President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso has expressed his satisfaction that Russian president Vladimir Putin is using his country's influence in order to find a solution for Syria.
Scuffles between Kurd and Albanian inmates broke out in D wing of the Korydallos prison, near Athens. According to reports, the inmates clashed with makeshift knives and other crude weapons.
Former, president of France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, is in Athens today, attending the inauguration of the new Jacqueline de Romilly Square in the Thision area of downtown Athens. The municipality of Athens has named the square in honor of the renown French Philhellene and classicist.
The former French president spoke at the ceremony, before which he met with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
State asset privatization fund TAIPED is proceeding with a second phase for the exploitation of 14 peripheral airports, with seven of the eleven bidders continuing on, while the Athens International Airport is just a breath away a total change of leadership.
Germany's "The Left" (Die Linke) party has made a 180 degree turn by suddenly rejecting SYRIZA's demand for repayment of a forced loan extended to Nazi occupation forces during WWII.
Pegged as a dress rehearsal in the run up to next week's general elections, Sunday's local election in Bavaria saw conservatives allied with chancellor Angela Merkel gain an absolute majority of seats in the local parliament, according to first results.
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.