or Thessaloniki but will cover the entire country, checking high-income taxpayers, those who have forgotten to declare assets, such as pools and boats, and luxury-home owners. The checks, which will also continue to focus on busy tourist districts, will also cover value-added tax declarations as well as residents who owe money to the tax office but refuse to pay up. [...] From: Kathimerini High temperatures - 17 August, 2010 The long hot spell that has sent temperatures and humidity soaring in most parts of the country is expected to peak today. Temperatures in Athens, central Greece and parts of the Peloponnese are expected to reach a high of 41C (106F). However, according to the head of the National Meteorological Service, Dimitris Ziakopoulos, northwesterly winds will bring a drop of about 3 degrees tomorrow and another 2-3C over the weekend. From: Kathimerini Thousands of visitors - 14 August, 2010 [...] According to official figures of Souda Port Authority, from Monday until yesterday afternoon arrived in Chania with two vessels operating on line 18.500 passengers and about 5450 cars, trucks and motorcycles. At Chania Airport, according to airport control, since the beginning of the week, with 88 international flights and 36 domestic flights scheduled, it is estimated that 16.300 visitors came. From: Haniotika Nea BY THE MINISTRY OF SHIPPING - 13 August, 2010 The competition for the exclusive service rights of the coastal line Sfakia - Gavdos for the period from August 28, 2010 until October 31, 2013 has been started by the Ministry of Economy, Competitiveness and the Marine. The notice was posted yesterday on the website of the Ministry (www.yen.gr). Disbelief about this development is stated in the "Chaniotika Nea" by both the president of the Community of Gavdos, Stratis Lambakis, and the Prefect of Chania, Grigóris Archontakis, who were informed by reporters. In the notice is stated, inter alia, that the ship or ships of the company chosen to perform the services between Sfakia - Gavdos and back are as follows: • three services a week for the period 28/08/2010 to 31/10/2010. The call further indicates that the selected company will have two ferry boats, a passenger- and a passenger and a truck - ferry. In the first case it is noted that all ferries should have capacity of at least forty passengers in winter and summer, and effective surface area of at least two hundred and fifty square metres for vehicles and the ability to carry at least one truck. In the second case the passenger ship should have a capacity of at least forty passengers in winter and summer and the truck - ferry to have an effective surface area of at least two hundred and fifty square metres for vehicles and the ability to carry at least one truck. [...] Owners / shipping companies wishing to express interest in applying for launching these ships / vessels can contact the Directorate of Marine Transport in Piraeus up to and including 20 August 2010. In the notice is also stated that the Directorate of Marine Transport will decide within fifteen days from the closing date [...]. From: Haniotika Nea KIOSK STRIKE? Kiosk owners are reportedly considering going on strike at the end of this month to protest the damage that has been done to their business by the rise in the special consumption tax on cigarettes. They claim that of the 45,000 kiosks and other outlets selling cigarettes that were in business at the start of the year, 1,300 have shut down. Kiosk owners say tax now represents 85.7 percent of the cost of a packet of cigarettes, allowing for just a 13-euro-cent profit, which is 10 cents less than they used to make before the hike earlier this year. They claim that cigarettes account for 80 percent of their total sales. Court grants Britons bail A court in Iraklio, Crete, late on Tuesday granted bail to five British men accused of brutally attacking another Briton while on holiday on the island two years ago. The five men, all aged between 20 and 22, are accused of stabbing, assaulting with broken bottles and stomping on the head of Robert Hughes, a former semiprofessional soccer player, outside a nightclub in June of 2008. Hughes spent three months in an Iraklio hospital, where he underwent three lifesaving surgeries. His alleged attackers, who deny all charges, were extradited to Greece last week after being detained in Britain on European arrest warrants in December. The Iraklio court has ordered them to each pay between 3,000 and 12,000 euros in bail. A sixth suspect, aged 20, will face a separate extradition hearing next month. He also denies being involved in the alleged attack. Heat wave Forecasts of a heat wave over the next few days are expected to boost the number of people leaving Greek cities for the August 15 holiday. In Athens, where temperatures will inch up into the the high 30s, volunteers will be handing out refreshments to the homeless, according to a City of Athens announcement. Meanwhile, ports and airports have reported a significant increase in traffic over the past few days, though ferry operators said that bookings in July were down 6.5 percent compared to 2009. From: Kathimerini Teacher numbers are plummeting - 12 August, 2010 Greek schools face a severe shortage of teachers because the number of educators applying for retirement has increased threefold this year, while hirings have been halved, it was revealed yesterday. Spurred on by the reforms to the country's social security system, which will see pensions trimmed over the next few years, almost 11,500 teachers have officially announced that they will be leaving their jobs. Of these, almost 4,000 are from primary education and some 7,500 are from the secondary sector. Last year, the total number of teachers who went into retirement was just over 4,300. The Greek Primary Teachers' Federation (DOE) and Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OLME) expressed their concern about the severe lack of educators as soon as the figures were made public yesterday. These fears have been heightened by the fact that, due to cuts in public spending, only 1,425 new teachers are to take up positions this September at secondary and high schools. OLME said at least another 6,000 educators would have to be hired. The unions are also asking that a law be passed to ensure that high school teachers oversee classes of no more than 25 students. The government said that the lack of teachers in the education system is a mounting problem. "Even last year, when there were twice as many teachers entering the profession as there are this year, we still had 7,000 places that had to be filled," said Deputy Education Minister Evi Christofilopoulou. Sources said that the government hopes to bridge the gap by hiring 11,000 substitute teachers and by recalling all the educators that have been transferred to other posts within the civil service. School's in Schools will be opening on Monday, September 13, according to an announcement yesterday from the Education Ministry. The first day back at school will be dedicated to the annual opening ceremony, while the curriculum will be announced the following day. From: Kathimerini
Foreign and Greek visitors to the island are dissatisfied with the fuel prices displayed in Crete. This week the price of unleaded sold to service the county reached from 1.57 to 1.64 euro per liter. Specifically Chania and Rethymnon are areas of the country with higher prices. "Everybody tells us that gasoline is expensive. Compared with six months ago it has risen over 50 cents. We have customers that after a few days of car rental asked another, smaller displacement, which consumes less fuel , "says Mr Christos Milonakis, chairman of the Association of Owners of car rental in Chania. Mr. Milonakis gives an example of a customer from Macedonia: "a customer came from Kozani and asked how they gasoline can be so expensive. A few days ago he had put fuel in the car, at home, at 1.45 euros per liter. With these prices we are certainly not helping tourism. From: Haniotika Nea IN THE WATER AREA OF LOUTRO One wrong maneuver was sufficient to lead five people in the water who were aboard a vessel at a distance of 40 meters from the shore of Loutro, Sfakia. Fortunately, none of the five were injured and rescued directly by another boat that followed. Then, after it was found that this was the private vessel "Pantelis L.", on which allegedly were a total of five people (three men and two women), who a little earlier had fallen into the sea after a wrong manipulation of the captain, sailing within about 40 meters from the beach heading for the harbor entrance of Loutro. Five people were cleared from the sail boat and "supposedly" they landed on shore in good health. Please note that a week ago three people were killed in a boat, and were found by maneuvering in the marine area of Drapania Kissamos and in this case it had bad consequences for them, since rescue did not come in time, while their boat crashed on the rocks and suffered serious damage. From: Haniotika Nea Overboard Three men and two women, all uninjured, were fished out of the water off the coast of Hania, Crete, yesterday by a passing yacht after the vessel they were sailing on started taking on water just 40 meters from the coast. Coast guards called into the area could not locate the vessel initially and were later informed that the five passengers were ashore and in good health. Extradition request Canadian authorities are applying for the extradition of a pediatrician who was arrested at the airport of Iraklio, Crete, on Saturday on an international warrant. The 30-year-old Greek doctor, who resides in Austria, is wanted in Canada on charges of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy, who was in the hospital where the doctor served as an intern two years ago. From: Kathimerini Record dance - 7 August, 2010 Thousands of Cretans are to join hands this evening in a human chain that will form on the side of the road from Hania to Lasithi, which stretches for 200 km, in bid to break the world record for the longest dance. The dancers, who are to convene at 7.30 p.m., are aiming for a place in the Guinness World Records book. SUMMER EXODUS Traffic police yesterday intensified patrols on the country's national road network as thousands of city dwellers abandoned the capital to begin their summer holidays. The country's ports and airports were crowded yesterday afternoon as thousands more vacationers waited for ferries or planes. According to authorities at the country's main port of Piraeus, 13,300 passengers boarded ferries to Aegean islands yesterday. Officials at Athens International Airport said that 2,177 outbound flights were scheduled between Friday and Monday morning. Another major exodus of holidaymakers is due on Friday, August 13, ahead of the August 15 national holiday. Greece tops EU for fake goods More counterfeit goods are seized in Greece than in any other European Union member state, according to a new European Commission report, which notes that confiscations in Greece account for 20 percent of the EU total. Greek customs officials seized 21.9 million counterfeit products last year, out of a total of 118 million bootleg goods confiscated in the 27 EU states, the report said. Cigarettes account for about a fifth (19 percent) of counterfeit goods seized by customs officials across the EU. Other tobacco products account for another 16 percent of the goods seized, with fake designer goods and bootleg medicines making up another 16 percent of confiscated products. Commenting on the findings of the EC's report, Vassilis Korkidis, president of the National Confederation of Hellenic Commerce, noted that the trade in counterfeit products accounts for 20 billion euros, a third of Greece's black market economy, which is estimated at 60 billion euros. From: Kathimerini Invasive fish threaten Med - 5 August, 2010 The Mediterranean's delicate biodiversity is at risk due to an "invasion" of foreign marine species, according to experts who say hundreds of new fish have arrived in the last 140 years. The findings, published in the online scientific journal PloS One, have been confirmed by the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR). According to Argyro Zenetos of the HCMR, at least one new species arrives in the Mediterranean every week. Zenetos said that between 960 and 975 "foreign species" have been recorded by scientists in the Greek seas over the past 140 years and reported an "aggressive increase" in different species of fish in the Mediterranean over the last decade, observing that the number of recorded types had doubled during that period. Zenetos and her team, who have been monitoring the marine population for more than 25 years, highlighted a particular problem in the waters of the Saronic Gulf. Zenetos noted that an increase in the number of research projects being carried out in the Aegean had helped to keep track of the sharp increase in the marine population. Most of the new species are believed to have reached the Mediterranean aboard ships in the seawater that the vessels use as ballast. But Zenetos said there were so many new species in the Mediterranean that it was unlikely they had all arrived in this way. It is considered likely that many species came via the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar. Asked how the foreign species survive in their new environment, Zenetos cited several factors including the impact of climate change, overfishing and pollution. "We are seeing the creation of a new kind of sea and it is likely we will stop seeing many species that we recognize," she said. Greeks have little enthusiasm for e-shopping Consumers in Greece are reluctant to take advantage of online shopping services despite the growing use of the Internet in the country, according to the Observatory for the Greek Information Society. One in 10 Greeks makes purchases over the Internet, versus an average of 37 percent in the European Union as a whole, according to the nonprofit organization. Internet banking has also been slow to take off in Greece, with just one in 20 conducting transactions electronically. Domestic consumers are also more distrustful of the consumer groups and state bodies that have been set up to protect shoppers and their rights than elsewhere in Europe. The observatory said that four in 10 Greeks are satisfied with the way independant groups protect consumers, versus 64 percent in the European Union. More than 50 percent of Greeks say they have no faith in government agencies to protect their consumer rights, as opposed to four in 10 in the EU. From: Kathimerini Competition in shipping brought tourists - 4 August, 2010 An increase of 26.76 % was recorded in July this year, compared to the same month last year, in visitor arrivals in the prefecture of Chania with the ferry ships of Anek and Blue Star. It is significant that a recent story in the newspaper "To Vima" stated that this year's July passenger traffic, recorded in the middle of the shipping season, showed a 20% reduction, "because of the decline in tourist traffic in general. In the half year January - June 2010, the traffic ran at a rate reduced by 15 %, while some shipping lines recorded a reduction to 30 % of traffic. With the exception of the line of Chania , all other routes in the Aegean have a significant drop in passenger traffic. [...] In particular,in July 2010 93.855 passengers arrived by boat in Chania, compared to 74.040 passengers in July of last year. Increasing is a small number of cruise passengers, but large in percentage (715 in 2009, 1525 until now in 2010, an increase of 113.28 %). "The plane tickets are expensive" "There have been comments from agents and domestic visitors that air fares are too expensive compared to last year and the year before. All thhe crowd that was going to visit Chania by air, got by ship, "said Marathakis. Note that in July 2010 22.823 passengers arrived by air (domestic flights) to Chania, compared with 30.315 in 2009. CHANIA IN JULY Optimism is created by the figures for visitor arrivals in Chania from abroad: this July recorded a 3% increase compared to the same month last year. Specifically, in July 2010 arrived at the airport "Daskalogiannis" 133.721 charter flights passengers, against 129.905 the same month last year. Issues related to tourism promotion of Chania in the current period were discussed at yesterday's meeting of the Prefectural Committee for Tourism Promotion . From: Haniotika Nea Probe into public funds - 3 August, 2010 The finances of 10 state hospitals, technical colleges, municipalities and other bodies in the wider public sector are going to be checked over the next few days for alleged mismanagement of government funds. Finance Minister Giorgos Papaconstantinou ordered the probes yesterday, based on specific complaints that have been lodged by citizens or watchdogs. Sources said that inspectors would be visiting several public hospitals in Athens and Thessaloniki, the Municipality of Thessaloniki and technical colleges (TEI) in Halkida, Thessaloniki and on the Ionian islands. It is thought that this is just the beginning of stringent inspections into how public finances are being used. The government is set to hire private companies to help it sift through the accounting books of many more hospitals and municipalities, sources said. The government has been under pressure from European Union and International Monetary Fund officials to crack down on corruption in the public sector. The Finance Ministry said it would also investigate 25 tax and customs employees suspected of accepting bribes, falsifying tax returns and allowing illegal imports of textiles from China. "The Finance Ministry is determined to investigate thoroughly its own services... to restore the credibility of the financial services, which remain focused on the difficult target of increasing revenues," the ministry said in a statement. A law passed last week requires all public bodies to report their accounts to central government on a monthly basis. PASOK hopes that this will be the start of the process to win back control over how public money is spent. General bureaucracy and the lack of computerized records means that although the government has a very precise picture of what money it gives to hospitals, municipalities and other public bodies, it has very little idea of how these funds are spent. For instance, the most recent accounting figures for local authorities are from 2005. Of 1,034 municipalities in Greece, only 30 submit a full budget report. Tourism sector may see 7-year low Income from the tourism sector is expected to fall to a seven-year low in 2010 with the best-case scenario predicting that arrival numbers will be the same as last year's levels. Deputy Tourism Minister Giorgos Nikitiadis admitted yesterday that revenues will be between 7 to 9 percent lower than in 2009, attributing the drop-off to continued strike action taking place in Greece. The minister's views mirror those expressed by Andreas Andreadis, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Hoteliers, who also expects tourism revenues to shrink by up to 9 percent this year. If this forecast materializes, that will mean 1 billion euros less for the economy, with income from tourism for the 12-month period falling to 9.4 billion euros. The last time the figure dipped below the 10-billion-euro mark was in 2003, when it reached 9.5 billion euros, according to Bank of Greece data. By contrast, the best performance was recorded in 2008, when revenues hit 11.6 billion euros, but this was followed by the international economic crisis in 2009, which resulted in annual tourism receipts falling by 1.2 billion euros. At the start of July, Finance Minister Giorgos Papaconstantinou said that revenues could drop by an annual pace of up to 15 percent. Athens hotels are likely to be hit hardest from the downturn as was the case last year. Yiannis Retsos, president of the Athens-Attica Hotel Association, estimates that sector revenues will be 8 to 10 percent lower than last year after sliding by an annual pace of 18 percent in 2009. Looking ahead, Nikitiadis is upbeat about the course of the tourism sector in coming years. He believes that the number of arrivals could jump to 25 million people in coming years, from around 14 million currently, in line with a sharp rise shown in neighboring Turkey. EC probe to study merger of airlines The European Commission will decide at the start of December whether it will clear a proposed merger between Greek carriers Aegean Airlines and rival Olympic, following an in-depth probe. An initial investigation into the merger showed it could raise 'serious competition concerns,' the EU's executive arm said in a statement at the end of last week. The merger would create a dominant carrier in Greece's domestic market, with a fleet of 64 aircraft and a work force of 5,850 employees. 'The Commission must make sure that consumers and businesses will continue to have a competitive choice of airline services in Greece, both as regards fares and routes, in particular at a time of difficult economic circumstances,' Commission Vice President Joaquin Almunia said. The final decision on the proposed merger is expected from Brussels by December 7. From: Kathimerini Truck drivers return to work - 2 August, 2010 Striking truck drivers called off their weeklong action yesterday and said that they would enter talks with the government aimed at resolving the deep rift over the liberalization of their sector. The decision, announced late yesterday afternoon, prompted hopes that all gas stations around the country would be in a position to serve customers today and that the delivery of products to supermarkets and other stores would resume straight away. [...] PPC workers issue blackout threat Public Power Corporation (PPC) employees are threatening to 'plunge the country into darkness,' according to their union GENOP, if the government agrees to sell 40 percent of PPC's hydroelectric and lignite plants, as demanded by the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank. The latter have asked for a decision to be made by next month. From: Kathimerini Truck drivers defy order to end their strike - 31 July, 2010 The government yesterday enlisted the help of the army in a bid to tackle the fallout from a five-day strike by truck drivers, dispatching military trucks to help alleviate nationwide fuel shortages. "The armed forces, with their own means, are already guaranteeing the supply of critical sectors such as airports, electricity plants and hospitals," said a statement issued after an emergency Cabinet meeting. The statement added that navy landing craft "will also contribute if necessary." Earlier, representatives of truck drivers' unions from around the country decided to press on with their strike action, which entered its fifth day yesterday, following a long and tense meeting. According to sources, the president of the Confederation of Greek Truck Drivers, Giorgos Tzortzatos, called on protesters to show understanding to fellow citizens. "They must consider the difficulties their actions have caused for society at large and the difficult economic conditions that are currently prevailing in Greece," Tzortzatos was quoted as saying. Nevertheless, the truckers ultimately decided not to back down. "We will continue our strike in a dynamic way," Tzortzatos told reporters. In the early evening, hundreds of protesters staged a peaceful march to Parliament where they delivered a petition with their demands. The truckers want the government to revoke reforms to liberalize their sector by reducing license charges which, they say, is unfair to existing operators. Transport Minister Dimitris Reppas, emerging from an emergency Cabinet meeting yesterday, appeared just as intransigent, insisting that the government would follow through with a mobilization order announced on Wednesday and force the truckers back to work. "The reform plan will go ahead," said Reppas, whose talks with unionists collapsed on Thursday. "Those who have a responsibility to society should assume it or they will be the ones to blame for whatever follows," Reppas said. "We exhausted every limit of good faith," he added. The impact of the truckers' action on Greeks and tourists was evident yesterday. Motorists experienced problems as many gas stations remained without fuel. The problems were most acute in northern Greece. In Thessaloniki yesterday evening, riot police clashed with truck drivers outside a refinery. The protesters had been trying to stop a truck from leaving the establishment. 
Ferry passengers leave Piraeus Ferry passengers get ready to leave Piraeus in one of 34 sailings from the port yesterday. Statistics made public yesterday by ELSTAT showed that passenger traffic was down 2 percent at Greek ports between April and June this year, compared to 2009. State employs nearly 1 in 5 workers Almost one in five Greeks who has a job is a civil servant, according to the results of the first ever census of public sector workers to be carried out in Greece, the results of which were made public yesterday. Just over 768,000 state workers registered their details via an online system between July 9 and 29. The government launched the initiative after being pressured by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to record in more detail the size of the country's public sector work force. Before this exercise, only estimates existed about how many civil servants there were in Greece. The information will also be used by the government to set up a new authority that will be responsible for paying all civil servants. At the moment, they are paid from a variety of ministry and other special accounts. [...] From: Kathimerini Still no gas, as truck drivers put foot down - 30 July, 2010 Hopes that gas stations would begin serving customers again yesterday after the government issued a civil mobilization order to force truckers back to work were doused when the drivers refused to comply. Dozens of truck drivers gathered in front of the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry in Athens yesterday morning to demand a meeting with government officials. Some protesters briefly scuffled with riot police, leading to tear gas being fired. Representatives of various truckers' unions later secured a meeting with Transport Minister Dimitris Reppas. However, after almost five hours of talks, the two sides were unable to reach any compromise. The government insists that it will proceed with the liberalization of their sector but said that it would be willing to discuss various tax breaks and adjustments to the drivers' pensions. The truckers, however, are adamant that the government must drop its insistence on passing the current bill and instead draw up new legislation after extensive consultation with the drivers. Members of the federation of the trucking unions are due to meet at noon today to decide what to do next. It seems likely that they will choose to continue their protests. The government had hoped that by issuing the civil mobilization order on Wednesday, it would convince the protesters to end their strike, which has led to almost all of Greece's gas stations running out of fuel. However, many drivers appeared determined yesterday to ignore the government's instructions and risk being put in jail and having their vehicles seized. The civil mobilization order means that strikers are served with papers calling them up to the army and forcing them to return to work. Authorities began the process of delivering these documents to some 35,000 registered drivers. In Attica, 3,200 call-up papers were handed over to police, who are responsible for delivering them. By last night, only 224 had been delivered. In Thessaloniki, the prefecture did not prepare any call-up papers. The continuation of the strike meant that there were fuel deliveries to only 10 percent of gas stations in Attica and it is still not clear when customers will be able to fill up their vehicles without having to wait in long queues. From: Kathimerini Forced end to truck strike - 29 July, 2010 Gas stations around the country are due to be refueled today after the government took the rare decision to order the civil mobilization of striking truck drivers, whose protest has led to widespread gasoline shortages. Following the collapse of talks between the government and representatives of the truckers, Prime Minister George Papandreou signed the order that forces the drivers to return to work after three days of strike action. The premier's instructions also allow the transport and finance ministers to "take any other measures necessary to protect public goods that may be at risk from the disruption to the country's normal social and economic life." Although a rare measure, civil mobilization, which effectively makes the drivers members of the armed forces and therefore subject to orders, has been called on in the past by Greek governments. Truckers were forced back to work in 1983 after a lengthy strike, Olympic Airlines staff had to resume their duties after a similar order in 1987 and both PASOK and New Democracy governments used civil mobilization to end strikes by seamen during the previous decade. There had been hopes that the striking drivers might be able to find some grounds for compromise during a meeting yesterday with Transport Ministry officials but the two sides are too far apart. The truckers are unhappy about plans to liberalize their sector, which is limited to just 35,000 people due to the fact that operating licenses have not been issued for some 25 years. The government, under pressure from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to carry out structural reforms that include opening up closed professions, has said it is not willing to back down. It has, however, indicated that it may offer the drivers some tax breaks. "No special interest group has the right to hold Greek society hostage," said Finance Minister Giorgos Papaconstantinou. "No one has the right to paralyze this country. No one." Gas station owners expect to receive fuel deliveries today and it is thought that most will be in a position to serve customers as usual by tonight. From: Kathimerini Airport delays end, for now - 28 July, 2010 Delays at Greek airports eased significantly yesterday as air-traffic controllers ended a work-to-rule protest over pay and conditions after holding talks with representatives of the Transport Ministry. The workers also called off a planned strike for this Saturday and are expected to hold further discussions with the government next week. On Sunday and Monday, they had been keeping to strict limits on the number of aircraft that could be in Greek air space at any one time, leading to delays for international and domestic flights. The civil servants want to be given control of their department's budget. At the moment, the 653 air-traffic controllers, who earn an average monthly wage of 3,000 euros, are paid out of the money that Greece gets each year from the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol), which collects various taxes from airlines. Last year, Greece claimed 185 million euros from Eurocontrol. This money also covered the wages of some 3,500 civil aviation employees and the upgrading of equipment. From: Kathimerini Air-traffic controllers delay flights - 27 July, 2010 Dozens of flights were delayed and several more canceled yesterday as air-traffic controllers entered the second day of a "work-to-rule" protest. The workers also called a 24-hour strike for Saturday, after the Civil Aviation Authority said all their summer vacations would be suspended to minimize the impact of their action on flights during the peak season for tourism in Greece. The workers, who are demanding better wages and the recruitment of more staff, launched their work-to-rule action early on Sunday, after an Athens court deemed their original plans to stage rolling 24-hour strikes illegal and abusive. The air-traffic controllers have been observing strict limits on the number of aircraft allowed into Greek air space at any given time. Their action yesterday delayed more than 70 flights – chiefly domestic routes – by up to 30 minutes, sources at Athens International Airport said. The situation was worse on Sunday, when delays had stretched to four hours and passengers had been forced to camp out on the floor at Athens airport, waiting for news on their departures. Of the 294 scheduled departures from Athens airport on Sunday, three flights were canceled and around 180 delayed, the sources said. There were similar delays reported at Thessaloniki's international airport. Representatives of Greece's tourism sector, which has been badly hit by a series of strikes by workers protesting the government's austerity measures, yesterday reiterated their criticism of the air-traffic controllers, noting that it was aggravating their problems. From: Kathimerini
Hours of delays and inconvenience for hundreds of occupants were recorded and "Daskalogiannis Airport" in Chania by the 'legal strike' of air traffic controllers. As mentioned, the Aerolimenarchis of Chania said "the result plagued the traveling public and tested the facilities and services of the airport. Since it has a limited capacity of passenger and aircraft, this disruption led to an overcrowded airport. [...]" But Mr Tsiorou wondered "what shall be done" in the coming days when the traffic starts to increase, because of the arrival of the British charters from today. "Gradually, the situation seems normal. Today ( yesterday) we have fewer flights, the delays recorded are an hour or two hours. It's a relatively quiet day for the airport of Chania. Tomorrow ( today) at noon will arrive English charters and we do not know how they will be handled by air traffic control . On Wednesday it starts again to be busy. The airport has a peak in traffic on Thursday and Saturday and if the solution can not be created associated problems will affect tourism and the image of the airport service, which is not possible to offer, without response and no responsibility to the overall dysfunctioning. It is the result of inadequate infrastructure, because when the airport serves flights that it has been designed to serve, we have no problem. In the past did not have problem when disservice to all this the volume of passengers and aircraft coming and going regularly. Beyond all will depend on the meeting of the Society of Accountants with the minister " said. This decision has led to flight delays since the summer, so when there is more tourist traffic, the number of flights handled per hour by air traffic controllers is higher. From: Haniotika Nea Truck drivers launch strike - 26 July, 2010 Truck drivers yesterday launched open-ended strike action, expected to cause serious problems for supplies of fuel and other goods, to protest reforms aimed at opening up their sector to competition in line with European Union regulations and the government's commitments to its international creditors. The truckers had been planning to launch their action on August 27 but started earlier to emphasize their opposition to looming reforms. State television broadcast images of protesters claiming to have been "deceived" by the government and pledging "to strike until death." The unionists' chief gripe is that, by raising the price of operating licenses, the government has undervalued the licenses they have. Thousands of motorists filled up their tanks yesterday, anticipating the dwindling supplies at gas stations as fuel truck drivers are to join in the action. Flight disruptions Air-traffic controllers on Saturday called off plans to stage rolling 24-hour strikes after a court ruled the scheduled action as illegal. But the workers, who are demanding better wages and the recruitment of more staff, launched a "work-to-rule protest" early yesterday. The action, set to continue this week, caused a few flight cancellations and delays as the controllers observed strict limits on the number of aircraft allowed into Greek air space at any given time. Representatives of the tourism sector, reeling from the impact of a series of strikes by workers protesting the government's austerity measures, have condemned air-traffic controllers for aggravating their problems. Tourism probe An Athens prosecutor on Saturday started examining the findings of a probe by state public administration officials regarding the alleged mismanagement of more than 70 million euros in funding destined for tourism promotion campaigns in 2008 and 2009. Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Giorgos Nikitiadis said that the case should be sent to Parliament if the prosecutor's probe ends up apportioning blame to politicians. Teens rescued Three French teenagers who had been reported missing in the Cretan prefecture of Hania late on Saturday after embarking on a hiking expedition were found early yesterday morning close to the Gouverneto Monastery where they had begun their walk. The two boys, aged 13 and 15, and the girl, aged 17, were unhurt, police on the island said. From: Kathimerini CIVIL SERVANTS - 24 July, 2010 A government initiative to conduct an online census of the country's civil servants, which was due to conclude yesterday, was expected to be extended, as tens of thousands of public workers failed to register before the deadline. About 650,000 public servants had submitted their details on the Interior Ministry's website by late yesterday. At least 100,000 civil servants have yet to declare themselves. Civil servants have been told that failure to register will result in the suspension of their wages. Heat wave The City of Athens said yesterday that due to the high temperatures forecast for this weekend, its 21 air-conditioned friendship clubs would be open to the public on both days from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. From: Kathimerini Air-traffic controllers ponder strikes - 23 July, 2010 Air-traffic controllers, who earlier this week threatened to disrupt domestic and international flights as of this Sunday with rolling 24-hour strikes, indicated yesterday that they might call off their action if a court ruling expected today declares it illegal. Commenting after the Civil Aviation Authority asked a judge for their threatened action to be declared "illegal and abusive," the controllers said they would reconvene tomorrow to decide on their course of action. The workers, who are demanding better wages and the hiring of more staff, said that even if their threatened rolling strikes are canceled, they will continue with a work-to-rule protest they launched this week, causing delays for a number of flights as they observe strict limits on the number of aircraft allowed in Greek air space at any given time. In a related development yesterday, the Hellenic Association of Tourism and Travel Agents (HATTA) issued a statement condemning the air-traffic controllers for their threat to proceed with rolling strikes in the middle of the tourist season, as the sector has already been hard hit by a string of strikes and protests by workers protesting the government's austerity measures. In a written statement, HATTA said that such action would "be the nail in the coffin of what is left of the Greek tourism sector this year." Highlighting the adverse impact of previous strikes by air-traffic controllers and seamen on tourist arrivals in Greece this year, HATTA appealed to the protesting air-traffic controllers to show "maturity and cool-headedness." "Greek tourism is too vulnerable to withstand such a blow," the statement added. The wrong time for protests Air-traffic controllers are perhaps right to complain about the Socialist government's failure to cover extra pay for night and weekend shifts. On the other hand, like most other labor groups, they also ought to show more understanding regarding the government's lack of liquidity, given the huge difficulties that the country is facing. One would hope that they would refrain from action that could prove to be the last nail in the coffin for Greece's tourism this summer. It is true that they have legitimate demands and their anger is justified. However, given the fiscal challenges facing the nation, we must all be patient and do our best to help pull the country out of the economic crisis. If air-traffic controllers at the country's airports insist on conducting go-slow protests or other forms of strike action – and, moreover, in defiance of court rulings – they will eventually have to bear responsibility for the catastrophic consequences of their actions on the Greek economy. From: Kathimerini Airport protests - 22 July, 2010 Air-traffic controllers carried out a work-to-rule protest yesterday, causing delays for a number of flights as they observed strict limits on the number of airplanes that could be in Greek air space at any given time. The controllers are demanding better wages and the hiring of more staff but the government has said that it cannot meet their demands. The civil servants said that they would hold rolling 24-hour strikes as of Sunday, although such action by air-traffic controllers is usually deemed illegal in court and prevented from going ahead. From: Kathimerini Tourism's great battle - 20 July, 2010 It is both agonizing and exciting to see the Greek tourism sector battling to survive at this time. On the one hand, it is trying to remain standing as one problem after another hits it; on the other, we can only hope that the bad habits of the past will be swept away and we will come out of this crisis with a much-improved tourism industry and a clearer vision of where we are and where we want to be in the coming years. And what battalions of woes are upon us! They combine real worries and an image of Greece which is sometimes exaggerated, leading to a very substantial problem in terms of fewer tourists and lower revenues. The global crisis has sharply reduced the number of visitors from our most important markets: In Germany, wages have remained frozen for a decade, while Britain's new coalition government is tackling a 12-percent budget deficit and is headed into recession. The consequences of the global crisis were compounded by the scenes of Athens burning during the riots of December 2008, after a police officer shot a teenage boy. No sooner had that image begun to fade than the true magnitude of the Greek economic crisis emerged, shaking the country to its core and turning even more visitors away. The economic crisis has played very badly in the international press. But it is not only the images of protests, violence and strikes making people wary; in our wired age, it is the news reports and personal blogs that tell the world of museums and ancient sites closed by protests, of demonstrators blocking ships' ramps, of money wasted and time lost. On the other hand, Germans (along with other Europeans) are enraged that their countries are contributing toward the 110-billion-euro bailout of spendthrift Greeks who are portrayed as having squandered untold billions and are now unable to repay their loans or borrow more. There is also the very serious problem that the tourism sector has been very badly served by the state. Although tourism, along with shipping, is a pillar of the economy, Greece has not paid sufficient attention to promoting it well. The national tourism board still owes millions of euros to international media for last year's advertising campaign, leaving the field wide open for all our competitors. In terms of what we want, we speak of our devotion to high-end tourism but we do not ensure that our facilities (airports, ports and bus stations) and services (from taverna restrooms to hotel rooms) are up to standard. Our Culture and Tourism Ministry has dropped the ball and allowed workers to remain unpaid while sites and museums are understaffed, forcing them to remain closed or to close early. In short, very little has been done to create an image of Greece as a premier culture destination. Britain, for example, makes sure that its museums, monuments and theaters are year-round attractions that draw millions of people to the country every day. While the two destinations cannot be compared, Greece's ancient legacy should be enough of a draw for educated people across the world to be able to develop its cultural tourism. The crisis, however, has woken people up. For every protester who aims to torpedo Greece's image and revenues, for every incompetent bureaucrat undermining the industry, there are hundreds of people trying to keep things moving. For the first time, we are seeing the effects of the market's demands: lower prices and steep discounts are being offered in the hotel and transportation sectors in a bid to stay in business. People are focusing on what visitors want, and offering it to them through the Internet and other contemporary marketing tools. If the government and industry officials who should be planning strategy follow the lead of those trying to make a success of our tourism, then we will start building the foundations of a new era in this most vital part of our economy. From: Athens Plus Emergency landing A military aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at the Hania airport on Crete on Sunday evening after experiencing mechanical failure. Airport authorities said the plane landed safely. Around the same time, a commercial flight that had been on its way to Hania from Athens was redirected to the airport in Iraklio. PNO break Passenger ferry routes connecting Piraeus to the islands of the Aegean are not expected to suffer any disruptions for the next month after the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO) said yesterday that it would not be staging any strike action until after August 15. Over the past few weeks, members of PNO and the Communist Party-affiliated labor group PAME staged several blockades at the country's main port of Piraeus, thwarting the travel plans of thousands of Greeks and tourists. Failed rescue The head of the Hellenic Rescue Team claimed yesterday that a check the organization received last year from the government proved to be a dud. The team's president, Thanassis Sotirakis, said that a check for 20,000 euros was issued by the Citizens' Protection Ministry last year to help the rescuers buy equipment. But Sotirakis told Skai Radio that the check bounced and that the Hellenic Rescue Team had to take out a loan to cover the expenses of purchasing the equipment. From: Kathimerini Tax spurs sale of private islands - 19 July, 2010 The supply of private islands in the market has grown considerably in the last few months, although demand has been far smaller. Sources suggest that at least 27 islands and islets have been put up for sale at various points recently, although some of their owners have then decided to temporarily withdraw the "for sale" notice, hoping to see the economic climate improve or at least an organized plan for the tourist use of those pieces of land. The focus – as is usually in this segment of the market – is on the islands owned by the Onassis family, Athina Onassis in particular. They are the well-known Skorpios, as well as Kastri, Starti and Tsokari, which are next to the town of Nidri on Lefkada. Market sources argue that there have been certain proposals for the acquisition of some of these islands and negotiations are currently ongoing. Interested buyers are said to be major local entrepreneurs, offshore companies of Greek and foreign interests and even investors from the Middle East who would eye a private island for their own use. Other islands to have gone on the market are Atokos, which belongs to the Tsakos family, Patroklos (near Attica) of the Giatrakos family, Revmatonissi (in the Cyclades) owned by Dolly Goulandri and Carlonissi (in the Ionian) of the Vlastos family. Some, however, have now been withdrawn. Yet regardless of the prestige a private island offers its owner, the baggage that comes with it tends to be far greater. In the last couple of years demand for islands has been low in Greece, which has disappointed many owners, some of whom have inherited them and are unable to meet the tax costs of ownership of an entire island. The situation has become even worse for them recently given the lack of cash flow in the market, which has led to island prices dropping by 10 percent in the owners' effort to attract buyers. Even so, the cost of a private island ranges between 5 and 10 million euros – sometimes more for the larger ones. The price depends on the location of the island, its distance from the mainland, its size and whether it can be developed. Mike Vassiliou, the head of FIABCI Greece, the local arm of the International Real Estate Federation as well as the director of NAI Real Estate company, suggests that "the most important thing for an island is its proximity to land, for easier connection with utility networks. "Another crucial factor is the existence of water on it, which can bear on an island's value, while its natural ports for easier access are also significant," he adds. There is another reason why buyers may be turning to private islands nowadays, and that is the forthcoming adjustment in the land prices used for tax purposes, as today's buyers could reap significant capital gains in the future. From: Kathimerini UK Holiday Firm Collapses With Thousands Abroad - 17 July, 2010 Thousands of British tourists face having their holidays cancelled or disrupted after a package tour firm collapsed. Greece and Turkey specialist Goldtrail Travel Ltd went into administration, with around 16,000 customers overseas and another 2,000 due to travel this weekend. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is making arrangements to fly customers home at the end of their holiday under its ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licensing) scheme. The aviation regulator's Andy Cohen was quoted by Travel Weekly as saying the authority was still "in the dark on detail" about the failure. But he said it was not on the scale of XL Leisure Group, which collapsed in September 2008 and left 60,000 holidaymakers overseas. The CAA said the majority of flights home from Turkey will operate as normal. The Goldtrail website crashed after it went into administration But holidaymakers in Greece were warned to expect changes to flights and are advised to check with representatives at local airports. The CAA said there were no more outbound Goldtrail flights. It advised customers due to fly with the failed operator to check with their travel agent before leaving for the airport. [...] From: Sky News Online Notorious resorts less rowdy The traditionally rowdy seaside resorts of Faliraki on Rhodes, Malia on Crete and Lagana on Zakynthos are much quieter this year, with hardly any reports of sexually explicit antics by drunken Britons, experts in the tourism industry have said. The shift reportedly has been welcomed by most local businesses, while others who thrived on selling cheap alcohol to foreign tourists are said to have been hard hit. As for the reasons for the absence of rowdy visitors, some blame it on a general slump in the tourism sector. "The main reason is the general downturn in tourism this summer, rather than any specific measures," said the head of the Lagana hoteliers' association, Christina Petradi. Policemen on Zakynthos have a different outlook. "Police checks have been intensified in certain areas," a spokesman for the police on the Ionian island said. "The raids are conducted regularly and target businesses that have been aggravating the problem," the officer said, referring to bars and clubs offering doctored alcohol at cheap prices to attract punters. According to Yiannis Papadakis, the vice president of the Hellenic Association of Tourism and Travel Agents (HATTA), the situation has also calmed down in the Cretan resort of Malia and Faliraki on Rhodes, which had serious issues with rowdy Britons until last year. "We haven't had such problems this year so far but that might change," said Papadakis, noting that the relatively low turnout of British visitors was being attributed, at least in part, to the World Cup, which drew thousand of Europeans to South Africa. Papadakis also noted that many foreigners who usually holiday in Greece had this year opted for Turkey, which is generally cheaper. From: Kathimerini DOCTORS STRIKE - 16 July, 2010 The union representing the country's hospital doctors yesterday called on members to join a five-day strike starting on Monday, July 19, to protest government plans to overhaul the national health service with a slew of reforms, including the operation of daily afternoon surgeries at state hospitals. The Federation of Hospital Doctors' Unions (OENGE) has complained that the proposed reforms cannot be implemented with current staffing levels and other shortfalls. Doctors also object to a new proposed system according to which patients will pay for medical services at hospitals and have expenses reimbursed by their insurance funds. "Hospital doctors will not tolerate... citizens being charged more to guarantee medical care they are entitled to," a statement by OENGE said. Tourism revenues seen as down by 7-9 percent in 2010 [...] Tourism revenues this year are expected to be 7-9 percent lower than 2009 levels, according to Andreas Andreadis, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Hoteliers. No raises this year, tiny hike in 2011 Private sector employees will have to wait one year to see even a minimal raise with the signing yesterday of a three-year collective labor agreement by industry and trade representatives and the General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE). Following months of negotiations, the deal provides for no increase in salaries for the next 12 months, and pay rises in line with average eurozone inflation from July 2011, i.e. 1.5 percent in a year's time and 1.7 percent in 2012. Inflation in Greece stood at 5.2 percent last month. "This year there will be no wage rises because it is a particularly difficult year," said GSEE spokesman Stathis Anestis. "It is evident that securing jobs is more important than a wage hike." The good news for private sector workers is the safeguarding of the Christmas, Easter and summer bonus allowances, known in Greece as the 13th and 14th salaries, which have been scrapped in the public sector. "We have safeguarded the 13th and 14th salaries of employees. Christmas, Easter and vacation allowances are now recognized as regular payments," said the president of Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), Dimitris Daskalopoulos, following the meeting of the parties concerned. From: Kathimerini Pollution warning - 15 July, 2010 The Environment Ministry called on Athenians to leave their cars at home yesterday as sweltering temperatures caused air pollution to approach dangerous levels. Temperatures hit 37 Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit) yesterday and are expected to reach 39C (102.2F) today. The ministry advised citizens to use public transport and avoid refueling cars during the daytime. It also called on industry to make efforts to reduce emissions. Tax hikes hitting gas stations hard A large number of gas stations may be forced to close due to growing problems in the sector, the head of the Federation of Gasoline Station Owners (OBE), Michalis Kiousis, said yesterday. In comments to journalists, Kiousis said that more than 500 gas stations have shut up shop since the start of the year, while another 1,000 continue to operate but have scaled down their operations while searching for a buyer. The financial crisis, the drop in consumer incomes and the recent tax hikes on fuel have led to a 30 percent drop in petrol consumption, according to Kiousis. Gasoline prices have soared since the start of the year and now rank among the most expensive in Europe after the government hiked levies on fuel products and value-added tax in a bid to boost state revenues as part of measures to get through the fiscal crisis. [...] Summer sales start today, with considerable discounts Shopaholics are in for a treat this summer, as the sales season starts today, with many retailers having indicated their intention to offer discounts of up to or even exceeding 70 percent on many items. Flagging demand, particularly for clothing and footwear, has driven shopkeepers to offer considerable price cuts in an effort to recoup some of the losses sustained over the previous months. The National Confederation of Greek Commerce (ESEE) suggested to all trade associations across the country that they protect the institution of sales and respect customers, while advising shoppers to support legal enterprises that offer them quality guarantees and receipts. Summer sales end on August 31. From: Kathimerini
Tourists on board a sightseeing bus yesterday morning snap pictures of the Acropolis. Up until noon, this was the only way they could catch a glimpse of the structure, as access was prevented by Culture Ministry employees. The Acropolis was again at the center of a dispute between unionists and the government yesterday, as unpaid Culture Ministry workers kept the site closed for four hours, turning away hundreds of tourists who had been hoping to make their way up the ancient citadel. The site had been due to open at 8 a.m. but the public was not actually admitted until noon, as Culture Ministry employees were protesting the government's failure to pay some of their colleagues. The president of the workers' association, Yiannis Tsakopiakos, said that the aim of the protest was to draw attention to the fact that some 500 employees on short-term contracts had not been paid for 21 months. Ministry sources responded by saying that everything possible was being done to ensure that the workers would get their money as soon as possible. The Acropolis was shut down earlier this summer when members of the Communist Party-affiliated union PAME used the site to stage a protest against the government's economic reforms. Striking Culture Ministry workers also prevented visitors from accessing the ancient monument several times last summer during protests over outstanding wages. Unionists have been repeatedly criticized for using the Acropolis as a bargaining chip in their disputes with the government, amid fears that images of tourists being turned away from Greece's most famous ancient site will only further harm tourism in a year when arrivals have already dropped. Yesterday's protest came ahead of a four-hour stoppage tomorrow by air-traffic controllers, leading to more than 40 flights being canceled or rescheduled. There was no official comment from the government yesterday but Deputy Tourism Minister Giorgos Nikitiadis suggested that Greece's tourism industry might benefit from last-minute bookings. However, the Acropolis protest has put the Culture Ministry in the spotlight as it planned to open 20 new or renovated museums this year, prompting many to ask what the point to this policy is when there is not enough staff to look after the museums and sites already in existence. [...] From: Kathimerini
As Athenians fled the city yesterday, seeking refuge from the heat on the Aegean islands or on one of Attica's countless beaches, tourists visited the site of the Parthenon to soak up some culture. Following the completion of years of renovation work, the ancient monument can now be appreciated minus the scaffolding. Travelers come out winners as ferry firms use discounts to drum up business Ferry companies are resorting to steep discounts in a bid to support revenues as passenger traffic numbers have dropped off by some 15 percent from last year's levels due to the economic crisis. Ticket prices start off at 10 euros each for trips such as Piraeus to Paros, while price cuts can be as high as 25 percent for other destinations with a ticket including a four-person cabin. According to travel agencies, ticket prices are slightly higher than last year's levels due to the recent hikes in value-added tax. Sources said the additional cost from the first VAT hike was absorbed by ferry operators but the second, effective as of July, has been passed onto passengers by some companies in the sector. Despite the crisis and the high cost of fuel, company sources said ferry operators only had one choice: to keep prices at last year's levels and aim for higher passenger numbers during the July-August period to support income. Indicative of prices currently available are round-trip fares for a four-member family (plus car) traveling from Piraeus to Mytilene at 540 euros, versus 513 euros last year, while a return trip from Piraeus to Myconos costs 347 euros (vs 335 euros in 2009). Growing competition on routes to certain destinations, such as Crete and the Dodecanese islands, is benefiting the consumer. Blue Star Ferries offers economy-class tickets starting from 10 euros for all islands in the Cyclades and 19 euros for destinations in the Dodecanese and Crete. Additionally, price discounts of up to 20 percent are available to passengers, cars and motorcycles on certain vessels that travel to the Cyclades and Crete. Rival ANEK is also lowering prices depending on the time of the route, whether it's a day or night trip. A price cut of up to 50 percent is valid for cabins during the day while economy seats have been reduced by 30 percent. Meanwhile, Minoan Lines has also lowered prices by 30 percent for cabins and cars and 50 percent for motorcycles. Minoan is also offering more attractive fees in an attempt to drum up business with discounts on cabins and the transportation of cars between 30 and 50 percent. From: Kathimerini Maps to delineate, protect forests - 10 July, 2010 The Environment Ministry yesterday presented the key provisions of an ambitious draft bill that aims to curb illegal construction on forestland by drawing up a comprehensive map delineating the boundaries of the country's forests and thus averting would-be arsonists and land-grabbers. The proposed scheme – a complicated initiative proposed by successive governments over the years – is to be released for public consultation for a week before being submitted to Parliament. The process of drawing up forest maps will be based on the comparison of aerial photographs of forestland dating to the 1960s with recent images. Regional administrations and forestry authorities will be responsible for drafting the map for their area, sources said. Once the maps are compiled, regional and local authorities will be obliged to display them in public. Electronic versions of the maps will also be uploaded onto the websites of the Environment Ministry, regional authorities and Ktimatologio, the state company responsible for drawing up Greece's land register. The next stage will be the processing of any objections to the maps as they stand. Landowners and local authorities will have the opportunity to submit their objections regarding the accuracy of forest borders but will be obliged to pay a fee for this right. It remained unclear yesterday what the charge would be. There will be a 45-day limit for submitting objections, each of which will then be analyzed by a special committee of experts over a four-month period. According to the plan, the forest maps will then be amended and the process of shaping a national forest "charter" will gather pace. In February, the ministry heralded a scheme to reforest some 10,000 hectares of burnt woodland on the outskirts of Attica. Three months before that, then newly elected Environment Minister Tina Birbili had unveiled draft legislation according to which any areas of forestland ravaged by fire will be immediately included in a forest map of the respective region. From: Kathimerini Strike to paralyze transport, services - 7 July, 2010 Public services and transport are to grind to a halt once again tomorrow as thousands of workers join yet another 24-hour general strike, called by the country's two main unions to protest a scheduled parliamentary vote on deeply unpopular pension and labor relations reforms.. Flights to and from the country will be grounded between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. as air-traffic controllers join the protest and demand the payment of outstanding wages. The air-traffic controllers have threatened to stage rolling strikes throughout the month of July – action that would hamper the travel plans of thousands of tourists – unless they are paid. There will be virtually no public transport in Athens tomorrow as workers on the metro, buses, trolley buses, tram and Piraeus-Kifissia urban electric railway (ISAP) walk off the job. Greeks and visitors planning to travel to Aegean destinations tomorrow will face a day of frustration as seamen belonging to unions affiliated with the Communist Party (KKE) join the 24-hour action, blocking access to ferries in Piraeus. The KKE-backed labor union PAME is also planning a protest rally tomorrow in central Omonia Square at 11 a.m., an hour after members of the General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE) and the civil servants' union ADEDY are due to gather in Klafthmonos Square. Demonstrators from both rallies are expected to subsequently march on Parliament, where a vote on the controversial reforms is expected in the afternoon. Tomorrow's strike action will also disrupt services in the broader public sector, closing down schools and tax offices and leaving hospitals to operate on emergency staff. There will also be a media blackout as journalists join the walkout. Fudged data Parliament will be presented with a case regarding Greece's fudged budget deficit data submitted by the former New Democracy government to the European Commission's statistical service, Eurostat, it was announced yesterday. The case comes after charges were filed against the former administration by an MP of the LAOS ultranationalist party. From: Kathimerini Hospital reforms 'unenforceable' - 6 July, 2010 Hospital doctors yesterday criticized government plans to overhaul the national health service with a slew of reforms, including the operation of daily afternoon surgeries at state hospitals, claiming that the proposed changes are impossible to enforce effectively. "This bill is completely and fundamentally unenforceable," said Dimitris Varnavas, the president of the Federation of Hospital Doctors' Unions (OENGE). Varnavas criticized Health Minister Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou for "imagining that country hospitals can manage to operate in the afternoons as well as the mornings with current staffing levels." According to a statement issued by his union, the aim of the draft bill is to "shift the responsibility of the state and its budget onto state hospitals." The proposed reforms foresee the all-day operation of state hospitals, with all outpatient clinics, diagnostic centers and surgeries also open in the evenings. The bill will also oblige all state university doctors operating private clinics to shut them down and see their patients on the premises of the hospital that employs them. Another key change is that the cost of medical examinations and other services will be borne by the patient's social insurance fund, not by the state hospital that the patient visits. Patients will pay for medical services at the hospitals and have their expenses reimbursed by their insurance funds. In a related development, doctors at the Nikaia General Hospital, near Piraeus, yesterday staged a sit-in at the hospital director's office to demand back pay and protest shortages of pharmaceuticals, laboratory equipment and other supplies. The Health Ministry's general secretary, Nikos Polyzos, insisted the order had been issued for outstanding back pay. OSE to cut some 35 costly routes The Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) is planning to suspend the operation of at least 35 underused routes around the country believed to be burdening the debt-ridden state by some 3 million euros a day, sources said yesterday. According to a written statement by TRAINOSE, a subsidiary of OSE that is responsible for the organization's railway itineraries, dozens of loss-making routes are due to be discontinued imminently. These include several routes in the Peloponnese linking the cities of Patra, Pyrgos, Kalamata, Messini and Olympia. Many more routes in northern Greece, connecting the cities of Thessaloniki, Serres, Alexandroupoli, Edessa and Kozani, will have their weekly itineraries drastically reduced. OSE itself had not issued an official statement by late yesterday to confirm the exact routes that will be affected and the date the changes are to come into effect. [...] From: Kathimerini
An Athens street kiosk owner holds out a customer's change as well as their receipt yesterday. A new law, which came into effect on Thursday, obliges kiosk owners and taxi drivers to issue receipts to customers. The law forms part of the government's drive to stamp out tax evasion by getting a clearer idea of real income levels. NEW BLOCKADE In what is fast becoming a major headache for the country's tourism sector, the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO) has announced that it will be staging another 24-hour strike on July 8, preventing travelers from boarding island-bound ferries at the port of Piraeus. Several blockades over the past few weeks have resulted in thousands being stranded at the country's main port and on the Aegean islands. The decision to strike next Thursday, when another general strike is also scheduled, was made after tensions peaked during a session of PNO's executive committee between federation members and representatives of the militant Communist Party-affiliated group PAME. From: Kathimerini New strike - 2 July, 2010 The country's two main unions, the civil servants' union ADEDY and the General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE), yesterday called a new general strike for next Thursday, July 8, in protest at deeply unpopular reforms to the country's creaking pension system and changes to labor relations. The unions, which together represent around 3 million workers, complain that the planned reforms – which Greece is obliged to push through as part of an austerity drive imposed by its international creditors – will demolish long-established labor rights. From: Kathimerini VAT CHANGE - 1 July, 2010 The change in value-added tax [23%], which will apply as of today, means that the cost of road tolls and cab fares will increase. Taxi charges will include 11 percent VAT, meaning that the flag charge will now rise to 1.16 euros, while the minimum fare will be 3.10 euros. Calling a radio cab will cost 1.88 euros. As of today, cabbies will also have to issue receipts to all their clients. The VAT rise will also see toll charges on the Attiki Odos ring road rise from 2.70 euros to 2.80 for cars. There will be similar rises of between 5 and 10 cents at tolls on national roads. Online government A program that aims to increase government transparency by ensuring that all administrative decisions are posted on the Internet was voted through Parliament yesterday. «This is a deep change that brings a new attitude to the way that the state functions,» said Interior Minister Yiannis Ragousis. «Every last euro that is spent will be open to scrutiny.» The program is known as Diavgeia (Clarity). From: Kathimerini Cretan relic hunter nabbed - 28 June, 2010 A resident of Hania, Crete, who handed a bag of human bones to local police after apparently discovering them while out searching for World War II relics was arrested when officers found a stash of weapons at his home. The 27-year-old's house was searched after he presented some human remains to the officers at the Nea Kydonia police station. The man, who has not been named, said that he uncovered the bones in the Maleme area. "It is likely that these are the remains of a high-profile figure who took part in the Battle of Crete," the police said in a statement. "But the bones have to be sent to the University of Athens Anthropology Center for further examination." Officers found several machine guns, submachine guns, rifles, dozens of bullets and other items the suspect said he uncovered using a metal detector. However, as he did not have a firearms license, he was taken into custody. PIRAEUS DISRUPTION People trying to travel from Piraeus port tomorrow are likely to experience difficulties after two of the 14 unions that make up the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO) voted to join in the 24-hour general strike on the same day. The same two unions blocked five ferries from leaving the port last Wednesday in protest at the government's pension reforms. Following the scenes of hundreds of tourists and locals being stranded at Piraeus, the government said that it would not let such an incident take place again. Power strike Employees of the Public Power Corporation (PPC) who are members of the GENOP-DEI union decided yesterday that the will stage a protest today at 6 p.m. in front of the company's offices in central Athens before marching toward the Finance Ministry. They are also due to take part in tomorrow's general strike against pension reforms. From: Kathimerini Port blockades leave hordes of travelers fuming - 24 June, 2010 Thousands of Greeks and tourists remained stranded at Piraeus and other ports around the country yesterday after a crowd comprising some 400 members of the Communist Party-affiliated labor union PAME blocked the boarding ramps of several ferries during a 24-hour strike against austerity measures being pushed through by the debt-ridden government. The demonstrators, members of two marine engineers' unions, persisted with their action yesterday even though a court had declared it illegal and abusive on Tuesday. The Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO), an umbrella organization which represents a total of 14 unions including the two staging yesterday's blockade, did not back the protest, although it has expressed its opposition to the lifting of cabotage restrictions that prompted the strike. Tempers flared at Piraeus port early in the morning as passengers trying to board ferries were faced with rows of burly men with their arms interlocked. Most of the foreign tourists sat despondently by the ticket offices in the port area, waiting for word about their scheduled journeys. Some of the Greek passengers squared up to the protesters, angrily demanding an explanation. Private television channel Mega broadcast images of red-faced Greek passengers shouting at protesters. "Shame on you, you bullies," one middle-aged woman cried out at protesters stationed on the ramp of one of the ferries. There were some minor scuffles but the discreet intervention of a few police officers and coast guard officials stopped tensions from peaking. Two prosecutors were sent to the scene but they did not order police to enforce the court order deeming the strike illegal. As for the coast guard officials, they said they would not attempt to break the blockade as it could fuel violence in the port. "We do not want to make things worse," the chief of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Athanassios Bousios, told Flash Radio. Bousios said the moored ferries could not depart for safety reasons anyway, as the vessels' engineers were among those staging the blockade. PAME representatives also expressed their discontent in Athens yesterday, with about 5,000 participating in a protest rally in the city center in the afternoon. The march caused congestion but there was no violence. The Hellenic Association of Tourism and Travel Agents yesterday condemned the action as the country's crucial tourism industry has already been hit by previous strikes. Five Britons to be extradited for attack on countryman Five British men charged in connection with a violent attack on a fellow Briton outside a nightclub in the Cretan holiday resort of Malia in June 2008 have lost their legal battle against extradition, Agence France-Presse reported from London yesterday. The men, all in their early 20s, deny stabbing Robert Hughes with a broken bottle and stomping on his head. Defense lawyers claimed that Curtis Taylor, Daniel Bell, Sean Branton, George Hollands and Benjamin Herdman would face detention in terrible conditions if sent back to Greece, AFP reported. But Britain's High Court ruled that the evidence presented to back up their claim was not strong enough to justify refusing their extradition to Greece. Rape probes Police in the Cretan prefecture of Hania said yesterday that they had detained a 33-year-old Greek man and a 35-year-old Syrian man charged with raping a Norwegian tourist and a Polish local respectively. The 22-year-old Norwegian woman identified the 33-year-old as the man who took her for a ride on his motorcycle to a remote area of Hania where he allegedly raped her. The Polish woman, whose age was not revealed, told police that the Syrian national invited her to his home for dinner but wound up raping her. From: Kathimerini Compensation for stranded tourists - 23 June, 2010 Greece offered to compensate tourists stranded by labor unrest ahead of a new travel strike yesterday as unions stepped up their assault against government austerity cuts. Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos told a news conference that the government would "guarantee" extra room and board payments made by visitors as rail unions started a series of stoppages. "We are certain that it will be a calm summer and that there will be no major strike disruptions," a ministry source told AFP. "But just in case something happens, the Greek state is prepared to cover these costs," the source added. Tourism is a pillar of the Greek economy but strikes and related violence sparked by the country's debt crisis as well as the international global crunch were estimated in May to have caused a 10 percent fall in hotel stays, according to tourism associations. The minister told the press conference late Monday that compensation would even be paid for tourists stuck in Greece during the volcano eruption in Iceland in April that blocked European air routes for several days. Geroulanos gave no details though of how much the compensation would cost nor how it would be paid. Thousands of travelers have had holidays in Greece disrupted by successive strikes as the country grapples with a debt crisis that brought draconian wage and pension cuts. As Athens labors to maximize revenue, tens of millions of euros have already been lost from booking cancellations, according to government estimates. Railway workers yesterday began a series of two-hour work stoppages to last until tomorrow, disrupting intercity trains and services to Athens International Airport. Today, Communist Party-affiliated ship crews plan to block the main Greek port of Piraeus. And the country's main unions have called a general strike – the fifth since the start of the year – on June 29. Tourism generates about 17 percent of Greece's gross domestic product.
Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos challenges Argentina's Lionel Messi in yesterday's final Group B game in the World Cup in South Africa. Greece held out for almost 80 minutes but lost 2-0, which, coupled with South Korea's 2-2 draw with Nigeria, meant the Asians took second spot in the group and a place in the last 16 of the tournament.
From: Kathimerini Holidaymakers stranded in Greece will be compensated - 22 June, 2010 Greece has said it will compensate any tourists stranded in the country as a result of industrial action or, indeed, any natural disaster. The offer comes at a time when Greece has been hit by industrial unrest and strikes in the wake of proposed austerity measures by the government. "We are guaranteeing to pay any extra room and board any visitor in Greece pays even if stuck here because of a volcano in Iceland," culture and tourism minister Pavlos Geroulanos was reported as saying by the BBC, referring to the recent days-long ban on air travel. Tourism generates almost a fifth of Greece's income, but bookings this summer are down by about 10 per cent, industry experts say. Greek tourism has also suffered the effects of the eruption of a volcano in Iceland, which spewed vast quantities of ash into the sky for days, blocking air routes. From: Reuters
Residents of the prefecture of Ierapetra on Crete gathered over the weekend with the aim of creating the largest salad in the world and earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Using a receptacle measuring 100 square meters as their salad bowl, locals threw together 6 tons of tomatoes, 3 tons of cucumbers, 2 tons of peppers, a ton of onions, 800 kilos of feta cheese and half a ton of olive oil. It remained unclear late yesterday whether the 12-ton salad had made it into the record book. From: Kathimerini
China agrees to more Greek deals - 16 June, 2010
Less than 24 hours after Moody's slashed Greece's sovereign rating to "junk" status, the government received a boost yesterday when the Chinese vice premier signed 14 investment deals with officials in Athens. Zhang Dejiang, who signed the contracts at a ceremony in Athens where Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos was present, said that Beijing wants to stand by Greece in its moment of crisis. "The government is going to encourage Chinese entrepreneurs to come to Greece to make partnerships and investments," he said after the ceremony. "We are convinced that the Greek government is capable of overcoming the crisis and returning to stable growth." One of the agreements signed yesterday was a memorandum of understanding between the two countries in the area of shipping, which foresees favorable chartering rates for Greek vessels. Seven of the contracts were between Chinese shipping giant Cosco and Greek shipowners for the construction of new vessels and the chartering of Greek ships. Cosco has already struck a deal with Greece to manage two container terminals at Piraeus for the next 35 years. The company's chief executive, Wei Jiafu, said during a visit to Greece last month that Cosco has plans to turn Piraeus into the "greatest container hub in the eastern Mediterranean." Other agreements signed yesterday included one between Chinese group BCEGI and Greece's Helios Plaza for the construction of a large hotel complex in Piraeus. Also, OTE telecom reached an agreement with China's Huawei Technologies, and four Chinese food firms are to begin importing Greek olive oil. From: Kathimerini Hospitals near meltdown - 15 June, 2010 Doctors warned yesterday that hospital patients will begin to die soon unless the government can resolve an impasse with suppliers over more than 5 billion euros in debts. The hospital suppliers have been providing just basic items for the past few days, in protest at the government's failure to come up with ways to pay the 5.2 billion euros that the state owes them. Health Minister Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou and other ministry officials met with representatives of various pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies yesterday but the two sides were not able to reach an agreement on how this debt, which in some cases stretches back several years, will be settled, nor on how they will be paid in the future. Nevertheless, Xenogiannakopoulou appeared to adopt an aggressive stance with the suppliers, indicating that they had been overcharging for many of their products. "The party in the health sector is over," she said. "We are determined to work out a payment plan," the minister added. "We call on the suppliers to assume their responsibilities but we are also doing what we can to ensure that hospitals continue to function normally." Nevertheless, the longer the dispute drags on, the more state hospitals will suffer, as many are already desperately short of supplies and unable to carry out basic services such as CAT scans and blood tests. Hospitals including Evangelismos and Tzaneio have been borrowing consumables to keep going. "The coming week will be exceptionally crucial for the health system," said Dimitris Varnavas, president of the Federation of Greek Hospital Doctors' Unions (OENGE). "Hospitals cannot offer basic services because of a lack of things like surgical gloves and surgical thread. It is certain that lives will be lost in the coming days." Meanwhile, the failure to pay doctors overtime means that fewer hospitals are filling their on-duty slots. The Attiko Hospital in Athens is due to be on duty today but will only be accepting emergency cases. Doctors at the Geniko Kratiko in Nikaia have not been working extra shifts for the last month. Thwarted robbers A gang of would-be robbers stormed into a supermarket in Thessaloniki yesterday afternoon, piled up trolleys with food and charged past the cash registers without paying but were stopped by police officers who happened to be on a foot patrol outside the store. The perpetrators sought refuge on the nearby grounds of the Aristotle University, police said. It is thought that the youths had wanted to distribute the stolen goods to pedestrians outside the store. From: Kathimerini
The national soccer team had its last training session yesterday before its opener in the 2010 World Cup today at Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The Greeks will face South Korea at 2.30 p.m. today (Greek time), with captain Giorgos Karagounis stating yesterday that everything is in place for Greece to win, as preparations have been going well for the squad, and manager Otto Rehhagel admitting his heartbeat is racing ahead of the first World Cup match in his career. Injured defender Vangelis Moras will be Greece's sole absentee in the game at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. From: Kathimerini Poll shows growing pessimism - 11 June, 2010 A new opinion poll indicates that the majority of Greeks are pessimistic about the future of the country's beleaguered economy while fearing more painful reforms and social unrest. According to the poll, conducted by Public Issue on behalf of Skai and Kathimerini, seven out of 10 people believe the country is not on track to economic recovery, with 18 percent saying they think the steps being taken by the government are in the right direction. In February, when the first raft of austerity measures was unveiled, half of Greeks questioned had expressed this level of pessimism. According to the results of the same poll, which was carried out between June 2 and 7 on a sample of 1,019 citizens, the majority of the public also fears that the current situation will degenerate. Seven out of 10 respondents said they thought that the economy would be in a worse state a few months from now. Just 12 percent said that they believed the country's economic state would improve, as compared to 32 percent who had expressed similar optimism in December 2009. An even larger section of the public – 80 percent, according to the poll – fear a new wave of social unrest in reaction to the government's austerity measures, with more strikes and demonstrations on the cards. A similarly high proportion of respondents, 84 percent, claimed to be disappointed by "Greek democracy" though it remained unclear whether this related to developments in the economy or in the political arena. Confidence in the competence of the main political parties remains at a low level, according to the poll. Just 18 percent of respondents declared themselves satisfied with the job being done by ruling PASOK, slightly down from 22 percent last month, while only 9 percent said they were happy with the main conservative opposition New Democracy. As for the popularity of political leaders, Prime Minister George Papandreou remained at last month's level with 53 percent of public support, while ND leader Antonis Samaras inched up to 44 percent from 40 percent. From: Kathimerini Saharan dust to engulf capital - 13 May, 2010 Dust from the Sahara Desert is expected to descend on Athens today, exacerbating the already high temperatures but also increasing the density of particles in the air to dangerous levels, scientists warned yesterday. Dust from the Sahara is often blown over Greece between March and May but the fact that the weather is already hot and ground-level ozone is at high levels could cause citizens greater discomfort. Experts believe that, as a result, pollution levels could exceed 185 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m3). The concentration levels in Athens over the last few days have been between 30 and 60 mg/m3, whereas the warning limit set by the European Union is 50 mg/m3 – a ceiling the EU says must not be exceeded for more than 35 days a year. Scientists warned that the mixture of dust particles and air pollution could cause health problems. “The worst thing is that the dust gets mixed up with the smog. In other words, the dust particles become covered by emissions and create new airborne particles,” said Haris Kambezidis, director of research at the National Observatory of Athens. Doctors recommend that people avoid sports activity or moving about the city unnecessarily until Saturday to avoid the dangerous combination of heat, humidity, dust and pollution. As of Saturday, the wind will pick up and temperatures will drop. The warning about the Saharan dust came as scientists yesterday briefed a parliamentary committee about the dangers that air pollution pose to people’s health. Professors Klea Katsouyanni and Matthaios Santamouris informed the panel of MPs that there was a direct correlation between small changes in the quality of the air people breathe and serious illnesses. They said that their research indicated that a rise in the number of suspended particles by 10 mg/m3 prompts a 1.6 percent increase in the number of deaths, a 1.7 percent rise in heart disease and an increase of 1 percent in asthma attacks among children.
Protesters shout during a rally against pension reforms in central Athens yesterday. The protest was organized by Greece’s two largest unions, GSEE and ADEDY, which have decided to hold a general strike on May 20 in opposition to the government’s austerity measures. From: Kathimerini Forest protection - 12 May, 2010 Budget cuts will be hitting Greece’s forest protection services, according to an announcement by the Environment Ministry yesterday. As part of its program for this summer, which was announced later than expected, the ministry will be hiring 766 seasonal staff on a three- or eight-month contracts at forestry and park ranger services. No rise in public transport tickets this year, not so in 2011 There will be no price rises on the public transportation system this year, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Dimitris Reppas said yesterday but he did not rule out the possibility of tickets going up next year. The minister did not hide the fact that the subsidization of public transport, which ranges from 50 to 70 percent of costs, would be reduced next year. Reppas would not commit to there not being price hikes on the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) network. “OSE has very low prices and there is no way that we can ignore that,” said Reppas. From: Kathimerini Belgian anarchists A Greek National Tourism Organization office in Brussels was attacked by vandals yesterday. An employee, who was not hurt, said that three masked men and one woman threw paint at the office and shouted slogans in support of Greek anarchists. They also left behind leaflets claiming their group was called the «Belgian Anarchists.» Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos happened to be in Brussels for a meeting of his European Union counterparts and visited the office after the attack. He said the damage would be repaired. Discussions are also taking place about the possibility of guarding the office. From: Kathimerini |
Temple of Athena Nike free of scaffolding - 4 September, 2010
In the area of Sfakia
Celebration of gruyere from Anopoli, Sfakia
ABOUT PRICES OF FUEL IN CRETE - 11 August, 2010
At Chania Airport
Acropolis shut in dispute over unpaid wages - 14 July, 2010
Tourists brave heat to see the Parthenon - 12 July, 2010
THE COUNTRY PARISH of SFAKIA
The once inconceivable: receipts from kiosks - 3 July, 2010
World Cup over for stubborn Greece
Giant salad - 21 June, 2010
China's Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang was in Athens to sign 14 commercial agreements yesterday at a meeting with Greece's Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos. The two men discussed further investments. Dejiang also met with Prime Minister George Papandreou and President Karolos Papoulias. Today, he is due to visit Piraeus port and Crete.
The national soccer team had... - 12 June, 2010
General strike...