Greek president to visit to Armenia next week

September 27, 2014 By administrator

Upon the invitation of his Armenian counterpart, the Greek leader will start a working trip to the country on Monday.

In the course of the visit, Karolos Papoulias is set to have meetings with President Serzh Sargsyan, Speaker of the National Assembly Galust Sahakyan and Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan. He will also visit the Armenian Genocide memorial to pay respect to the victims of the big tragedy.

Bilateral cooperation agreements will be signed between Greece and Armenia at a special ceremony to be held at the Presidential Palace. The two presidents will later hold a joint press conference to sum up the outcomes of the talks, reports the presidential press service.

President Papoulias is also scheduled to take part in an Armenian-Greek business conference together with the Armenian leader.

He will later visit the historical-cultural reserve museum of Garni (Kotayk region).

Greece: Third Country to Criminalize Denial of the Armenian Genocide

September 17, 2014 By administrator

BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN

While Turkey was pressuring the French President not to support a bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide, it had to cope with Greece, yet another country that just adopted a law making it illegal to deny genocides, including the Armenian Genocide. Greece is the third European country, after Slovakia and Switzerland, to pass such a law. The Swiss law, however, is under review by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for violating a Turkish defendant’s freedom of speech.

The French Parliament (2011) and Senate (2012) adopted a similar law to punish genocide denial which was overturned by the French Constitutional Council. To replace the failed law, French Deputy Valerie Boyer submitted a new bill to the Parliament last week. President Francois Hollande has also pledged to back the criminalization of Armenian Genocide denial.

Despite legal uncertainties regarding such laws in Europe, the Greek Parliament adopted by a vote of 54 to 42, on Sept. 9, an anti-hate crime law — Combating Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism — making it illegal to deny the Jewish Holocaust, and genocides recognized by international courts or by the Greek Parliament, i.e., the genocide of Pontus Greeks, the genocide of Asia Minor Greeks, and the Armenian Genocide. Those violating this new law would be fined up to 30,000 euros, and imprisoned for up to three years.

The Greek law stems from the European Union’s 2008 “Framework Decision against Racism and Xenophobia,” which urged all EU states to adopt laws that punish racism, xenophobia, denial of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Caught by surprise, Turkish officials and Azerbaijani propagandists made confusing statements about the Greek law. Initially, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the Greek law, claiming that “it contradicts democratic principles and freedom of speech.” Soon however, the Foreign Ministry reversed itself and expressed the hope that the new Greek law would help protect the rights of Turks living in Greece! It should be noted that Greece adopted this law, despite Pres. Erdogan’s warning at the NATO Summit in Wales on Sept. 5 to Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras who flatly told the Turkish President that the Greek law would not violate international law. A similar warning was issued by Erdogan to the French President that adopting any new laws on the Armenian Genocide could complicate the relationship between their countries.

Azeri commentators also made contradictory claims even though the Greek law has nothing to do with Azerbaijan. One Azeri writer alleged that the Greek law does not mention the Armenian Genocide and that the Greek Parliament has never recognized the Armenian Genocide. Of course, both of these claims are completely false. Clearly, this Azeri writer does not know that the Greek Parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide on April 25, 1996, and on July 10, 1996 Pres. Konstantinos Stefanopoulos signed a decree, declaring April 24 to be “the memorial day of the genocide of the Armenians by Turkey.”

A second Azeri, V. Seyidov, not only acknowledged that the Greek law covers the Armenian Genocide, but went ahead and dared Greek police to arrest him after planning to state in Athens that “the Armenian Genocide is not a historical fact”! Assuming Mr. Seyidov would dare to carry out his bluff, it remains to be seen whether he will be thrown into a Greek jail or hailed as a ‘hero’ by denialists in Turkey and Azerbaijan, depending on ECHR’s final ruling.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister and Parliament praised Greece for adopting the law on criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide. However, it is high time that the Armenian Parliament officially recognize the Greek Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. Past efforts to do so have been quashed by the Armenian government for unknown and incomprehensible reasons!

On Sept. 22, Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia is scheduled to meet with Greek Prime Minister Samaras in Athens, during which His Holiness is expected to express his gratitude to the Greek government for adopting the law against genocide denial.

On the eve of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, it would be most salutary if ECHR would overturn its earlier ruling on the Swiss law and if France would adopt a new law criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide, paving the way for other European countries to follow suit.

Turkish foreign ministry reacts to Greek parliament’s Genocide bill

September 11, 2014 By administrator

September 11, 2014 – 16:07 AMT

Turkish foreign ministry reacted to Greek parliament’s adoption of a bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide and other crimes against humanity.

According to the statement by foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic, Turkey always closely followed discussions on the draft law and urged Greece to exercise care where the issue is concerned.

According to the statement, it was stressed during the discussions that the law and its formulations won’t become part of Turkey-related foreign policy. However, the adoption of the law is seen as suppression of the right for freedom of speech, and can become discriminatory for Turkish communities in the East Thrace, islands of Rhodes and Kos. Ankara further expressed concern that Greece-based Turkish nationals might be punished for violation of the law.

The Parliament of Greece on Tuesday, September 9 adopted a bill that criminalizes the denial of the Armenian Genocide and other crimes against humanity.

Greece becomes the third European country after Switzerland and Slovakia to adopt such a measure.

The bill known as “Fight against Xenophobia” envisions bringing criminal charges for denial of the genocides of not only Jews, but also Armenians and Pontus Greeks. The bill stipulates heavy fines and imprisonment terms for individuals who publicly deny genocides and other crimes against humanity that are recognized by the Greek Parliament and international courts.

The vote passed by 54 to 42 with three abstentions.

In early September, French MP Valerie Boyer introduced a new bill on criminalization of denial of genocides and crimes against humanity in the 20th century.

“With the centenary of the Armenian Genocide ahead of us, France has no laws to punish denial of genocides and crimes against humanity, with the exception of the Holocaust. Though officially recognizing both genocides, only the denial of Holocaust was made punishable by Paris,” the parliamentarian stressed, urging to rectify the situation.

According to the MP, criminalization of the genocide denial is gaining urgency amid relentless persecution of Christians in Iraq. In this context, Boyer suggested to introduce a new classification of the denial of genocide viewing it as a crime against humanity rather than abuse of free speech, thus protecting the memory of all genocides.

In 2012 and 2013 Boyer also initiated draft laws on criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial.

On January 23, 2012, French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged imposing a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill adopted by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide was anti-constitutional.

In July, French President Francois Hollande confirmed plans for a new law criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide with representatives of the Armenian community.

Anti-racism Bill: Changes in Genocide and Sexual Discrimination Issues

September 2, 2014 By administrator

by Nikoleta Kalmouki

On Tuesday morning, Greek Justice Minister Charalambos Athanasiou tabled the anti-racism bill in Parliament and announced the included amendments.

The amendments concern genocide and sexual discrimination issues. According to the bill, apart from Holocaust deniers, there will also be sanctions for the deniers of the genocides against Armenians, Pontians and Christians of Asia Minor, which have been recognised by the Greek Parliament.

Those who urge or incite actions that may lead to discrimination, hatred or violence against a person or group, based on their sexual orientation, will face imprisonment.

Both issues had caused strong reactions between New Democracy party members who had sent a letter to Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. SYRIZA MPs expressed their satisfaction with these amendments.

On Monday, Democratic Left (DIMAR) submitted its proposal to include four amendments in the anti-racism bill. These amendments concern civil partnerships, acquisition of Greek nationality, exploitation of seized bank accounts and abolishing the in flagrante procedures for debts towards the state.

The Church of Greece had also expressed its support to the bill, while it had requested that the genocides against the Greek Pontians and the Christians of Minor Asia also be included.

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6 Magical Greek Destinations Where There Are No Cars

July 21, 2014 By administrator

Greece is full of natural beauty, territorial diversity and a myriad of unique, beautiful destinations. Some of these famous destinations have remained pure and there is no way a car could reach them.

The town of Hydra is built on a sheltered bay surrounded by bare rocky mountains. The only way to approach the island is by boat and the only way to tour the small town is on foot, or the traditional Greek means of transportation, the donkeys. The town is full of picturesque streets leading to the medieval fortress of Kiafas. There are small boats and sea taxis available to take tourists all around the island’s beautiful beaches, such as Vlychos, Agios Nikolas and Bisti.

Loutro is a small, picturesque, seaside resort on the south coast of Chania, west of Sfakia and east of Agia Roumeli in the island of Crete. It is a place where cars are not able to reach, simply because there are no roads. It is a small village with a few residents that is only accessible by boat.

Chrysi is one of the 81 uninhabited islands of Crete and it is located 8 nautical miles south of Ierapetra. The locals call it “Gaidouronisi” which means donkey island. It is the paradise on earth where one can find beaches with white sand, crystal clear waters, cedar trees and countless small shells! To get there, visitors need to board one of the boats making the trip from Crete and the only way to tour the island is by foot.

The magnificent beach of Voutoumi in Antipaxos is one of the island’s two beaches and can only be approached by boat. It is very exotic, with white pebbles. Furthermore, Lakka, a beach in Paxos, is the island’s second largest resort and it is located on its northern side. It is a popular harbor for tourists visiting Paxos by boat. On the coast of Paxos one can find the cave of Papanikolis, where a Greek submarine was hidden during the Second World War. It is worth visiting and can be reached by boat from which tourists are able to dive and swim in the turquoise waters of the cave.

Finally, Kefalos Beach is a small beach located in Kea (Tzia), just off the coast of Lavrio, near Athens. There are no cars in the area due to the rough road. It is just the place for swimmers wishing to be on their own. The area is where the first prehistoric settlement of the island was established.

Source: greekreporter

Putin’s “Right Hand” Not Allowed in Greece

July 19, 2014 By administrator

by Nikoleta Kalmouki

The Greek Foreign Ministry has barred Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko, a high-level official of the Russian government, from coming to Greece.

A Turkish newspaper of Thrace that published the incident refered to a “serious diplomatic crisis between Athens and Moscow.”

According to the newspaper, the Greek Foreign Ministry has announced that Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko is a “persona non grata”, a decision taken under the sanctions implemented by the U.S. and the European Uninon against Russia.

Answering to questions by members of the opposition party SYRIZA, the Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas clearly accepted that “the Greek borders are closed for Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko.”

Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko is the highest-ranking female politician in Russia, the former governor of Saint Petersburg and the current Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation. She is considered one of the most powerful members of the Russian government and close aide to Vladimir Putin.

Greece: Coast Guard Seized Another Ton of Heroin in Koropi

June 22, 2014 By administrator

by Evdokia Fourkioti – Jun 22, 2014

The Hellenic Coast Guard in an operation that took place June 22 seized about 986,6 kg of heroin.

The heroin was found in a warehouse in the suburb of Koropi , Attica and is related to the drug cartel case, whose members were arrested during another operation last week. The total quantity of seized heroin now reaches 2 tons, with a value of approximately 60 million Euros. The heroin was located in a tanker that was earlier this week located at the sea area of Eleusina and was thereafter closely monitored by authorities.

Authorities arrested 14 members of the drug cartel, including two Greek nationals, a man who has helped transfer the heroin and a 53-year old woman, representative of the company that owns the ship. Ten of those arrested are crew members of the tanker, all foreigners, from Turkey and India.

The tanker NOOR-1 is a Togo-flagged ship belonging to a Greek shipping company whose name the police have not yet released. It was loaded early May at the port of Oman and arrived at the Greek port of Eleusina on June 7 ,where the drug shipment was divided into three parts. Two parts were transferred with trucks and the third one with other luxury vehicles to two warehouses in Koropi and to a villa in the upscale neighborhood of Filothei.

The 14 member are kept in custody at the Piraeus Port Authority and on Monday, June 23, they will face the Piraeus Prosecutor.

Source: http://greece.greekreporter.com

Greece Holds 1st Round of Local Elections

May 18, 2014 By administrator

Photo by bnr.bg

The first round of local elections in Greece has kicked off.

Greek nationals are to elect mayors and town councils for 325 municipalities and 13 district governors.

Over 9.8 million Greeks are eligible to vote on Sunday, according to reports of dnevnik.bg.

The polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.

A run-off vote is to be held on May 25, together with the European Parliament elections.

Although Greek law envisages compulsory voting, it is not enforced and there are no sanctions for failing to vote.

The results of the first round of local elections are expected to influence the European elections on May 25.

– See more at: http://www.novinite.com/articles/160612/Greece+Holds+1st+Round+of+Local+Elections#sthash.qluSCEhy.dpuf

Anti-austerity general strike cripples public life in Greece

April 9, 2014 By administrator

Greece’s two largest trade unions have started a 24-hour nationwide walkout to once again protest against austerity measures imposed by the government. The general strike has brought public services to a standstill.

Greek unions launched a general strike Wednesday in protest at harsh spending cuts the government has been enforcing to secure more bailout tranches from international creditors.

The general strike precedes a planned one-day visit to Greece by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday.

Wednesday’s industrial action was directed in particular against Athens’ plan to lay off 11,000 public servants this year, with 4,000 state workers already dismissed in recent months.

The walkout left public services and schools shut across the country. Dock workers also stayed at home, leaving tourists stranded at islands because ferries did not operate.

Doctors and nurses at state hospitals also took part in the walkout and pharmacies remained closed.

Anger and frustration

“Today’s strike action is being held for the working class to respond decisively to the measures the government is deciding against workers’ rights, unemployment and the abolition of collective wage agreements,” said leftist PAME union spokesman Giorgos Pondikos in a statement.

Police said at least 6,000 people took part in an initial demonstration in Athens, with more protest marches and allies scheduled throughout Wednesday.

Repeated income cuts and tax hikes had deepened a six-year recession in Greece, with unemployment standing at a record high 28 percent in the southern eurozone nation.

The government, however, said it saw signs of improvement, with the economy expected to return to growth this year and Athens planning to return to capital markets soon for the first time in four years.

hg/ipj (AP, dpa)

Greek ex-ministers charged over income declarations

March 7, 2013 By administrator

March 6, 2013 – 22:10 AMT

A Greek prosecutor charged three former ministers on Wednesday, March 6, for failing to declare the source of their wealth, the latest high-profile politicians in legal trouble as public anger rises at a political class widely seen as corrupt, Reuters reported.

Among them is Yannos Papantoniou, a prominent Socialist politician who was finance minister when Greece joined the euro in 2001. He faces misdemeanor charges for failing to disclose in 2008 that his wife had 2.2 million euros in deposits in a Swiss HSBC account.

Former Public Order Minister George Voulgarakis, 53, was also accused of hiding from the state that his wife had deposits of 117,000 euros in a foreign bank account in 2007.

Papantoniou and Voulgarakis both denied the charges, which stem from a probe into the so-called “Lagarde list” of potential tax evaders published that sparked an outcry among Greeks angry at a wealthy elite partly blamed for dragging the country to the brink of bankruptcy.

Both told a parliamentary committee that looking into the Lagarde list of about 2,000 wealthy Greeks with money stashed abroad that the accounts belonged only to their wives.

Former Deputy Finance Minister Petros Doukas, a member of the ruling conservative party, was also charged with felony after the prosecutor refused to accept his explanation over the disappearance of 1 million euros from his bank account in 2010, court officials said.

Doukas, 60, has denied any wrongdoing. He has said the money was transferred to an investment account, which was declared in his income statement.

Greek politicians are required under law to declare the origin of their wealth after parliament toughened legislation in 2010 soon after its debt crisis erupted.

In the highest-profile conviction of a politician in decades, a court sentenced former defense minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos to eight years in prison on Monday for false income statements in 2006-2009 and for failing to declare a neo-classical mansion when he bought it in 2009, the court said.

Tsohatzopoulos has denied wrongdoing and plans to appeal.

Greece’s coalition government has played up cracking down on high-level tax evasion and fraud as a top priority as it faces a backlash from an austerity-hit public.