"Anyone who invests politically in the speculation of arising problems and does not contribute to the national effort by finding solutions, has no sense of danger or consciousness of national responsibility." This declaration belongs to Mr Evangelos Venizelos and is included in the text that criticizes the day before yesterday's reports of the entire press, stating the negotiations with troika lead to an impasse. Mr. Venizelos considers that their assessment does not reflect reality, but unfortunately for him a similar image of "standstill" in the negotiations with Athens have counterparts in Berlin and Paris. The image they have formed since the first oral explanations from the members of the troika, is that in very few issues have the views of members of the troika converged with the views of the presentatives of the Greek government.
The disputes touched many issues related to the capability of official Athens to "interpret" numbers and came all the way the agreement between Alpha Eurobank, which was regarded by at least one representative of the IMF as "ashes in the eyes" so as not to activate (in this instance) the "guarantees package" that would deprive shareholders of the bank ... their assets. The purpose of the Agreement according to the same official was to allow the current shareholders to prevent the big foreign banks to enter the Greek market by buying everyone.
What matters in the current situation is not to dispute whether the chicken made the egg or vice versa.
Its' not only the slow pace of privatization, the exceptions to the uniform pay scale, the bad image of the banks, the collapse of the pension system. It is that all this is happening simultaneously, dispite any attempt of the current government is making to embellish the situation.
On the other hand, the opposition continues to use two languages, one towards Europe and one for the interior. Even at the last moment it needs to take a share of the responsibility of management and be judged for it.
By Tassos Telloglou
From: http://www.protagon.gr/?i=protagon.el.8emata&id=8650
My last year summer started in Elafonissos. A new company with a positive spirit, convinced us to cross the Peloponnese, with final destination Neapolis at Laconia.
The economy goes from bad to worse, friends between a smile and frustration, soccer to at lowest point, Federer from bad to worse and only the concerts are good but this all there is.
Since the crisis, European leaders responded to the proposals for a Eurobond with a characteristic sequence of spasmodic reactions. The first reaction was absolute denial and trying to ignore the proposers.
Turkeys choice to stand up to Israel and assert the role of "opponent awe" in the Middle East didnt happen yesterday. In 2009, when Erdogan raised his voice to Peres at Davos, many analysts interpreted the Turkish prime minister's ambition to build a leading role for his country in the Arab world.
National Geographic Magazine ranked Sifnos in the top ten of the most prefered global destinations, among other famous holiday hot spots such as the Bahamas, Seychelles, French Polynesia, the Netherlands Antilles and other exotic islands.
The “independent” revealed the best and worst places to be a woman in the world; and Greece came first as the best place to give birth
The tourism campaign «Up Greek Tourism», which began on February 15 and will last until the first week of March, aims to support Greek Tourism.
The Environment, Energy and Climatic Change Ministry announced an international open-door call for hydrocarbon exploration in three areas of Greece.
Despite the grim headlines and the overall economic crisis, Greek companies continue to invest and prosper both abroad and at home.
Zagori is an area of great natural beauty and unique architecture in the Pindus Mountains in Epirus in Northwestern Greece. The area is of about 1.000 square kilometers and contains 46 villages. Zagoria villages is called by Greeks “Zagorochoria” meaning the villages behind the mountain.
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In 1989, Professor of Byzantine Studies, Helen Ahrweiler is appointed Chairman of the Cultural Centre Pompidou in Paris