Fiscal news may bolster tourism 4 February 2012 ekathimerini The president of the Panhellenic Hoteliers Federation, Yiannis Retsos, said recently that once the debt swap and the new bailout package are confirmed for Greece, the country’s tourism could find itself back on a northbound course. Retsos told Kathimerini that bookings from abroad for 2012 are currently seriously lagging, but “when the PSI and bailout processes are successfully concluded, we shall see what the markets’ reaction will be and whether there is an actual lag.” While conceding that the bookings picture is also affected by conditions in other European economies, the head of Greece’s hoteliers suggested that a more accurate estimate on the course of the country’s tourism this year cannot be made before early March. “Anyway, this is set to be the year that is the hardest to predict,” he added. Households spared feared tax hike 2nd February 2, 2012 Athens News The deputy finance minister says tax values on property will not be raised this year, sparing struggling homeowners a hike in emergency taxes. Pantelis Oikonomou told parliament that the ministry had no intention of raising or adjusting officially listed property values, in a move that follows protests by property developers and owners associations as well as a drop in commercial property prices. The government is already struggling to cope with problems created by the new tax that has been added to electricity bills after officials conceded tax authorities were unable to deal with the logistics of the latest levy. Officials at the Public Power Corporation, DEI, explained today that homes been mistakenly disconnected this week at a village in northern Greece because private crew, contracted by the company, had not been given proper instructions. DEI has promised to suspend disconnection in areas affected by the cold snap. Made in Greece 2nd February 2012 Athens News Greek-made electric cars with the ability to drive 100km on battery power and costing between 5- 6,000 euros are expected to roll of the assembly line of a new factory that will open in 2013 in Ptolemaida. The initial phase of the project will be financed by Public Power Corporation (DEI), while private investors will provide funds for the completion of the project. Snowfall in Athens; subzero temperatures up north 1 February 2012 Athens News - AMNA The cold front that has hit the country continued on Wednesday, with heavy snowfall and frost in most parts of the country. Snow fell in the morning in central Athens and the northern suburbs of the city were covered in white blanket. The weather will worsen in the afternoon with heavier snowfall expected, even in the southern parts of the country. Subzero temperatures prevailed in northern part of the country. Snow chains are mandatory not only in the mountainous area but also in areas of lower altitude. However, the gusty northerly winds have subsided and shipping services are running normally. According to National Meteorological Service (EMY), the snow front will abate on Thursday, with rainfall replacing the snowfall in most parts of the country and with a small increase in temperatures. Third Crete and Santorini quake in as many days 28 January 2012 ekathimerini Yet another earthquake struck the area between Santorini and Crete in the early hours of Saturday, measuring 4.5 degrees on the Richter scale, according to the Athens Institute of Geodynamics. This was the third tremor at the same spot in as many days, causing justified concern among citizens on both islands in southern Greece. There was no damage or injuries reported. On Thursday there was a 5.3 R quake followed by a 5.2 R tremor on Friday. Seismologists, however, say they are not worried by the seismic sequence as they suggest that it serves to defuse the energy stored some 30 kilometers from the surface, where the center of the quake was. Santorini citizens even expressed worries about a possible awakening of the island’s volcano, but Greek experts answered that although there has been some irregular behavior by the volcano, there are absolutely no signs linking it with the week’s tremors. Cold weather, strong winds over weekend 28 January 2012 ekathimerini The chilly weather of the past few days will last through the weekend as temperatures will dip to freezing, according to the National Meteorological Service (EMY). Those in northern and western parts of the country will bear the brunt of the bad weather, in what is expected to be the coldest week this year, with temperatures droppin below 0 Celsius in many parts of the country, even in the south. Gale-force winds, of up to 8 Beaufort in the Aegean on Sunday, could cancel ship sailings. Hotel industry is worried by low booking rate 28 January 2012 ekathimerini Provisional data and early estimates about the course of the tourism season in 2012 give good cause for some concern. Hotel market sources have noted a decline in the booking rate for this year, a trend they attribute at this stage to the anticipation of developments regarding Greece’s economy. Additional turbulence has been created in the travel market by cuts from at least 15 foreign airlines in direct flights to the Athens International Airport. In their majority these fights concern scheduled services and are planned for the summer season. On the other hand, at least seven foreign airlines have decided to increase their flights to the country’s main terminal this season. At any rate it may be too early for drawing any concrete conclusions for the 2012 season, but the industry is worried and pegging its hopes on last-minute bookings so as to maintain the positive momentum from last year. The job interview rapist 28 January 2012 Athens News - AMNA A 46-year-old jailbreaker was arrested in the Athens district of Votanikos on Friday for raping women whom he attracted with announcements supposedly offering employment. According to police, the man posted announcements in streets in Athens with which he offered employment. He secured telephone contact with women seeking employment and then arranged a meeting with them. During the meetings he persuaded the women to board a truck that he then drove to a remote area in the region of Skaramangas and, threatening them with a knife, eventually raped them. Two such cases have been recorded over the past 10 days. The jailbreaker had been at large since April 2011 when he violated a 10-day regular leave from the Malandrinos prison, where he was serving a 25-year sentence for attempted homicide, thefts, frauds, cheques and other offences. Jail term set for animal cruelty 26 January 2012 Athens News Parliament has approved legislation that would see cruelty to animals punished by imprisonment of up to a year and fines of up to €15,000. The bill, set to be voted in its final form next week, would also ban the use of animals for public entertainment, including circuses. Animal welfare groups have broadly approved the changes in the bill, but pointed to the legislation chaotic passage through parliament, Some key articles of the bill have been rewritten at least five times. Farmers take the streets 22 January 2012 Athens News Farmers take the streets again from Monday, organising mobilisations throughout the country, which will culminate in a rally in Thessaloniki on February 4 on the ocassion of the 24th International Fair of Agricultural Machinery, Equipment and Supplies «Agrotica», which begins on February 1. Farmers are reacting to taxes recently imposed on them and demand that relevant organisations are enabled to reimburse them for up to 100% of their crops losses. On Monday, farmers will hold protest rallies across the country. They call on all unemployed, pensioners and workers to participate in the protest marches planned at PPC branches in every city on January 25. On January 27, farmers will hold mass mobilisations in district offices, as well as offices of their pension funds and branches of the country's Agricultural Bank. Winter pause on lights-off threat 19 January 2012 Athens News The state-run electricity company DEI says it will again suspend disconnections due to bad weather, in a move that will come as a relief to consumers who have fallen behind on paying their bills and emergency property tax. Company spokesman Kimon Stergiou said disconnection resumed last week, affecting businesses and not households, after an 80-day pause but, that the process had been stopped again due to plunging temperatures in most parts of Greece. The government has admitted it is effectively unable to raise additional revenue through its troubled tax system and slapped emergency property taxed last autumn onto electricity bill, with the threat of disconnection to those who do not pay. Stergiou said tax authorities had approved 25,000 applications to be made exempt from the property tax and were reviewing another 20,000 applications. Households this month began receiving the second instalment of the 2011 emergency tax on their bills, with the taxes his year set to increase and be divided up into a higher number of instalments. Five arrests made in Crete over tax evasion 19 January 2012 ekathimerini Five people have been arrested in Hania, Crete, for allegedly owing a combined total of some 6 million euros in taxes, authorities said on Thursday. The head of the financial crimes squad (SDOE) in Crete, Stelios Lantzourakis, said that more arrests could be imminent and suggested that those who owe money to the state ought to come forward. He said SDOE has a list of 15 suspects in Hania alone, with some people owing as much as 2.5 million euros. A 35-year-old woman was also arrested in Halkidiki in northern Greece on Thursday on suspicion of large debts to the state. The woman had owned a clothing company until 2010. LOAN SHARKS 19 January 2012 Athens News Police in Thessaloniki say they have smashed a multimillion-euro moneylending ring, involving prominent personalities and officials from the northern city. Up to 53 people are implicated in the loan shark ring, including company owners, a tax official, hopeful politicians, a journalist, bank managers, soccer players, lawyers and policemen. All were lead before the courts this morning and were charged with a variety of offences, including extortion, moneylending and fraud. Police say the ring operated for up to 15 years and the proceeds were lodged in Swiss bank accounts. It is understood that a suicide note left by a restaurateur who took his own life in June alerted police to the scam. Three die in freezing weather 15 January 2012 Athens news Α Man drowned in a town near the Cretan city of Irakleio on January 12 after his car was swept away by an overflowing river due to torrential rain and strong winds. A rescue team rushed to the area and found the car but only later discovered the body after a thorough search. On December 10 a 63-year-old homeless man died in hospital, also on Crete, apparently freezing to death after torrential rainfall. Authorities were alerted after a bystander checked on the man in the centre of Chania, where he was camped out near the city’s municipal Christmas tree. A few days earlier, a 36-year-old mountaineer from Kilkis was found dead in a gorge after being reported missing on the steep slopes of Mt Beles. The man, found by a hunter at an altitude of 1,600 metres, was part of an 11-member group and is believed to have died from hypothermia. Guards agree to open sites and museums on weekends 13 January 2012 ekathimerini Guards at museums and archaeological sites have decided to suspend their weekend strikes over unpaid wages. State-run museums and famous sites like the Acropolis had remained shut on weekends due to the protests. Guards are demanding that the government pass a law ensuring that – in contrast to other civil servants – they are paid for working on weekends and public holidays. The Finance Ministry has attached an amendment to a bill that has been submitted to Parliament that will make sure that the guards receive the appropriate payment. Cold weather hampers road, sea travel 11 January 2012 ekathimerini Low temperatures, snow and gale force winds swept across several parts of Greece on Wednesday. In Attica snowfall in northern suburbs prompted authorities to advise motorists to use snow chains on Dionysou avenue in Dionysos, parts of Penteli and Parnitha, while sleet was observed in areas such as Kiffisia. Strong winds reaching 9 Beaufort at sea forced ferries in the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio to cancel scheduled departures. According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) weather conditions are expected to improve by Thursday and temperatures to rise by Friday. Man caught carrying four kilos heroin 10 January 2012 AMNA Drug squad officers on Tuesday arrested a 26-year-old man, who was caught transporting nearly four kilos of heroin from Chania to Iraklion on the island of Crete in a suitcase. The man had boarded an inter-city bus and got off in the region of Talos where drug squad officers were waiting for him, acting on a tip-off. In his luggage they found 3,855 grams of heroin, one of the largest quantities ever confiscated on the island. The suspect refused to give police the code to unlock the suitcase and his mobile phone, claiming that they were not his, and refused all cooperation with the authorities. He has no previous criminal record but police are convinced that he is an important link in the drug-trafficking network on Crete. The estimate street price of the heroin confiscated is nearly 100,000 euro. Chania Heist 10 January 2012 Athens News Unknown robbers broke into a jewelry shop in the Cretan city of Chania early on Tuesday and stole jewelry, watches and other valuables. The burglars used a crowbar to break the safety bars, smashed the window and grabbed valuables worth approximately 50,000 euros. Police are investigating the case. Primary school teacher faces sex-offense charge after Internet probe 10 January 2012 Athens News Police on the island of Crete say a 22-year-old woman is facing charges of seducing minors, after offering teenage boys help with their homework on the Internet. The primary school teacher is facing the charges after police interviewed boys she allegedly seduced and seized her computer and memory storage equipment from her home. The police's Electronic Crime Division assisted the investigation, launched following complaints from parents who became suspicious of their children's behaviour. A statement from the division said it has recovered Internet chat messages, allegedly between the teacher and the schoolboys that included "obscene and objectionable content". Robbers raid National Gallery 9 January 2012 ekathimerini Unidentified robbers stole several paintings from the National Gallery in Athens early on Monday including an early work by Pablo Picasso entitled 'Head of a Woman,' according to the Athens News Agency. According to Skai, another painting removed from the gallery was a work by the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. The robbers are believed to have taken a total of four works of art from the premises. It remained unclear how the intruders, who remained at large early Monday, gained access to the gallery as there was no sign of a forced entry, according to police. Officers believe the robbers may have used a side entrance or window to access the premises. They were examining fingerprints found on a window sill close to the gallery's side entrance. The gallery features mostly 19th and 20th century Greek paintings and some choice European works. The Picasso painting is believed to have been a gift to the museum. Greek police rescue 11 migrants from swollen river 8 January 2012 Phantis.com Greek authorities say they have rescued 11 immigrants stranded in the middle of a flood-swollen river after they tried to illegally enter Greece from Turkey. A police statement Monday said the 11 Algerian men were taken to a hospital where one was treated for hypothermia. Police said the immigrants tried to cross the Evros River in two inflatable dinghies, which were swept away by floodwaters and caught on a sandbar on Sunday afternoon. They called for help and were rescued two hours later. Business reacts to Crete suicide 5 January 2012 ekathimerini Business leaders on Crete are considering setting up a special counseling unit to assist local entrepreneurs following the suicide of a local olive oil exporter, the latest in a string of such deaths on the island. At least 20 suicides have been recorded on Crete over the last 12 months, several of which involved local businessmen who had run into financial difficulties. The latest Cretan to commit suicide was a 66-year-old olive oil exporter who shot himself with a hunting rifle. Authorities suspect his mounting debts caused him to take his own life. “We are prepared to work with the local doctors’ association to create a structure that could offer psychological support to local businessmen who are going through difficulties,” the head of the Hania Chamber of Commerce, Yiannis Margaronis, told Kathimerini. Greece saw a rise in suicides last year. Official statistics are not yet available but police recorded 511 suicides in 2011, compared to an average of about 400 for previous years. Nongovernmental organization Klimaka said that the number of calls to its helpline doubled to some 5,000 last year. Greek wages on the line PM tells unions changes to salaries, minimum rate needed as part of bailout deal 5 January 2012 ekathimerini Greece might have to reduce its minimum wage and private sector workers could have to accept severe salary cuts as part of the reforms needed to secure funding without which the country is likely to go bankrupt by March, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told union leaders Wednesday. For the first time since the economic crisis began, the issue of both the minimum wage and private sector salaries were laid on the negotiating table. So far, unions have sought to protect changes to both, although in reality thousands of private sector workers have seen their wages reduced over the last two years. Article continues - ekathimerini Elections in April, no reshuffle, says gov't spokesman 3 January 2012 ekathimerini Government spokesman Pantelis Kapsis has ruled out the possibility of interim prime minister Lucas Papademos carrying out a reshuffle at the moment and suggested that elections would probably be held in April. Speaking to Skai TV, Kapsis played down recent rumors that Papademos would shake up his Cabinet in a bid to create better cooperation between the three parties involved in the coalition. He also said it would be “dangerous” to hold elections now. “What is important at the moment is to support the government and for all three parties involved to set aside their differences,” he said. Holy robbery in Cretan monastery 3 January AMNA/Athens News Burglars broke into a monastery in Irakleio, Crete, and stole votive offerings (or tamata) valued at some 300,000 euros, police said on Tuesday. The robbery is believed to have taken place on New Year's Eve, when the monks were attending a fundraising event in support of the nursing home they run. The perpetrators broke through the Agia Irini Chrysovalantou monastery's main entrance and rushed to the abbot's cell on the third floor, where the icon of the monastery's patron saint was kept. They The air traffic staff are likely to join another walkout by civil servants' scheduled for October 19. pportion blame and accelerate the processing of such cases, as well as the inability of the justice system to overcome various political obstacles _______________________________________________________________________________ |
| Living in Crete Copyright 2004-2012 Carol Palioudaki. Latest News in Crete & Greece. www.livingincrete.net |
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| Blog Highlights Minoan Lines to launch new Chania ferry Head tax skewing competition in cruise industry Lefka Ori - the White Mountains Jobs in Greece 2012 New flights for Crete 2012 - UPDATED |
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| For ongoing updates on current strike disruptions in Crete & Greece see forum thread |
This month in Crete - February 2012
It's Greek carnival time. Apokries runs throughout the month of February, from Sunday
February 5th until Clean Monday 'Kathara Deftera' on February 27th.
Read Carnival - Apokries in Greece
It's Greek carnival time. Apokries runs throughout the month of February, from Sunday
February 5th until Clean Monday 'Kathara Deftera' on February 27th.
Read Carnival - Apokries in Greece
