Greece has a detailed development plan

Greece has a detailed development plan

By News Room™ → May 23, 2018

It's the first time in Greek history the country "has a detailed development plan with specific dates showing how we want Greece to be in the next decades, not just next year," Alternate Foreign Minister responsible for European affairs, Giorgos Katrougalos, said on Wednesday to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency's radio station Praktoreio 104,9 FM.

Asked about the progress of negotiations with FYROM on the name issue, the minister noted that he remains cautiously optimistic about the prospect of an agreement because "both sides - both prime ministers and foreign ministers - want a solution and it will be mutually beneficial for both countries to have a solution."

Regarding the names at the negotiating table, he noted that "it is reasonable to focus on Nimetz's proposals, because these have been worked on the most."

Source: ANA-MPA

Greek economy up by 2.1 percent between 2020-2022

Greek economy up by 2.1 percent between 2020-2022

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Greece's growth strategy foresees an average economic expansion of 2.1 percent between 2020 to 2022, supported by stronger private consumption (1.2 percent), job growth (0.4 percent) and a 7.6 percent pick up in investments.

This is the forecast of the Greek government for the post bailout period, in a 106 page document, which targets economic and fiscal stability and a resilience to external shocks.The country recognizes its obligations to keep the primary budget surplus at 3.5 percent of GDP until 2022 and is on course to meet that goal without introducing any new austerity measures.

Data shows that Greece’s structural and fiscal reforms since 2010 are estimated to reach some 67 billion euros by the end of the year, with just over half coming from spending cuts. According to the plan, Greece's tax policy will contribute to attracting productive investments and increasing productivity by reducing taxes for businesses. The report highlights that the tax cost in Greece is high, when compared with countries with similar competitiveness levels, but not excessively high on a European level.

Among the proposed tax reforms listed in the plan is reducing tax evasion, and stamping out the illegal trade of fuel and tobacco products. The blueprint also assumes that medium term measures will be introduced to help secure the viability of Greece's debt, without referring to how much this may be.

Source: ANA-MPA

Three anarchist groups claim responsibility for court paint attack

Three anarchist groups claim responsibility for court paint attack

By News Room™ → May 22, 2018

According to ekathimerini.com, three anarchist groups claimed responsibility on Monday night for the paint attack against the Council of State earlier in the evening, saying it was a protest against the court's decision to rubber-stamp the so-called Katrougalos law which allowed pension cuts.

About 50 to 70 people threw paint and bottles on the front and side of the court's building, broke some glass and fled.

At the time of the attack the court was closed but top judges were deliberating on the specific law.

In a post on an anti-establishment website, Rouvikonas - a group that has carried out dozens of acts of vandalism against state offices, financial agencies, embassies, media and other businesses - shared responsibility on the attack with the Anarchist Collective of Nea Filadelphia and the Free Initiative of Thessaloniki.

Prokopios Pavlopoulos attended the anniversary of the Navy Movement (VIDEO)

Prokopios Pavlopoulos attended the anniversary of the Navy Movement (VIDEO)

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The President of the Republic, Prokopios Pavlopoulos, visited the Floating Naval Museum "A / C AVEROF" in the Maritime Flight of Marina Flisvos Marina to attend the commemoration of the Navy Movement in May 1973.

Father of Greek-American Texas shooter claims son was bullied (video)

Father of Greek-American Texas shooter claims son was bullied (video)

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The father of the Greek-American Texas shooter has claimed his son Dimitrios Pagourtzis was bullied and this may have led him to open fire on an art class in his Houston-area high school on Friday, killing 10 people.

Speaking to Greece’s Alpha TV on Sunday, Antonios Pagourtzis, said his son was a victim of bullying on a daily basis and often in front of his girlfriend, who was also among the victims.

“He was taunted, beaten and bullied, probably by many pupils,” Pagourtzis said.

Antonios Pagourtzis, who emigrated from Greece to the United States in his mid-twenties, claimed that Dimitrios may have snapped following constant bullying.

“My boy is not a man, he is a child. We cannot blame everything on the child, others are also responsible,” he said.

Pagourtzis revealed that he had seen a change in his son’s behavior in the two weeks before the shootings and he decided to skip work and be with Dimitrios.

According to new accounts by students who survived the shooting spree at the high school, the 17-year-old chillingly sang “Another one bites the dust” as he fired away with his father’s Remington 870 shotgun and .38-caliber handgun.

“He also kept playing a kamikaze song over and over as loud as he could,” on his cellphone Kole Dixon, 16, told The New York Post.

County officials revealed that Pagourtzis exchanged “a lot of firepower” with authorities before surrendering. Despite the gun battle, Pagourtzis collapsed on purpose while giving himself up, so he would not be shot by arresting officers.

Video in Greek

National Hellenic Museum Gala Raises Funds to Digitize Greek American History (video)

National Hellenic Museum Gala Raises Funds to Digitize Greek American History (video)

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According to Greekreporter.com, the National Hellenic Museum (NHM) has brought the curtain down on its biggest and best Annual Gala yet — a top-notch evening of music, entertainment and culture held in Chicago.

The NHM Gala is also an opportunity for hundreds of Greek Americans and friends from across the U.S. to gather for a night of festivities and philanthropy.

Speaking to Greek Reporter was Dr. Calamos Nasir, president of the Hellenic Museum, who said their collections reflected some of the “hard, deep” stories of Greek immigrants’ lives in the U.S.

“We are the largest collection in the world for Greek-American stories,” she said.

National Hellenic Museum President Dr. Laura Calamos Nasir with Museum Chairman John Calamos Sr. (center) plus museum trustees and benefactors.
Explaining how the museum was in a unique position to reach across different regional groups — from Crete to the Ionian islands — the NHM could also bring together Church records and all kinds of other oral histories from Greek communities.

“Going, forward our plan is to digitize that in such a way that you can search through the website to find that information,” Nasir added.

Saturday’s event at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile was MCed by WGN-TV’s Emmy Award-winning entertainment reporter and critic Dean Richards.

Among the musical treats for the hundreds of attendees were the sounds of the Chris Sarlas Orchestra featuring George Dimas and Voula Karahaliou.

Also playing was The Levendes featuring Nikos Koutras, who treated gala-goers with traditional and contemporary Greek music amid a repertoire of dimotika, nisiotika, rebetika, and modern laika.
Philanthropic support from NHM Gala will benefit the tens of thousands of people — children and adults — who visit the National Hellenic Museum every year through field trips, tours and dynamic cultural and historical programs.

Snake found outside supermarket

Snake found outside supermarket

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A snake was found next to the trolleys of a supermarket in Thessaloniki on Monday, causing panic among the customers.

A volunteer from the Action for Wildlife was called to save the day and collect the appoximately 1,5-metre snake.

According to Stavros Kalpakis from Action for Wildlife, the reptile was a harmless Dolichophis, which was found injured, probably by the supermarket trolley. "The snake was transferred to the organisation's conservation centre and afterwards it was released in the area of the Delta of Axios" said Kalpakis, adding that incidents with snakes in the city increase every spring when the weather get hotter and they wake up from hibernation.

"Usually snakes are found in city parks," he said and advised those who come across a snake to leave it alone and call the Action for Wildlife and the volunteers found on the website for the Greek herpetofauna.gr

Decisions on new property tax values, Enfia bill set for June

Decisions on new property tax values, Enfia bill set for June

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Talks between Greece and the country's lenders will continue on the way new property tax values will shape the 2018 Enfia bill that property owners will be called to pay for later this year.
Officials taking part in the talks said the new tax values may be introduced on a gradual basis, helping ease the additional burden on property owners. Final decisions will be made in June and will be voted in by parliament.

If the tax changes are to be implemented on a gradual basis, Greek officials must make sure they still reach the annual Enfia revenue target of 3.2 billion euros.

Kotzias and Pompeo talked about Turkish provocations in Washington

Kotzias and Pompeo talked about Turkish provocations in Washington

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Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias met in Washington on Monday with State Department Secretary Michael Pompeo, as part of a five-day visit to the United States.

Pompeo expressed continued support for Greece's economic recovery, underscoring the importance the US places on its role as honored country at the International Thessaloniki Fair in September, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

Pompeo "commended Greece for its leadership role in the region, including efforts to address challenges in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean," Nauert's statement said. The two men "agreed to remain in close communication on these and other bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest, and to work closely together in coming days to ensure stability of the Eastern Mediterranean." They also agreed to establish a US-Greek strategic dialogue on key areas of cooperation, it said.

Kotzias voiced the need to maintain security and stability in the area, and detailed Turkey's violations of international law, especially in terms of the Cyprus Republic's sovereign rights. "Cyprus must not be seen as a so-called UN problem, but as a sovereign state with specific roles and prospects in the area," the Greek FM said.

Pompeo asked Kotzias for an update on the issue of the two Greek servicemen held in the jail in Edirne since March. "We said it was unacceptable for a NATO member-state to detain two officers of the Greek army, but as you know Turkey has detained a series of US citizens also."

Although the FYROM name issue was not raised in their meeting, the Greek FM said it was discussed during his meeting earlier with Wess Mitchell, assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs. "We obviously support the need to adopt one of the names proposed by (UN Special Envoy for the name issue Matthew) Nimetz and to proceed towards the implementation of a strategic plan of friendly collaboration in the future with this country under its new name. Nobody is pressuring us because Greece takes initiative in actions," Kotzias added.

According to the Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday Kotzias is scheduled to meet with National Security Advisor John Bolton. He will also meet with House of Representatives and Senate members, including representatives of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus and the Congressional Hellenic Israeli Alliance, and academics.

On Wednesday, the foreign minister is scheduled to meet with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, with their meeting focusing on recent developments on the Cyprus and FYROM name issues. The same day, Kotzias will attend a working lunch with UN General Assembly President, and Slovakian counterpart, Miroslav Lajcak.

On the last two days of his visit, Thursday and Friday, the foreign minister will meet anew with his FYROM counterpart Nikola Dimitrov and Nimetz.

Facebook uses automated tools to scan Messenger chats

Facebook uses automated tools to scan Messenger chats

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According to cnn.com, Facebook confirmed Thursday that it uses automated tools to scan Messenger chats for malware links and child porn images. It also allows users to report chats that may violate community standards.

The company's moderators can review any messages that are flagged by users or the automated systems.

Facebook has long been clear that its workers can review posts to ensure they comply with its community standards. But many users had assumed their chats on Messenger were private.

Facebook (FB) said in a statement on Thursday that keeping messages private is its priority, but it also defended the automated tools as being "very similar to those that other internet companies use today."

"The content of messages between people is not used for ads targeting," a company spokesperson said. "We do not listen to your voice and video calls."

Facebook has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after news broke that Cambridge Analytica, a data firm with ties to President Donald Trump's campaign, may have had information on millions of Facebook users without their knowledge.

The episode has sparked questions over privacy on the social media platform, and led to calls for tough new regulation. It has also prompted calls for Facebook to be more transparent about how it handles user data.

Messenger, which allows users to chat amongst themselves, became a point of interest this week after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company had "detected" that "sensational messages" were being sent via Messenger in Myanmar.

Human rights advocates and journalists have made the case that Facebook was being used to spread misinformation in the country, adding fuel to ethnic violence against a Muslim minority group called the Rohingya.

"In that case, our systems detect that that's going on," Zuckerberg said during an interview with Vox. "We stop those messages from going through."

Facebook clarified in a statement on Thursday.

"In this particular instance, a number of people reported receiving these messages which prompted us to begin investigating," a spokesperson said.

In recent weeks, Facebook has made changes to the platform and its policies regarding access to user data and transparency.

Facebook's data policy -- which was updated on Wednesday -- states that it collects "the content, communications and other information you provide when you ... message or communicate with others."

Zuckerberg also told reporters on Wednesday that the company could do a better job of explaining what it does with user data.

"[There are] many misperceptions about what we actually do," he said.

Zuckerberg is scheduled to face questions from two US congressional panels next week about how his company handles its users' data.

Italy must respect EU rules, says Spain Economy Minister

Italy must respect EU rules, says Spain Economy Minister

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Spain’s Economy Minister Roman Escolano on Tuesday urged Italy to respect the rules of the European Union and said he hoped the country would act within those rules.

Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the far-right League on Monday proposed Giuseppe Conte, a little-known law professor, as prime minister to lead a coalition government, which many fear will implement high-spending policies and raise the country’s debt levels.

The joint program calls for billions of euros in tax cuts, additional spending on welfare for the poor, a roll-back of pension reforms and a revision of key EU rules, including those regulating immigration and monetary union.

“The European Union has to move forward together with Italy (...) in any case we have rules within the euro zone that have to be respected and we count on Italy to act within those rules and to come forward with a constructive proposal,” Escolano told reporters on the side lines of an event in Madrid.

As Zuckerberg heads to Brussels, British lawmakers ask for answers

As Zuckerberg heads to Brussels, British lawmakers ask for answers

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According to Reuters, British lawmakers want their European counterparts to quiz Facebook FB.O CEO Mark Zuckerberg about a scandal over improper use of millions of Facebook users’ data, as he will not give evidence in London himself.

Zuckerberg will be in Europe to defend the company after alleged misuse of its data by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy that worked on U.S. President Donald Trump’s election campaign.

But while he will answer questions from lawmakers in Brussels on Tuesday, and is meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, he has so far declined to answer questions from British lawmakers, either in person or via video link.

Damian Collins, chair of the British parliament’s media committee, said on Tuesday that he believed Zuckerberg should still appear before British lawmakers.

“But if Mark Zuckerberg chooses not to address our questions directly, we are asking colleagues at the European Parliament to help us get answers - particularly on who knew what at the company, and when, about the data breach and the non-transparent use of political adverts which continue to undermine our democracy,” he said in a statement.

Last month, Facebook Chief Technical Officer Mike Schroepfer appeared before Collins’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, which is investigating fake news.

But the lawmakers have said his testimony and subsequent written answers from the firm to follow-up questions have been inadequate.

Abramovic in thoughts of leaving Chelsea

Abramovic in thoughts of leaving Chelsea

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After the government refused to renew his visa, Roman Abramovich is planning to leave Chelsea. To return to the UK, the Russian tycoon should explain how he acquired his fortune. This is a process that is required due to the escalation of tension between the British and the Russians, following the episode with the former spy Sergei Scripal.

Tim Rolles, head of Chelsea, told Telegraph that Abramovich is keen to continue owning the English club, but that is something that can change if he does not feel welcome in England.

"Obviously leaving the club is something that has already passed from his mind. But we hope the government will not confuse the political situation with sport. We have to play a World Cup in Russia, we will not create even more hostility", he explained.

    Note that Abramovich took control of Chelsea in 2003, making strong investments to bring names such as José Mourinho, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Enten Azar. Since then, the Londoners have won five championships, a Champions League, a Europa League and five England Cups.

No agreement to parliament if FYROM does not change its Constitution, Kammenos says

No agreement to parliament if FYROM does not change its Constitution, Kammenos says

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Panos Kammenos, defence minister and head of the junior partner in the ruling coalition Independent Greeks (ANEL), said in an interview with Alpha radio on Tuesday, that the government's position is that no agreement will come to the parliament if FYROM does not change its Constitution.

IMF calls for an agreement on Greece’s debt by next week - Poul Thompsen on CNBC

IMF calls for an agreement on Greece’s debt by next week - Poul Thompsen on CNBC

By NewsRoom™ → May 15, 2018

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) needs to reach an agreement with Greece and its European creditors by next week to ensure that the fund has enough time to give money to the embattled nation.

Speaking to CNBC Tuesday, Poul Thomsen, the IMF director for Europe, said that there needs to be an agreement at a meeting late next week.

 “We really need an agreement at the Eurogroup next week,” Thomsen told CNBC’s  Joumanna Bercetche.

“Time is running out,” he said, “but if there is an agreement in the Eurogroup meeting in May, then there will be enough time for us to activate the program and for it to coincide with the remainder of the ESM (European Stability Mechanism) program.”

Greece has been seeking debt relief — a relaxation of the terms for paying back its debts — since 2015, but the issue has dragged on due to opposition from several EU member states. Certain European countries, some of which are the largest lenders to Greece, are against significant debt forgiveness as they don’t want to be seen by their citizens as ongoing contributors to what they see as economic malpractices in their southern European neighbor.

Will be time to activate debt-relief plan for Greece: IMF from CNBC.

As we read in "Keep Talking Greece", the Eurogroup is a regular meeting for all the finance ministers from those countries that share the single currency, while the ESM is the organization that deals with bailing out struggling nations in the region.

So far, all the money that Greece has received under its third bailout program has come from Europe and it’s still waiting for a slice from the Washington, D.C.-based IMF. The IMF has said that it will not disburse any funds until Europe agrees on specific measures that will make Greek debt more sustainable over the long term. Greece has a debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) of 180 percent.
However, the debt issue becomes even more pressing as Athens approaches the end of the financial program, scheduled for August 20.
Between an agreement on debt and the end of the bailout, the IMF has said it would be available to disburse 1.6 billion euros ($1.9 billion). CNBC

Cyprus Causing Regional Security Problems, Claims Erdogan

Cyprus Causing Regional Security Problems, Claims Erdogan

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Turkey’s leader has claimed “unilateral” moves by Cyprus’ government in its offshore territory will create a security threat.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking in London at an event organized by the Chatham House think-tank.

Chatham House Associate Fellow Fadi Hakura said the Turkish leader also “vigorously defended Turkey’s policy in Syria and the broader Middle East in response to objections from the US and Europe”.

According the "GREEK REPORTER", Erdogan’s comments came as the United Nations reportedly expressed frustration with Ankara over its failure to endorse new UN envoy Jane Holl Lute.

The Cyprus News Agency reported that the island’s other two guarantor powers — Britain and Greece — had already green-lighted the U.S.-born diplomat, but said Turkey was yet to move because of looming early elections called by Erdogan for June 24.

The delay will affect an important UN report on Cyprus to be finalized by June 15 which deals with its peacekeeping forces on the divided island.

Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy said the reunification of Cyprus as a federation may not be possible with the current “mindset” of Greek Cypriots.

This has thrown doubt on the feasibility of any new settlement talks.

However, in February, the U.S. threw its weight behind the Cyprus government over a standoff with Turkish military ships in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

American ambassador Kathleen A. Doherty met Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and said: “I relayed to the president that the United States feels very strongly that the Republic of Cyprus has the right to explore and exploit its resources in the exclusive economic zone.”

Case of Greece’s ex-ELSTAT Chief Goes Back to Court

Case of Greece’s ex-ELSTAT Chief Goes Back to Court

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The case of former head of the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) Andreas Georgiou over misrepresentation of Greek financial data will be up for review by the Appeals Council for a third time, following a Supreme Court decision on Monday.

The Appeals Court has twice so far acquitted him of charges that he misrepresented Greek fiscal data of 2009 in order to help the then government bring the country under bailout agreements.

Included in his file is a Eurostat document verifying that Greek data he submitted followed the correct terms and conditions set out by the EU agency.

In the second review of the council, Georgiou was acquitted of giving false testimony, a crime in Greece. On Monday, the Supreme Court decided to accept a proposal by its prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou to revoke that acquittal.

The case of Georgiou, whose tenure at ELSTAT ran from 2010 to 2015, will now have to be reviewed by the Appeals Court again.

Two Women Arrested in Relation to Dead Newborn Found in Garbage Bin

Two Women Arrested in Relation to Dead Newborn Found in Garbage Bin

By NewsRoom™ → May 14, 2018

ATHENS – A 19-year old girl and her 54-year old mother were arrested on Sunday in connection with the dead infant found dead in a garbage bin in Petroupoli, an outlying northwestern suburb of Athens, in February.

The infant was found in the rubbish, wrapped in a plastic bag, on February 26, 2018.

According to "The National Herald", the 19-year-old confessed that she was the baby’s mother and that she didn’t want to keep the child, so with her mother’s help they strangled the newborn and threw it into the garbage.

Home of State Minister Flambouraris Targeted on Sunday

Home of State Minister Flambouraris Targeted on Sunday

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ATHENS – The home of Minister of State Alekos Flambouraris on Strefi Hill in Athens was once again the target of a fire bomb attack in the early hours of Sunday morning, at 4:30.

According to "The National Herald", a group of youths attacked a police platoon permanently stationed outside the minister’s house, which the minister no longer occupies. They threw stones, bottles and fire bombs at police, causing damage to three parked cars, before running away.

Half an hour later, there was another attack by youths against a riot police platoon stationed outside the offices of the PASOK party on Harilaou Trikoupi street, which did not result in injuries or damage. No arrests were made.

Greece and FYROM Seek to Reconcile Name Dispute in Skopje

Greece and FYROM Seek to Reconcile Name Dispute in Skopje

By NewsRoom™ → May 13, 2018

Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) counterpart Nikola Dimitrov will meet on Saturday with UN mediator Matthew Nimetz as talks for a resolution to the name dispute drag on.

The meeting follows Friday’s gathering of Balkan and Central European ministers in Athens.

The foreign ministers of Albania, FYROM, Montenegro, and Serbia, all of them hoping to join the EU, were invited as observers along with colleagues from EU members Slovenia and Cyprus.

It is thought that Greece and FYROM need to find a new name for the Former Yugoslav Republic which will be used both at home and abroad, something which would require changes to its constitution.

The two sides are reportedly trying to buy more time for Skopje to be the location for the proposed change, despite opposition calls for it to be put to a public referendum.

It had been hoped earlier this year that FYROM would be accepted into NATO and the EU soon after the name dispute with Greece was settled. However, despite initial signs of progress, including meetings between the two states’ premiers, talks seem to have stagnated in recent months.