A week of mass mobilizations against staff mobility and availability in the public sector began with tension, as school guards besieging the government reform ministry clashed with riot police. Police used tear gas to drive away the protesters, resulting in two people being taken to hospital with respiratory complications.
It is only when one visits the beautiful island of Ithaca that they understand the reason Odysseus longed for his return. Ithaca is part of the 7 Ioanian Islands and lies east of Kefalonia.
Tensions ran high this afternoon, outside the Athens Economics University ASOEE) on Patission Street when police attempted to conduct spotchecks on street vendors inside and outside the campus.
According to police, the vendors withdrew inside the university premises, which are considered an asylum that police cannot enter without previous permission of the university board, and began throwing rocks and objects at police.
This caused Patission Avenue to close to traffic for a while. Police withdrew to a raesonable distance and traffic was reinstated.
Police forces remain in the area.
Most of the vendors are illegal immigrants without papers and without, obviously, trading licences.
The police authority at Chalkidiki have received instructions and guide rules for better policing of the Agion Oros (Mount Athos) area. As has become known public order minister Nikos Dendias had already despatched guide rules to the ecclesiastcal authorities on Mount Athos for the better protection of their priceless heirlooms and works of art, since the remoteness of many sites makes them easy prey for all sorts of criminals wishing to steal the items, since last year.
The report came to parliament after a relevant question by Golden Dawn MP Christos Pappas who mentioned that there were reports of illegal immigrants taking refuge at the monastic community. Pappas also noted that there were cannabis plantations in the area to the knowledge of the monks residing there
In his retort, the minister stated that positions for police officers to police Mount Athos have been proclaimed, while there have been no reports of cannabis plantations made to authorities.As came out of the minister's answer, police on Mount AThos have a speedboat to aid them in patrolling the "Virgin's Garden."
The communist party (KKE) has blasted Golden Dawn, since as it has denounced members of the party putting up posters at Perama, Piraeus were assaulted by members of Golden Dawn.
In an announcement it issued the KKE maintains that it's members suffered a "sneaky and murderous assault by Golden Dawn members," which resulted in nine KKE members being hospitalized including the chairman of the Piraues Metal Union Sotiris Poulikogiannis, along with other union members.
The Piraeus branch of the KKE has called for a a rally in Perama, today.
"We are facing recession through the utiliztion of programs, like 'Jessica', which exhibit tangible and quantifiable result for resurgence and development," said development minister Kostid Hatzidakis, from Iraklion, Crete, where he attended the signings of the first projects uder the 'Jessica' program.
These deal with funding of urban development programs on Crete through the Pancretan Cooperative Bank. The minister also announced funding, worth 3 million euros, from his ministry for the finalization of the Iraklion Cultural Center.
The Pancretan Cooperative Bank is the first to sign 4.5 million euros worth of funding, through 'Jessica' for four projects worth in total 1 million euros. As the minister mentioned, more such projects are in the pipeline.
Mr Hatzidakis mentioned that through 'Jessica', 258 million euros will be used to fund projects throughout Greece, while through banks, private funds can be mobilized to carry out urban development projects.As he mentioned proposals have been received for about 65 projects worth half a billion euros. So far 35 have received the OK or have been slated for acceptance.
The four projects signed today include:
- Restitution of the Vikelaia Library in Iraklion, Crete (2.4 million euros)
- A building complex to be built in Chanioporta, Iraklion, Crete (6.4 million euros)
- Roadworks for the facilitation of the Iraklion University Hospital (670,000 euros)
- A five storey parking for the municipal enterprise of Kydon, at Chania, Crete (2.7 million euros).
Education minister Kostantinos Arvanitopoulos has left open the possibility of layoffs among secondary school teachers and tertiary education administrative staff. Speaking on Athina 984, the municipal radio station of Athens,the minister stated that the aim is to absorb teachers relegated to "availability" in other positions, minimizing layoffs. Mr. Arvanitopoulos said that there wasn't the luxury of time to conduct assessments, since the country was in an emergency situation. The minister was referring to the need to put 1500 tertiary education adiminstrative staff on "availability" while rectors refused to send employee lists.
The Polytechnic School of Athens has threatened with a shut down, if even one of its staff is moved or fired.
The minister said that some of these employees may be absorbed in other institutionsnoting that during the last decades there were massive hirings by universities.
Sources close to the minister noted that he had guaranteed, a few days ago, in parliament, that none of the specific teachers would be laid off, noting that he meantthat they would be absorbed by the helth ministry in positions having to do with their specializations.
Meanwhile in announcement, Democratic Left (DIMAR) noted that "The "availability" of tertiary edcation institution staff being promoted by the education ministry is an erroneous policy that will have severe negative repercussions in the functioning of these institutions.
Meanwhile, minister of government reform Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted that 15 September was the cut off date when asked about the "availability" of teriary education institution administrative staff. The compilation of lists from among these employees is a stumbling block in finalizing the list of 12,500 slated for the first wave of "availability" "In any event we will be ready when the time comes," said Mr. Mitsotakis
governance/political movement: Giorgos Kaminis (Athens), Yannis Boutaris (Thessaloniki), Yannis Dimaras (Patras), Panos Skotiniotis (Volos), and Filippos CFilios (Ioannina).
After a rather prolonged session they decide oon the following announcement:
"The attempt of the "initiative of five"is a political intervention focusing on the local governance and democratic reform and fights against counter-reformation, conservativism, and polarization.
Its main characteristics are institutional and jurisdictional self-governance, emancipation of local self governance from the party and state enstranglement. This intervention by localgovernence aims at re-defining and improving self-governance in the framework of a National Plan that will supercede a post-memoranda era.
The "initiative of five"has set its targets of utmost sinificance:
1. Reform in local governance aiming at command and economic autonomy.
2. Reinforcing development and creation of new jobs.
3.Sosial Policy.
4.Improving the quality of services to citizens.
5. Reinforcing citizen participation in local decisions and activities.
On the basis of these priorities it was decided to organize five themetic interventions with he first at Volos, on 30 October
The aim of the interventions is to formulate complete proposals towards the state and citizens and to contest those changes necessary and crucial for te role of local governance for the benefit of the cities and the citizens of this country."
It must be noted that local elections are slated for May, along with European Parliament elections.
Public servants in the health sector that have been placed on "availability" will be shown the door if they have not tendered applications for transfers to different hospitals by due dates, according to health minister Adonis Georgiadis.
The health minister accused SYRIZA cadres direcly of inciting employees and telling them to desist from tendering applications. "Whoever says such things is dooming workers," Adonis Georgiadis told the Athens News Agency APE.
The minister also stated that the the new bill for pharmaceutical policy will foresee the decrease of particpation of insured persons in the price of their medicines from 25% to 12.5% if they choose a generic drug.
The bill will also foresee incentives for pharmacists that will forego rebates on every package of generic drugs they dispense, and will forego all rebates if the drugs they supply are generic by 60%, or more.
The primary schoolteacher's federation of Greece (DOE) has announced it will be participaating in the strike called by civil servants confederation ADEDY, on 18 and 19 September.On Friday 20 September the federation will meet again to consider further action. Teachers also decided on a three-hour work freeze for 16 September in order to participate in rallies of secondary education teachers. Secondary schoolteachers have decided on rolling five day strikes starting this Monday, while private school teachers will strike on 16 an 17 September.
At the same time, turmoil continues for tertiary education institutions over the issue of non-teaching staff transfers and lay-offs. The University of the Peloponnese has decided to cease functioning starting Monday and for a whole week after a decision by its board protesting proposed government measures.
Unemployment is surging, having reached 27.9% in June, as against 24.6% in June 2012 according to the Hellenic Statistics Authority (ELSTAT). Unemployment for the young (up to 24 years of age) has broken all records reaching 58.8%, while for the age group 25-34 it stands at 37.4%.
The areas hardest hit by unemployment are Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace, and Attica.
The number of employed person during June 2013 stood at a little over 3.6 million, while the unemployed came to 1.2 million. The economically inactive population was 3.3 million, during this time.
However, the rate at which jobs were lost fell slightly year on year in June registering 129,000, a decrease of 3.4%.
Unemploed persons registered with state employment bureau OAED, a portion of those accounted for by ELSTAT, surpassed the 1 million mark, after the agency recently released latest figures, after much delay.
A 30-year old man has been arrested in Istiaia, Evia, after police found a host of illicitly acquired antiquities in his possession. Authorities were responding to information concerning unlicensed digging.
The man was found in possession of a marble grave marker (70cm x 55cm) showing two women, one seated on a throne and one standing facing her, dating to the early Hellenistic period, around the 3rd century BC. The stele bearing the inscription "NIKARETE STRATOKLEOUS" is of especial archaeological value.
The 30-year old also had twenty silver coins, 12 of which from the period of the 1st to the 4th century BC, four from the Roman period (1st - 5th centuries AD) and four of indeterminate dating.
The suspect has been remanded into the custody of the Halkida misdemeanor prosecution.
The recent "Barometer" poll by Public Issue pollsters for SKAI television shows SYRIZA leading by one percentage point over New Democracy (ND). More specifically, as concerns voter intentions SYRIZA is shown with 29% (as against 27.5% in July), while ND with 28% (28.5% in July).
Golden Dawn stands third with 13% (11%), PASOK fourth with 7% (8%) and the Communist Party (KKE) fifth with 6.5% (7%). Independent Greeks follow with 5.5% (7%), and Democratic Left (DIMAR) with 2.5% (3%). the category "another party" garnered 8.5% (8%).
As concerns expectations for final results ND is ahead with 46% (53% in July) followed by SYRIZA with 40% (34%).
In the question "Who do you consider more suitable for prime minister, Samaras or Tsipras," 35% chose Samaras (as against 41% in July) and 31% chose Tsipras (30%). None of the two was the answer chosen by 32% of respondents (27%)
Greeks showed an increasing euro-skepticism, with 43% answering that they had a positive view towards the EU/euro as against 52% last year this time, while 55% were negative (44% last year). As concerns the common currency, specifically, 51% were positive (67% last year) and 47% were negative (31% Sep. 2012).
The poll covered all of Greece and took place between 5 – 10 September.
Greek PM Antonis Samaras held a telephone conversation with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, at noon today, Athens time.
Mr. Samaras congratulated Mr. Abe on Tokyo being given the task of hosting the 2020 Olympic Games. The two prime ministers agreed to collaborate so that Japan can make use of Greek Olympic Games know-how. The Greek PM invited Mr. Abe to visit Greece within 2014.
The two leaders also agreed to a fruitful cooperation within the framework of the free trade agreements between Japan and the EU, given that Greece will undertake the EU presidency for the first half of 2014.