Greek Television Station Banned From Airing Investigative Report 15 February 2014 AP A Greek judge on Thursday banned a leading private TV station from airing an investigative report into a deadly migrant boat accident, claiming it could compromise the secrecy of the ongoing official investigation. Judge Antigoni Stamoleka warned Mega TV of "severe legal sanctions" if it broadcasts the report — or even continues to screen advertising spots for it — before her investigation is concluded. Mega TV said the order was an unacceptable act of censorship, and insisted it would complete and air the report as planned during next week's episode of the popular "Protagonists" show. "It would be a sad state of affairs if journalists had to secure judges' permission to investigate a story," said reporter Stavros Theodorakis, who presents "Protagonists." The Jan. 20 sinking of a boat trying to smuggle immigrants into Greece from the nearby Turkish coast left six dead and another six presumed drowned near Farmakonissi islet in the eastern Aegean Sea. Seaplanes on the horizon in Crete 12 February, 2014 Flashnews via www.sfakia-crete-forum.com Seaplanes are getting ready for their business, after posting the "Green Light" in the Circular of the General Secretariat of Ports and Maritime Investment Policy, with the prescribed procedures and conditions laid down for the licensing and transfer of licenses for seaplanes. In Crete, the procedures in Rethymno, which came first to the 'game', have already begun, where as we were informed by Mr. Minos Alefantinos, President of the Municipal Port Fund of Rethymno, the file is ready for licensing in the next 10 days to be submitted to the Ministry. In Heraklion, Mr. Giannis Brás told to Flashnews.gr, that while the dossier is getting ready, they will examine some other procedural and technical issues and soon everything will be in the process of filing the dossier to the Ministry for authorization. "The Port Authority of Chania and the Port Committee have decided to proceed in the development and operation of seaplanes in the Port of Souda and before the end of March the file will be completed and submitted to the Ministry of Infrastructure for the licensing of seaplanes in Souda", as Mr. Kostas Brokalakis told to us, while he assured us that they make every effort to quickly complete the process. As is apparent, in contrast to the above three Cretan Ports that are completing procedures to file an authorization to the Ministry, Agios Nicholaos has not started yet. Aegean reports first rise in domestic air traffic in four years 6 February 2014 ekathimerini Aegean Airlines reported on Wednesday an increase in domestic traffic last month for the first time in four years. Along with its subsidiary Olympic Air, Aegean posted a remarkable 18 percent increase year-on- year from its Athens hub, and a 41 percent rise from its hub in Thessaloniki. This is attributed to Aegean’s new pricing policy since November that has led to impressive growth in traffic to island destinations. Total traffic for Aegean and Olympic’s domestic and international flights rose 12 percent last month to 522,000 passengers. Efforts to render Cephalonia operational ahead of tourist season 5 February 2014 ekathimerini Fifty-five percent of the 250 buildings checked for damage in the town of Lixouri following two strong earthquakes on the island of Cephalonia need repair work, according to Stratos Simopoulos, secretary general at the Ministry of Public Works. Speaking on Skai television on Wednesday Simopoulos noted that the priority was to make the island "operational" through repair work at the island's ports and road infrastructure. Hundreds of people have been left homeless on the Ionian island following tremors measuring 5.8 and 5.7 on the Richter scale. The island was expected to be declared “earthquake-hit” in the coming days, a prerequisite for further financial support and repairs, which includes state funding to cover rent for families who were forced to leaver their homes. "Efforts are being made to solve problems before the tourist season begins,” said Simopoulos. Greece paying a heavy price for corruption 3 February 2014 ekathimerini Corruption costs Greece some 554 million euros every year, according to the first European Commission report on the phenomenon that was published on Monday. A remarkable 99 percent of Greek respondents said corruption constitutes a widespread problem in the country, placing Greece top in the European Union chart (of perceived corruption) while the European Union average is at 76 percent. Over three in every five Greeks (63 percent) believes corruption affects their everyday lives against an EU average of 26 percent. The report identifies five main fields where corruption is rife in Greece: They are the health sector, the funding of political parties, the justice system, which delays the processing of corruption cases, state contracts and the fragmentary handling of the phenomenon in Greece. The report did find, however, that some important steps against corruption have been taken in the last two years. Greek Farmers Setting up Roadblocks 31 January 2014 Greek Reporter.com Greek farmers are prepared to escalate their struggles starting Monday February 3. ' Representatives of the farmers met with the Greek Minister of Rural Development and Food, Athanasios Tsaftaris to discuss a series of matters and demands (taxation, production cost). Tomorrow they will decide on setting up roadblocks everywhere, starting from Monday. The farmers are pointing to the high taxation, the increase in the VAT rate and in the production cost, as well as the low producer prices as the main reasons for their struggle. Farmers in Chania, Crete have announced that they will blockade the tax office on Monday and Tuesday, 3 & 4 Feb. Kefalonia hit by many aftershocks 30 January 2014 ekathimerini Aftershocks continued on Thursday on the Ionian island of Cephalonia, following Sunday’s 5.9- Richter earthquake, but seismologists were reassuring, saying that the tremors were dwindling and that a larger, more destructive quake was unlikely. A total of 362 aftershocks had rattled the island by late last night, Thanassis Ganas, head of research at the Institute of Geodynamics, told Kathimerini. He said the original quake jolted adjacent fault lines, causing a large number of aftershocks but that there was no indication of a larger looming tremor. Checks by state engineers have suggested that around half of some 1,000 buildings damaged by the quake are temporarily unsafe for use Greece to show latest oil and gas seismic data to investors in Feb 29 January 2014 Reuters Greece will soon invite international investors to look for oil and natural gas in its western and southern waters, following the completion of seismic tests that have proved interesting, it said on Wednesday. The offshore tests in the Ionian Sea and south of Crete were carried out by Norwegian firm Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) . The data has been transferred to the government and will be made available to interested companies in February, the energy ministry said in a statement. "A preliminary assessment of the data shows interesting geological structures bearing significant similarities to areas in neighboring countries which already produce hydrocarbons (Albania, Italy)," it said. Greece imports almost all its oil and natural gas, spending about 5 percent a year of its GDP on the purchases. It pays about 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) a year alone on oil to produce electricity for dozens of islands that are not connected to the national power grid. When it hired Oslo-based PGS in 2012, Greece said it was planning to call a bidding round for offshore oil and gas exploration in mid-2014. The licences would cover a maritime zone with a width of between 100 and 400 km. Coast guard chief apologizes in Parliament for Farmakonisi tragedy 29 January 2014 ekathimerini Government and opposition politicians clashed in Parliament on Wednesday during a heated debate that accompanied a briefing by coast guard officers on the circumstances surrounding an incident in the Aegean last week that resulted in 12 immigrants being lost at sea. The session culminated in the head of the coast guard, Vice Admiral Dimitris Bandias, apologizing to the families of the migrants who drowned off the coast of Farmakonisi. “We apologize to the families of the victims but to all Greeks too for the situation that we put them in,” he said. “We did what we could.” Officers who had been on the coast guard vessel which towed the migrants’ boat told a parliamentary committee that the boat capsized when the passengers moved to one side. Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis told the House that coast guard officers have orders to “guard the country’s sea borders and save the lives of those at risk at sea,” not to conduct “violent pushbacks and behave inhumanely.” In a related development, the Ombudsman called for an investigation into claims that coast guard officers abused the migrants. The circumstances of the incident are being probed by prosecutors following protests by human rights groups. Farmers launch new round of nationwide protests 21 January 2014 ANA-MPA Greek farmers on Tuesday launched a new round of protests, following a decision during a meeting on Sunday in Larissa, central Greece, with the participation of farmers from several parts of the country. Farmers will move their tractors to the centre of their villages, while further protests – escalating even to the blocking of highways at the end of month-- will depend on the participation rates. Farmers have also decided to hold gatherings outside tax offices across the country and rally in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on February 1, during the Agrotica Trade Fair. The farmers protest against taxation and demand the settlement of ‘bad loans’. Police implicate five in illegal adoption racket case 21 January 2014 ekathimerini Police are building a case against five people in connection with an illegal adoption racket following the attempted sale of a 1-month-old Bulgarian infant to a Greek couple in the Cretan port of Rethymno, Kathimerini understands. According to police, the couple, a 58-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman, traveled to Athens last week and paid 30,000 euros to buy the baby from its natural mother. A lawyer and a nurse, both Greek, are believed to be members of the racket. Coast guard looking for 12 passengers of capsized migrant boat 20 January 2014 ekathimerini Greek coast guard officials were on Monday night still searching for 12 immigrants – nine women and three children – who fell into the sea off the eastern Aegean island of Farmakonisi after their vessel capsized. According to authorities, the immigrant vessel was spotted 1.5 nautical miles from Farmakonisi by a patrol boat that tried to tow it to the Dodecanese islet. The boat allegedly capsized after two immigrants jumped into the sea for unknown reasons. Coast guard officers were able to rescue 16 people who were later taken to the island of Leros. The migrants are believed to be from Somalia and Syria. Blogger convicted for page mocking Orthodox priest 16 January 2014 ekathimerini A 27-year-old fish farm employee, who set up a satirical Facebook page mocking a deceased Orthodox monk whose sayings have gained prominence in recent years, was given Thursday a 10- month suspended sentence for blasphemy by an Athens court. Filippos Loizos, 27, and his lawyer expressed surprise and disappointment at the verdict. “It was clear that from the start the court was not willing to take my argument on board,” said the blogger, who insisted that he set up the page to satirize the sudden interest in the life of Elder Paisios. Loizos used the name Elder Pastitsios and edited photos of Paisios so a pastitsio – a Greek dish consisting of pasta, bechamel and ground beef – appeared in place of his face. “The judges were very aggressive and it seemed they did not want to understand what the page was about,” added the blogger. Loizos was arrested in 2012 after Golden Dawn MP Christos Pappas, who is now in custody on suspicion of being part of a criminal gang, raised the issue regarding the Facebook page in Parliament. Amendment scrapping 25-euro hospital fee tabled in Parliament - fee to be passed on to tobacco products 10 January 2014 ekathimerini The government on Friday tabled an amendment abolishing a controversial 25-euro fee for public hospitals. Under the same amendment the fee is instead passed on to tobacco product prices which will go up by 5 cents. The bill was included in a bill by the Agriculture Ministry. The price hike is expected to generate some 40 million euros in revenues, in line with government targets. Nearly half of incomes below poverty line 7 January 2014 ekathimerini Over 44 percent of the Greek population had an income below the poverty line in 2013 according to estimates by the Public Policy Analysis Group of the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). The poverty threshold is measured as 60 percent of the price-adjusted average income in 2009, or up to 665 euros per person per month and up to 1,397 for a couple supporting two underage children. The AUEB researchers also found that last year 14 percent of Greeks earned below the adequate living standards, compared with 2 percent of the population four years ago. The group’s report, published last week, suggested that during the crisis instead of strengthening support to the unemployed – which is one of the most efficient methods to rekindle demand – the state was forced to reduce it. It added that besides the austerity policies of the last few year, the inability of the state to contain the collapse of social structures is due to the lack of targeted strategies and to the inefficient use of resources, problems that dogged Greece even before the onset of the crisis. Gay couples protest against Bishop Seraphim at Epiphany ceremony in Piraeus 6th January 2014 ekathimerini Epiphany, a public holiday in Greece, was marked by a traditional religious ceremony at Piraeus, where gay couples protested against the port city’s ultra-conservative bishop, Seraphim. Accoridng to Efimerida ton Syntakton newspaper, several gay couples kissed as Seraphim conducted the blessing of the waters, throwing a crucifix into the sea. They also handed out leaflets reading: “Love is not a sin”. Seraphim is known for his homophobic and anti-Semetic statements. He recently opposed plans to extend legislation allowing unmarried couples to have their partnership legally recognized to same-sex couples. He said that any other relationship, barring that between a male and a female, “is a unnatural aberration not even observed in animals.” A ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in November condemned Greece for excluding gays from civil partnerships. The court ruled that Greece had not offered “convincing and weighty reasons” to justify excluding gays. Health minister comes under fire over hospital charge 3 January 2014 ekathimerini Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis came under a new barrage of criticism on Friday over the 25- euro charge for those admitted to public hospitals. The barbs aimed at the conservative politician also came from coalition partner PASOK and not just opposition parties. Georgiadis hit back at criticism of the measures, arguing it is a small charge which is vital to keeping state hospitals running properly. He called on his critics to come up with alternative ways of raising the money needed. “What we are saying is that someone will be charged once every 10 years they need treatment so that hospitals can be able to buy medicines for the poor,” said Georgiadis. PASOK responded with an unusually strong-worded criticism of Georgiadis, calling on him to find alternative sources of revenue from the economic plans Prime Minister Antonis Samaras had unveiled at Zappeio Hall when he was in opposition. SYRIZA and Democratic Left also called for the 25-euro charge to be scrapped. One arrested, 15 sought over swindles against elderly victims 2 January 2014 ekathimerini A 26-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday as police sought at least another 15 suspects in connection to a string of reports by elderly people from different parts of Greece who said they had been cheated out of money. At the center of the investigation are 44 reports made at precincts in the Greek capital, on Crete, Naxos and in Messinia, among other areas, suggesting that the gang has been at work since 2010 and has swindled over 130,000 euros out of elderly victims. Members of the gang are believed to have posed as friends of close relatives of the elderly victims in order to gain their trust and convince them to hand over cash in order to held the alleged relatives. Man aged 26 dies in New Year’s Eve motorcycle crash on Crete 1 January 2014 ekathimerini A man died on New Year’s Eve after his motorcycle crashed in the Souda district of Hania, Crete. The name of the victim, who was 26 years old, has not been made public. The crash is still under investigation. Smog from fireplaces in Greek cities causes political headache 23 December 2013 ekathimerini via greekcurrent.com The smog created when unfavorable weather conditions meet an increased use of fireplaces to warm homes became a political, as well as environmental, issue on Monday, with the government coming under pressure from its own MPs to reduce the tax on heating oil. Multiple warnings were issued over the past few days with regard to the high levels of air pollution in Athens, Thessaloniki and other major Greek cities as a result of households burning wood to stay warm rather than using expensive heating oil. In some places, air pollution briefly exceeded 150 mg/m3, which the government last week set as a the trigger level at which it would offer free electricity to poor households. The Athens Medical Association warned people to take care about what they burn in their fireplaces and called on the government to create a more comprehensive policy to deal with the problems people have in heating their homes. On Sunday, the Health Ministry warned the elderly and asthma sufferers that smog levels in Athens and other urban areas were at dangerous levels due to weather conditions and the high number of people burning wood to stay warm. The Health and Environment ministries had issued a statement on Saturday night asking households to limit the use of fireplaces to prevent the buildup of smog. House prices have fallen 37.6 percent 17 December 2013 ekathimerini House prices in Greece have plummeted 37.6 percent in real terms since the beginning of the financial crisis five years ago, according to the Bank of Greece’s Monetary Policy report issued on Tuesday. The report also mentions that estate agencies have reported an even greater drop in prices. Notably, the slide has been steeper in Athens and Thessaloniki, with large properties in the most expensive areas of the country being the hardest hit. The report comments that the property market continues to be dominated by excessive supply and a significant decline in demand, which can be attributed to the dramatic increase in unemployment, the drop in households’ disposable, soaring property taxes and the instability of the tax framework. Given the very strict terms under which credit is issued by banks, the lack of cash flow is another major factor in the shrinking demand for houses, the BoG notes. Details of politicians' earnings, & wealth, published online 16 December 2013 enetenglish.gr The so-called origin of wealth forms (pothen esches in Greek) that some 694 politicians were obliged to submit in 2012 were published on parliament's website on Monday. Among those obliged to file returns were all sitting MPs, MEPs, party treasurers, as well as their spouses and children. The data will remain online until 16 January 2014. Politicians are obliged to state their incomes, property holdings, share interests, bank deposits (domestically and abroad) and all other business activities. read more Grimaldi Launches New Ferry Service Between Italy and Greece 16 December 2013 gtp.gr Italian shipping company Grimaldi Group has launched a new direct service to expand its coverage in the Adriatic routes between Italy and Greece. As of 19 December 2013 the new maritime service, dedicated to the transport of rolling freight and passengers, will be launched between the ports of Ravenna, Igoumenitsa and Patras. The vessel deployed on the line will be the Euroferry Olympia, a ro-pax ferry with a length of 183 meters and a beam of 28.50 meters, a loading capacity of 200 trailers and 600 passengers, accommodated in cabins and reclining seats. Draft law seeks to improve rights of non-Greek speaking suspects 13 December 2013 ekathimerini A draft law submitted to Parliament on Friday by the Justice Ministry aims to improve the rights of suspects by making it obligatory for them to be provided with interpreters and translations of documents during the judicial process. Anyone arrested will have to be given a document detailing their rights, with a translation of the text being made available to suspects who do not know Greek. 2,000-year-old olive trees being turned to firewood in Crete 12 December 2013 thepressproject.net Ancient olive trees, some 25 meters in circumference and over 2,000-years-old, are being felled in Crete for firewood according to reporting in today’s Kathimerini newspaper (link in Greek). The report describes how enterprising loggers are illegally cutting down olive trees that were alive during the time of the ancient Greeks, to the horror of local residents Demand for firewood has increased dramatically in recent years due to price rises in heating oil, and olive wood is particularly valued as it is a dense wood providing heat for many hours. Together with the greater financial incentive, many also accuse authorities of turning a blind eye to loggers' destruction of Crete’s ancient olive trees with all of their history and symbolism. Greece seen as most corrupt country in EU, Transparency International finds 4 December 2013 ekathimerini Greece scored 40 out of 100 points on the perception of corruption scale published by Berlin- based NGO Transparency International on Tuesday, putting the crisis-hit nation on a par with China, but showing that it has made some progress from last year when it scored 36 points. The score of 40 also shows that Greece is seen as the most corrupt nation in the European Union, far below the best-performing Denmark, which scored 91. The ranking, which covers 177 countries, is based on expert opinions of public sector corruption on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Greece ranks in the 80th spot among the 177 countries, below Bulgaria, Senegal and Tunisia. It is on a par with China and just one spot up from Swaziland. Only one in two Greek firms paying employees on time 2 December 2013 ekathimerini Only one in two Greek companies are paying their employees on time, leaving more than 1 million employees unpaid for at least one month, according to research carried out by the General Confederation of Greek Workers’ (GSEE) Labor Institute. “The phenomenon of unpaid workers started to gather pace in the fall of 2012,” the legal adviser to the Labor Ministry, G. Melissaris told Sunday’s Kathimerini. “At the start it was one month, then two, three, even up to a year.” There have also been reports of companies agreeing contracts with employees in which they agree to pay them every three months rather then monthly. “Unpaid workers are trapped because they have not been fired and cannot receive unemployment benefit but they are not salaried either because they work without pay or for a small amount of what they are owed,” added Melissaris. Woman dies during flooding in Peloponnesian town of Argos 2 December 2013 ekathimerini A 55-year-old woman has died during flooding in the town of Argos in the Peloponnese. The woman, who is thought to be Serbian, died in the basement flat she was living in when a wall collapsed amid flash flooding. Dozens of firefighters were called to Argos after two rivers in the area broke their banks. Other towns and villages also experienced problems with flooding. The fire service also received more than 100 calls to pump water out of basements in Corinth and Kiato, west of Athens, due to the heavy rain. Health Minister warns striking EOPYY doctors 28 November 2013 ekathimerini Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis on Thursday warned protesting doctors of EOPYY, Greece's main healthcare provider, against plans to continue their strike. The union of EOPYY doctors, who have been striking in protest at cuts and dismissals in the country's healthcare system, has decided to extend action until next Tuesday, the 3rd of December. “I am not prepared to keep in the public sector people who are not necessary,” Georgiadis told Skai on Thursday. “I would then have to cut from pensions, which I consider immoral,” he said. “No one can blackmail the state,” said Georgiadis adding that the Health Ministry has already hammered out a plan B “which doctors will not like.” He did not provide more details. Project to expand the airport of Chania restarted - 25 November, 2013 25 November 2013 www.sfakia-crete-forum.com After a delay of two months, due to problems with subcontractors, the contractor company has started again from noon last Saturday the expansion projects at the airport "G. Daskalogiannis" in Chania. Works have been sped up in order to "win back" the lost time, so the first visitors of Spring will not find the airport as a construction site. The Airport Manager of Chania, Mr. Stavros Kastrinakis, told that the projects are now developing in the area where the coaches were stationed, and where will be the eastern extension of the terminal building. To overcome the problems, according to reports, the contractor company chartered a special vessel and transferred it to Chania, with its own machines which now execute the project. Greece has fired or suspended 116 tax inspectors, deputy minister says 18 November 2013 ekathimerini More than 110 tax inspectors have been suspended or fired as a result of a variety of offenses, Deputy Finance Minister Giorgos Mavraganis told Parliament on Monday. Responding to a question from an Independent Greeks MP, Mavraganis said that 111 have been suspended and 5 fired. The timeframe in which this disciplinary action was taken is not clear. Mavraganis also said that 897 tax office employees had retired. However, he added that 449 new tax inspectors had been appointed last year and another 52 are in the process of being appointed. Twelve drown off Greek coast after boat capsizes 15 November 2013 ekathimerini Twelve immigrants, including four children, drowned on Friday after their boat capsized just off the Greek island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea, the coastguard said. Greece is a major gateway for immigrants trying to make their way illegally from Africa and the Middle East into the European Union. "The immigrants called police on their mobile to say their boat was in distress," a coastguard official told Reuters. "When we arrived we found fifteen people on the shore and picked up eight bodies, including four children." The immigrants said there were more people on their six-meter long boat and a diver was looking for them. Child removed from Roma camp in Thessaloniki 12 November 2013 ekathimerini In a case similar to the one involving “Maria”, a Roma child taken last month from the Gypsy couple looking after her when it was proved they were not her biolog-ical parents, a 4-year-old has been removed from a Roma camp in Thessaloniki fol-lowing a check on records showed that the boy’s birth was declared only a few months after his supposed parents registered another child. Following the Maria case, Supreme Court prosecutor Efterpi Koutzamani asked local prosecutors to check birth records from the last five years for anything suspicious. This led to the discovery in Thessaloniki. The child was removed from the camp after DNA tests showed the couple looking after him were not his biological parents. Another six suspicious cases are being investigated. After 8 years of trying, Cretan couple get a surprise delivery 12 November 2013 ekathimerini A 33-year-old Cretan woman who gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Monday said she had not realized that she was pregnant despite her increase in weight. The woman, who was not named, was rushed to the main hospital in Lasithi on Mon-day after complaining of stomach pains and subsequently gave birth. Speaking to a Cretan radio station on Tuesday, she said she and her husband had been trying for a child for the past eight years. Inmate found dead in cell in Hania Prison 9 November 2013 ekathimerini A 67-year-old man was on Saturday found dead in his cell at Hania Prison on the island of Crete. The man, who was being held in custody on drug trafficking charges, was discovered by a fellow inmate who notified prison officials. The cause of his death has not yet been confirmed. Cretan Farmers Protest 5 November 2013 Enet English Tensions flared outside Irakio courthouse on Crete on Monday afternoon when a group of farmers forced their way into the building, demanding the acquittal of 92 farmers on trial for causing damage to public property during a sit-in at Iraklio airport in 2009. The protesting farmers, who had earlier participated in a rally expressing opposition to the taxation of farming land, a measure included in a government-sponsored draft law for real-estate taxation, kicked down the courthouse door and entered the courtroom after the judges had withdrawn to deliberate on their ruling. A police officer and two special guards were injured by flying glass. Forms for 2014 road tax available from Taxisnet from November 11 4 November 2013 ekathimerini Motorists will be able to obtain the document they need to pay their road tax for 2014 via the Taxisnet online system from Monday, November 11, Finance Ministry official said. The general secretary for revenues, Haris Theoharis, said that motorists will be able to take this forms to any bank to pay their road tax, as happened last year. Roads tax for 2014 will remain unchanged from this year, ranging from 22 euros for vehicles with an engine capacity for under 300 cc to 1,320 for those with engines that are 4 liters or larger. The only difference is that for 2014, owners of cars whose engines are 1,929 cc or more, will also have to pay a luxury tax next year. First Sunday opening ‘a success’ 4 November ekathimerini The government and the Development Ministry in particular appear to have passed the Sunday opening test, as consumer traffic at stores in Greece last Sunday, at least in the main shopping areas, turned out to be greater than expected. A key factor in the success of the first application of the Sunday opening law was the fact that it was a day that formed part of the fall sales – also a new measure – while the favorable weather also helped. “The picture of our cities changed. Consumers embraced both the idea of the 10-day sales periods and stores opening on a Sunday,” stated Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis on Monday. “We have therefore done very well to ignore those who expressed a fear of the new. We are just doing the same as most countries in Europe. Why shouldn’t we in Greece?” the minister said. However, it was again evident that retail commerce is a two-speed market in Greece, with those benefitting being the major chains and enterprises with stores in malls, rather than small and medium-sized enterprizes. General Strike Wednesday November 6th Greece’s civil service union, ADEDY and the private sector union, GSEE, have announced a 24 hour strike for November 6. Other than bringing the civil service and parts of the private sector to a standstill, the strike will also see all passenger and cargo ferries remaining in port as the seamen’s union, PNO, has also said it will join the action. ekathimerini Police looking for Bulgarian couple said to have left 'Maria' at Farsala Roma camp 22 October 2013 ekathimerini The Roma couple charged with abducting a young girl aged between 5 and 6 who has come to be known as "Maria" and was taken by authorities from a Roma camp in Farsala, central Greece, after DNA tests confirmed that the couple are not her real parents, told the investigating magistrate on Monday that the child had been left in their care by a Bulgarian Roma couple. The man, identified by authorities as Christos Salis, aged 39, told the magistrate that "Maria" had been left in his and his wife's care in Farsala by a couple who are Bulgarian nationals. He claimed that he was not at the camp when the child was left there and had later urged his wife to hand her over to authorities. His wife - who has two police identity cards with different names and dates and places of birth, one naming her Eleftheria Dimopoulou, aged 41, and the other naming her Selini Sali, aged 40 - backed her husband's statement, saying that she refused to report the incident to authorities as she had grown attached to the young girl. Authorities on Tuesday were trying to track down the man that Salis claims left the child in Farsala via a telephone number he provided to authorities. First ever Autumn sales start on November 1 21 October 2013 ekathimerini Greece’s first ever fall sales are set to start on November 1, lasting for nine days including Sunday, November 3, when all stores will also be open, as dictated by the new law on retail stores. Retailers may get a desperately needed boost, having suffered severely from the drop in consumer spending, and will have the chance to sell their fall stocks while promoting winter merchandise at lower prices. The latest available data by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) on retail turnover, from July 2013, show a 14.4 percent decline from the same month in 2012. The latter half of July hosted the summer sales period. The November sales period will be the first intermediary spell to come under the new law, while the next will come in the first 10 days of May. The first Sunday of each sales period is a working day for all retailers, including shopping centers, regardless of size. Family of Albanian national, living in Crete, donates organs 19 October 2013 ekathimerini The family of a 40-year-old Albanian national dying from a brain tumor agreed to donate his organs after his medical condition was deemed irreversible by doctors at the Venizeleio Hospital in Iraklio, Crete, late on Friday. The man’s kidneys were flown to Athens, his liver was flown to Thessaloniki and his corneas were transferred to another hospital in Iraklio. Quake of 6.4 magnitude in west of Crete 12 October 2013 Reuters An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude was detected in the Mediterranean Sea west of the island of Crete on Saturday, but there were no reports of casualties or damage, the Greek police and fire brigade said. The center of the quake, which struck at 1311 GMT (16.11hrs local time) was 22.5 miles below the seabed 43 miles west of Chania on Crete, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Greece is often rocked by earthquakes. Most cause no serious damage but a 5.9 magnitude quake in 1999 killed 143 people. Hiking Tragedy in Crete 2 October 2013 ekathimerini A British woman was reported to have died on Tuesday after falling into a ravine while hiking on the southern Aegean island of Crete. The 55-year-old Briton was on a hike with her daughter in the oak forest of Rouva in the region of Iraklio on the northern coast of Crete, when she lost her footing and fell into a ravine. Rescue crews called to the scene of the accident found her body lying at the bottom of the ravine. They believe that she died of injuries to her head as a result of the fall, the state-run Athens- Macedonia News Agency reported. The 55-year-old woman's name was not made public. 58 year old Briton in critical condition after falling from Malia hotel balcony 1 October 2013 Cretalive.gr An intoxicated British tourist, 58, fell from the balcony of the hotel where he was staying in Malia. The tragic incident happened last night, while his wife slept, and reportedly after they had both drank a large quantity of alcohol. The man is in a critical condition in a Crete hospital. Golden Dawn MPs knew about killing, calls show 1 October 2013 ekathimerini Incriminating evidence against Golden Dawn mounted Monday, as six of its deputies prepared to face a magistrate on criminal charges from Tuesday, with extracts of a leaked prosecutor’s report offering insights into GD’s modus operandi and illicit activities while transcripts of wiretapped phone conversations between members of the extreme right-wing party appeared to implicate the grouping in the murder of a leftist rapper last month. The prosecutor’s report indicates that the party’s charter – which operates according to a strict structure and hierarchical command resembling the Nazi Fuehrerprinzip – was enforced in the murder of 34-year-old Pavlos Fyssas last month. Wiretapped phone calls between Golden Dawn officials suggest that the leadership of the party was briefed about the killing. Read more EOPYY limits doctors’ choices of medicines 1 October 2013 ekathimerini In the next step in the government’s efforts to limit waste and corruption with regard to prescription medicines, doctors using the electronic prescription scheme will face a limited choice of drugs that they can recommend for certain ailments. As of Tuesday, doctors were issued with “protocols” that inform them about which medicines they can prescribe for diabetes, dyslipidemia, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and neurological disorders to patients who will be claiming the money for these drugs from the country’s main healthcare provider, EOPYY. The medicines prescribed for these illnesses account for about 50 percent of EOPYY’s total outlay on drugs each year. Last month, it emerged that EOPYY would likely miss its overall spending target of 470 million euros for 2013 and that it owed some 500 million euros to pharmacists and clinics. Golden Dawn head, MPs arrested in unprecedented Greek crackdown 28 September 2013 ekathimerini In an unprecedented crackdown over the weekend, police arrested the leader of the ultra-right Golden Dawn, Nikos Michaloliakos, as well as several lawmakers and party officials following an investigation by a Supreme Court prosecutor into criminal activities linked to the party, including the murder earlier this month of leftist hip-hop artist Pavlos Fyssas by a supporter of Golden Dawn. The lawmakers faced a magistrate later in the day. The arrests – the first such crackdown since the fall of Greece’s military junta in 1974 – followed rumors over the weekend of mass resignations by deputies of the ultra-right party and speculation about the likely need to hold by-elections. There was speculation about the intense political upheaval such a development could trigger, though senior government officials ruled out the possibility of snap general elections. More General Strike Tues 23 September and Wed 24 September ADEDY public sector workers and GSEE private sector workers in Greece have announced a new 48 hour strike for Tuesday and Wednesday 23 and 24 September 2013. There are as yet no details on whether Air Traffic Controllers will join this strike; note they did not take part in the 48hr strike last week. Should air traffic controllers decide to join the strike it is likely that they will strike for just a few hours on one or both days. Any updated announcements will be published here Golden Dawn Pavlos Fyssas Stabbing: Greece 'Has Hit Red Line' 18 September 2013 ibtimes Greek journalists and politicians have reacted strongly to the fatal stabbing of an anti-fascist hip- hop singer, allegedly by a member of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party. Pavlos Fyssas, nicknamed Killah P, died after being stabbed outside a café in the Keratsini area west of Athens. Police arrested a 45-year-old member of Golden Dawn and raided its headquarters in the Greek capital. Some reports indicate that the suspect told his wife to throw away his Golden Dawn party card when he realised that police were looking for him. Authorities found the evidence in a garbage bag outside the 45-year-old's residence in Nikaia, south-eastern Attica. Public order minister Nikos Dendias said the killing and recent violence involving the party "shows in the clearest possible way the intentions of the neo-Nazi creation". "I am shaken by the event," Dendias said. Following the death of Fyssas, Nikos Xydakis argued in Greek newspaper Ekathimerini that the country has hit its "Red Line" as far as Golden Dawn is concerned. "September 18, 2013, must be seen as a wake-up call for Greek democracy, the country's institutions and its citizens," he wrote. "The murder of 34-year-old musician Pavlos Fyssas in Keratsini by extremists is the culmination of a wave of violent activities over the past few days which began with attacks on Greek Communist Party members in Perama, carried out by alleged supporters of Golden Dawn." Last week, 50 men wearing black T-shirts and bearing the Golden Dawn logo, attacked and beat up communist members in Perama, south-west of Athens, who were putting up posters ahead of a planned youth festival. Stinky stowaway taken off airplane 12 September 2013 ekathimerini A skunk that somehow found its way into the Olympic Air cargo area at Iraklio’s international airport on Crete Wednesday prompted an intervention by airport staff while rescue workers and the fire service were also summoned to the airport. The skunk was eventually captured and handed over to the Iraklio Natural History Museum, local reports said without determining whether the animal was alive when it was caught. School's out from September 16 as rolling strike begins EnetEnglish, ANA-MPA Secondary school teachers have decided to start rolling, five-day strike from Monday 16 September, in protest at the government's so-called mobility scheme that will see thousands of teachers sacked or transferred to other jobs in the public service. The decision the new school year will begin as scheduled on Wednesday 11 September. In a statement issued on Monday night, the Federation of Secondary Schoolteachers (Olme) asked the government how schools can be expected to operate with 16,000 fewer teachers and with classrooms with 27 to 30 pupils. Lawyers to hold strike September 17-18 4 September 2013 ekathimerini Greek lawyers were expected to stage a 48-year-hour strike on September 17-18 in protest to a series of reforms put together by the coalition government. The lawyers are reacting to a proposal that would see the abolition of a set minimum fee in their sector, leading them to agree on their fees with clients on a case by case basis. Supermarkets oppose initiative to sell expired goods 2September 2013 ekathimerini The country's major supermarkets have said they will not sell expired foodstuffs at reduced prices, as recommended by a government initiative aimed at providing products with a long shelf life to consumers on low incomes. Supermarket representatives reportedly said that the initiative, which was announced last month by the Development Ministry's general secretary for consumers, Giorgos Stergiou, and came into force on Monday, is not in keeping with their policies. Responding to criticism by consumer groups last month, Stergiou said last month that the directive had been misinterpreted by media reports and does not represent a public health hazard. The official assured consumers that the new directive does not concern expired food products, but those with a long shelf life that have passed their «sell-by» date. Civil servants’ union calls walkout for Sept. 18-19 30 August 2013 ekathimerini The civil servants’ union, ADEDY, on Friday called a two-day strike for September 18 and 19 to protest the government’s plans for cutbacks and forced transfers in the public sector as part of the country’s commitment to its foreign creditors. Athens has promised its creditors that it will put 12,500 civil servants in a so-called mobility scheme, where staff are put on a reduced wage ahead of their transfer or dismissal, by the end of next month and another 12,500 by the end of the year. Journalist faces trial for reporting near Nato base at Souda 29 August 2013 enet english A journalist is expected to stand trial after police detained him after he recorded a report near the Nato military base at Souda Bay on Crete on Wednesday. Marios Dionellis, a reporter with Skai TV on Crete, had gone to a hill, near Mouzouras village, frequently used by journalists as a backdrop when reporting about the base. In a live broadcast for an afternoon news programme at 3.10pm, Dionellis reported on the reactions of local authorities, business people and residents to reports that Souda could be used in any military intervention in Syria. (His report can be viewed here, 14 minutes into the programme.) Shortly before 4 pm, as the reporter and his cameraman were drove down from the hill, they were stopped by a Greek airforce van. A short time later, police arrived, who brought them to Chania police station, where they were kept until 8pm, when a prosecutor ordered their release. The pair where charged under a 1936 law for "breaching fortification positions" and now face trial. Eleven charged with illegal camping on Crete 23 August 2013 ekathimerini Police on Crete detained 11 people for free camping along the banks of the island’s Lake Preveli on Friday. All 11 were charged with camping illegally while four of them face the additional charge of marijuana possession. ADEDY decides on strike, rallies end of Aug. 22 August 2013 ANA-MPA Civil sector umbrella labour union ADEDY will hold a strike and rally on August 29 as part of actions to protest layoffs and shutdowns of public services, while state hospitals hold a work stoppage on Friday for the same reasons. In an announcement on Thursday, ADEDY noted that "it will not remain inactive before the 'death' of civil services the mass layoffs." On Monday, its board will convene with federation representatives to decide on the escalation of their mobilisations that are initially scheduled to peak on Saturday 7 September with a demonstration at the Thessaloniki International Fair. Finally, on August 30, the ADEDY board will convene to decide on further mobilisations for September. Crete police divert traffic from site of rock fall that injured motorist ekathimerini.com , Wednesday August 21 2013 Police on Crete on Wednesday diverted traffic between the port of Hania and Kissamo after a rock that fell onto a car from a hillside near the Topolia tunnel left a 34-year-old female motorist with critical injuries on Sunday. The rock, weighing about 5 kilos, rolled down a mountain and hit the car’s sun roof. The diversion is to stay in place until authorities finish installing a rock fence along the road. Gov't to lift ban on home foreclosures, FinMin insists 18 August 2013 ekathimerini Greece will lift restrictions on home foreclosures to allow banks to recover bad loans, the finance minister said on Saturday, adding fuel to a row that may test the cohesion of its fragile coalition government. Cash-strapped banks are currently barred from auctioning most first homes owned by delinquent borrowers, under a temporary measure introduced in 2010 to protect austerity-hit households. The freeze on forced auctions, which has already been extended three times and is set to expire on December 31, should not be extended any further, technocrat finance minister Yannis Stournaras said. "If auctions aren't liberalised, then banks will collapse,» he was quoted as saying by weekly newspaper Realnews. The European Union and the International Monetary Fund, which have spent about 38 billion euros ($50.67 billion) between them to rescue Greek banks, are pressuring Athens to take measures to clean up lenders' balance sheets. But several lawmakers from the country's two-party ruling coalition oppose foreclosures, fearing a backlash from home-owners amid record joblessness and plunging wages. Kefalonia Fire Under Partial Control 18 August 2013 Greek Reporter A big fire that broke out in the afternoon of Aug. 17 in the region of Kouroupata on Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece, was said to be contained by firefighters. It was burning near villages but it didn’t threaten houses. Many units of the Fire Brigade are still operating in the region in order to put the fire under control. On another island, Thasos, firefighters there pushed back a conflagration with the help of the Greek Army and other units. Fire Brigade units were still on the island in order to deal with potential revivals of the fire. Student's death touches nerve in austerity-hit Greece 16 August 2013 Reuters A 19-year-old Greek student who died after an argument with a bus ticket inspector has come to symbolize the plight of a population ground down by worsening poverty and unemployment. Thanassis Kanaoutis suffered a fatal head injury when he fell or jumped from a moving bus as it passed through a middle-class neighborhood of Athens late on Tuesday. Prosecutors have not yet established how Kanaoutis died. Witnesses said they saw him brawl with the ticket inspector. The bus company said he pulled the emergency brake to jump out, but the family's lawyer said Kanaoutis might have been pushed during the altercation. The incident quickly touched a nerve in Greece, where the government is using increasingly tough methods to collect revenue under pressure from its international lenders to fix its finances. The main opposition party and several media commentators were quick to blame the government's austerity policies for his death. "Kanaoutis died because he didn't have a ticket worth 1.20 euros" said the main opposition Syriza party in a statement. "This highlights in the most tragic way the desperate situation into which bailout policies have plunged large parts of Greek society," Syriza added. It demanded free public transport for the unemployed, low-income pensioners and students. Skeletons found on Gavdos 9 August 2013 Sfaki-Crete.com / Flashnews Police were asked to solve the mystery of the bones of three skeletons that were found on the border island of Gavdos. They rushed to the island along with the Coroner Mr. Stamatis Belivanis. Reportedly, the skeletons were identified by visitors of Gavdos, who informed the authorities. This morning they went by a Coastal Police boat to Gavdos. However, according to the same information, the bones were dating back to long ago. Residents of Gavdos refer to the period of the German occupation, while others talk about even earlier, something that will engage the archaeological services. Civil aviation unions call off strike 6 August 2013 ekathimerini The Federation of Civil Aviation Authority Unions (OSYPA) has called off a series of 24-hour rolling strikes originally scheduled on August 9, 10 and 11. The move came after union representatives met with Transport Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis on Tuesday. According to OSYPA officials the stike had been planned in protest at the government’s decision to place 300 civil aviation workers in the public sector mobility scheme. Greece cuts VAT on meals to encourage tourism 1 August 2013 Euronews Greece may be trapped in recession and on a drip feed of international aid, but eating out just got cheaper. The VAT sales tax on restaurant meals, take-aways and catered food has been cut from 23 percent to 13 percent. The move by the government was intended to boost tourism, a crucial industry for the economy. The Finance Ministry expects the move to bring down prices by an average eight percent. Economist Panagiotis Petrakis told euronews this was a rare opportunity that should not be squandered: “It is crucial to the success of this measure that restaurant owners genuinely reduce their prices, as this is the first time in the last three years that we have a substantial tax reduction in Greece.” But some restaurateurs protested they had already cut as much as they can afford and they doubted the usefulness of this. “Reduced VAT” signs in both Greek and in English have popped in many eateries. VAT will only stay down if customers benefit: “If the prices are not reduced, the government has said it will revise its policy and put VAT back up to 23 percent at the end of this year,” said correspondent Stamatis Giannisis High temperatures, winds stoke fires in various parts of Greece 30 July 2013 ekathimerini High temperatures, which reached 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of Greece on Tuesday, and string winds stokes a number of fires around the country. In Aghious Theodorous on the Attica-Corinth border, a fire burned brush near the residential part of the coastal town. In Kynouria in the eastern part of the Arcadia province, water-dumping craft were trying to put out a blaze in a stretch of forestland, while in Florina in northern Greece, firefighters were able to bring under control a blaze than began on Monday evening in Aghios Germanos in the municipality of Prespes. The firefighting service, meanwhile, was reported to have brought a large blaze that has been burning on the southeastern Aegean island of Rhodes since Saturday under control. Postal service to close smaller branches 25 July 2013 ekathimerini Hellenic Post, the state-owned national postal service, announced on Thursday plans to shut down around 80 small branches around the country and to transfer staff to bigger departments. The company's chief executive, Costis Melachrinos, said that no employees will be fired but would instead be transferred to busier branches, and added that the services provided by the defunct branches will be assigned to agents. He said that the move is expected to result in savings of 2.5 million euros. Melachrinos also added that additional staff at central locations could mean some post offices operating for longer hours. Crete Stabbing: 18 Britons Held After Killing 24 July 2013 Sky News Dozens of Britons were involved in a brawl that resulted in a teenage British tourist being stabbed to death on the Greek island of Crete, police have said. According to a police statement the fight broke out among a group who were holidaying in the popular party resort of Malia. The Briton suspected of the stabbing has been arrested, along with 17 others thought to have been involved in the fighting. Police have said they are still searching for 12 other Brits. The 19-year-old victim was found outside a closed bar on a pedestrian street at 3am local time in the town, which is renowned for its nightlife. He had been stabbed in the chest. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Malia, Greece on July 23. Crete: Third drowning in 24 hours 19 July 2013 Prismanews & Living in Crete Three successive deaths from drowning, on the beaches of Crete have been recorded during the last 24 hours. After the drowning of a 45-year German man in Kavros beach, Georgioupoli yesterday and an 85 year old man at Chrissi Akti beach, Chania, another drowning incident took place in Sisi where a 60 year old woman was pulled unconcious from the sea. Strong northerly winds have brought rough seas to much of the northern coast of Crete and red warning flags are currently flying on many exposed northerly beaches. A muted protest rally ends in central Athens 16 July 2013 ekathimerini A rally organized by Greece's two biggest umbrella unions, GSEE and ADEDY, on Tuesday brought together several thousands people protesting the government's plan to streamline the country's bloated public sector in what was a rather muted turnout in a country that has become notorious for often violent reactions to austerity measures imposed by international creditors. Protesters began leaving Syntagma Square just before 2 p.m. GSEE and ADEDY are also staging a general strike that has affected public transport and air travel, as well as other public services, with the aim of convincing the government to withdraw its multi-bill of reforms, which is due to be voted on by MPs on Wednesday. The legislation contains the provision for 15,000 civil servants to be sacked by the end of next year and 25,000 to be placed in a mobility scheme, which could lead to thousands losing their jobs, by the end of this year. Firefighters battle blazes in western Attica, Crete 14 July 2013 ekathimerini Two fires kept the country’s firefighting force busy on Monday on the back of high temperatures and gusty winds. Ten fire trucks and dozens of firefighters battled flames in the forest of Psatha, in Megara, western Attica, as well as in the Aghia Irini Gorge in the area of Kastelli, in Hania, Crete. Mandatory HIV tests blasted by British journal 13 July 2013 ekathimerini Respected medical journal The Lancet published an editorial on Saturday criticizing the Greek government for reintroducing a regulation that gives authorities the right to force people that may be carrying infectious diseases to undergo tests and treatment. “Regulations that stigmatize vulnerable and already marginalized groups are counterproductive since they are likely to deter people at risk of HIV from seeking testing and services,” said the British publication, adding that “the measures... seem more about political posturing rather than constructively engaging with public health.” The Lancet warned that: “Rather than tackling HIV ethically and effectively, Greece is storing up health problems for itself in the near future.” Earlier in the week, Human Rights Watch had also slammed Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis for bringing back the regulation, which is seen as targeting migrants, sex workers and drug addicts. Georgiadis pledged on Friday that the government would re-examine the rule but said it would be enforced until a new regulation is drawn up. Greek deputy PM faces angry protesters in Crete 11 July 2013 world bulletin via Greek current Tension increased Friday in Greece's Crete island when protesters, deprecating economic policies of government, threw water bottles at Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Evangelos Venizelos. Shouting anti-governmental slogans with black flags, the protestors gathered in front of the community health center during visit of Venizelos inside. They protested the reshaping of state institutions and organizations within the scope of reforms, which were applied by the government in order to get foreign financial assistance. One protestor was detained after the incidents. There was an increase in attacks on politicians in Greece, who were held responsible for the country's painful crisis. EOPYY dangerously low on funds, needs intervention 10 July 2013 ekathimerini The country’s main healthcare provider, EOPYY, is “out of control,” Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said on Wednesday as the organization’s new director revealed that its revenues were 100 million euros a month below target. Monthly contributions to EOPYY are around 250 million euros, compared to a target of 360 million, Dimitris Kontos told Parliament’s social affairs committee. Despite the critical shortfall, Georgiadis insisted that the government “will not let EOPYY collapse,” claiming that “any changes would be carried out with the organization in operation." Meanwhile a report by Greece’s public administration watchdog, Leandros Rakintzis, has found that EOPYY’s finances are in complete disarray. The report highlighted numerous cases of academics, politicians and doctors exploiting the system to secure treatment at private clinics abroad. 130 migrants saved from sinking boat south of Crete 9 July 2013 enetenglish The 130 migrants rescued from a boat that sank south of Crete and being taken to the town of Ierapetra, where local officials have prepared a secondary school to host them temporarily Coastguard authorities said in a statement the boat began taking on water about 55.5km southeast of Koufonisi, a small island south of Crete, in the Libyan Sea. The vessel, which put out a distress call shortly after 6am on Tuesday, has now sunk. A passing cargo vessel, en route to Malta, had begun collecting the passengers of the stricken 35m sailboat, the coastguard said. There was no immediate information on the nationalities of the people on board. SDOE spots tourism tax dodgers 27 June 2013 ekathimerini One in every two enterprises inspected across Greece by the Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE) over the June 21-24 long weekend was found to be withholding tax payments. Checks were conducted at tourism resorts around the country and violations were identified in 381 enterprises. Inspectors performed 841 checks on the islands and almost half of all the businesses were found to be failing to issue receipts, not paying VAT to the state or being in violation of other tax regulations, with the violation rate amounting to 45.3 percent. The highest rate of violations was identified at Pilio in central Greece, with eight out of every 10 entrepreneurs (83 percent) breaking the tax code. In Corfu the rate stood at 77.7 percent, on Paros at 61.9 percent, on Santorini and Evia at 60 percent, in the Peloponnese at 46 percent, on Myconos, Skiathos and Skopelos at 42 percent, on Rhodes at 36 percent, on Lesvos at 34 percent, in Halkidiki at 32 percent, at Parga at 30 percent and on Crete at 27 percent. No foul play suspected in death of female tourist on Crete 2 july 2013 ekathimerini A coroner was on Tuesday examining the remains of a 23-year-old woman who was found dead in her hotel room in the resort of Aghia Pelagia in Iraklio, Crete, earlier in the day. The unnamed woman, who was reported to be Russian, is believed to have died of natural causes after foul play was ruled out. Crackdown on Athens cabbies sees 27 arrested for rigged meters 21 June 2013 ekathimerini Twenty-seven taxi drivers will be facing prosecutors after being found to have illegally altered their meters so that they could charge higher fares, or who had disabled their receipt-issuing machines. Most of the arrests, part of a police crackdown on unscrupulous cabbies on Friday, were made at popular spots for picking up fares, such as metro and train stations, and concerned drivers who had rigged their meters. Greece wants 'redistribution' of irregular immigration burden 20 June 2013 ekathimerini Greece has asked its European Union peers to support its efforts to stem the tide of irregular immigration Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias urged for a revision of Dublin II regulations under which the debt-wracked country has to accommodate all foreign migrants entering the bloc via its borders; transit to other EU countries is not permitted. “Greece is responsible for handling a very large percentage of the migration flows to the EU,” Dendias said. “This is not fair,” he said. Reports said the conservative official called for a policy of “redistribution” regarding the handling of clandestine migrants and asylum seekers by the member states. Greece is a gateway for mostly Asian and African migrants trying to enter the EU through its porous sea and land borders. Crete hit by another series of small tremors 19 June 2013 ekathimerini Minor tremors continued to rattle Crete on Wednesday, as another 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Greek island at 1.27 a.m. The Athens Institute of Geodynamics reported the quake’s location at about 80 kilometers off the south coast of Crete and at a depth of 40 kilometers. Eight more minor tremors between 3.3 and 3.9 on the Richter scale were felt up until 7.30 a.m., according to the institute. Experts have sought to allay fears over the increased number of earthquakes close to the island in recent few days, a highly seismic area where tectonic plates converge. Shock as debt-laden Greece shuts down public broadcaster, ERT 12 June 2013 ABC news Greece's government has announced the immediate closure of public television and radio broadcaster ERT, in a shock move that affects nearly 2,700 jobs. Thousands rushed to the broadcaster's main headquarters in a northern Athens suburb shortly after the announcement to show their support. The announcement came after months of work stoppages by ERT employees in opposition to plans to restructure the broadcaster as demanded by debt-laden Greece's so-called troika of international creditors. Nearly 500 people also gathered outside the organisation's Thessaloniki branch in northern Greece as news editors union Poesy called on private broadcasters to hold an immediate work stoppage in solidarity. ______________________________________________________________________________ |
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