NEWS ARCHIVE - APRIL 2013
April 30, 2013
Greek unemployment highest in Europe - eKathimerini
Santorini (Fira)
The island of Santorini
April 29, 2013
Layoff Plan Passes Parliament - NY Times
Overhaul of dysfunctional bureaucracy still a work in progress - WSJ
April 27, 2013
Euro zone set to approve 2.8 billion euros for Greece on Monday - Reuters
Greece starts firing civil servants for first time in a century - CS Monitor
Shedding light on the role of Greece's Jews in the WWII Resistance - eKathimerini
"...the long symbiosis of Greek Orthodox Christians and Jews and how they joined forces at times of national crisis. Most Greeks, for example, know that thousands of the country’s Jews fought on the Pindos mountains in World War I, but very few know how important their contribution was to the National Resistance in WWII, how hundreds of Greek Jews refused to pin the yellow star on their outer garments and instead took up arms against the Nazis.
The Jewish Museum is currently hosting an exhibition on this chapter of history. Titled “Synagonistis: Greek Jews in the National Resistance” and running through next April, the exhibition pays homage to the 650 men and women who decided to become outlaws not just in order to save their own lives but also in the service of freedom.
Jewish Museum of Greece, 39 Nikis, Syntagma, Athens, 210-322-5582. Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 2.30 p.m. "
Link: Anti-semitism in Greece
April 26, 2013
The politics of war reparations - WSJ
Greece is right to expose German loans hypocrisy - UK Guardian
Why Greece joined euro still valid: Papantoniou - Foreign Affairs
Essay at Foreign Affairs by Yannos Papantoniou, who was Greece Finance Minister from 1994-2001.
New Elstat data: Clothing and Footware up 32.8%
See this Elstat PDF Press Release for complete data
Recent Statistics [March 2013]
Improved conditions are in GREEN Declined conditions in BLACK
(Conditions are rated as compared to previous reporting period)
| Consumer price index | Mar 13/Mar 12 | -0.2 |
| Harmonized Index Consumer Prices | Mar 13/Mar 12 | -0.2 |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDP) | Q4 2012 | -5.7% |
| Unemployment rate* | Q4 2012 | 26.0% |
| Industrial Production (non-construction) | Feb 13 / Feb 12 | -3.9% |
| Turnover Retail Trade | Jan 13 / Jan 12 | -15.7 |
| Producer Price Index Industry | Feb 13/Feb 12 | 0.8 |
| Building (volume) | Jan 13 / Jan 12 | -32.6% |
| Population count 2001 | 10,815,197 | |
| (2008 Eurostat Estimate Population) | 11,262,000 | |
| Registered Population 2011 | 9.903.268 | |
| Resident Population 2011 | 10.815.197 |
*Worst numbers are for youth, with 61.7% unemployment for those in the 15-24 age group.
April 25, 2013
April 24, 2013
The politics of the IMF and Greece - eKathimerini
Tourism to Greece down 5.5% in 2012 - Elstat
Arrivals from United States down -22.9%
Norway, Russia, Uk and Australia up.
This item has moved to the Tourism in Greece page
Government preps for state employee lay-offs - Greekreporter
The 2011 "Troika Midterm Plan" had this requirement regarding staff reductions:
"Major hiring reduction, i.e., only 1 in 10 retiring workers will be replaced in 2011, and 1 in 5 in coming years under the plan"
April 23, 2013
The Gloom Around Greece Is Dissipating - NY Times
April 22, 2013
Five-year Residency Plan for Foreign Investors - Business Inquirer
April 21, 2013
New Democracy polling ahead of Syriza again - Reuters
"In a previous Metron Analysis poll in March, New Democracy trailed Syriza by 0.3 percentage points.
New Democracy has been behind Syriza for months following the June 17 vote but managed to grab a poll lead in January after securing international bailout funds to avert bankruptcy and allay doubts over Greece's future in the euro."
Startling polling results over Junta image and history - Eleftherotypia
Usually the image of the Colonels is extremely negative (at least in International news stories) but in Greece the matter isn't so simple. The Junta ruled Greece under 'invisible dictator' George Papadopoulos from April 21, 1967 until November 25, 1973. At that time Dimitrios Ioannidis used a countercoup to remove his previous boss (Papadopoulos) and assume control until the military crisis with Turkey over Cyprus forced his resignation in 1974. This was quickly followed by the swearing in of ex-Premier Constantine Karamalis on July 23, 1974, who returned from exile in Paris to lead a regeneration of democracy in Greece.
The poll question from Eleftherotypia shows that a large number of Greeks have different memories of that time period:
"The poll shows a significant percentage of voters answering positively to the question "In a few days we will have April 21. Some say that the dictatorship was better than today's government. Do you personally agree or disagree with this view?"
The majority (59%) believes that in the security situation on the Junta was better, 46% thought it had a better life and 24% believe that the country had a better international image."
Related Link: The Junta in Greece
Greece's great fire sale - UK Telegraph
April 20, 2013
Greece's new role in the Mediterranean region - RFI
Radio news program interview. Audio at the link.
April 19, 2013
Hellenic Petroleum to Meet Investors for Debut Bond - Bloomberg
Government pledges fast punishment for strawberry farm shootings - ABC News
April 18, 2013
Papantoniou granted bail - Foxnews
Halkidiki gold mining project moving ahead - Global Post
April 17, 2013
Samaras see's "light at the end of the tunnel" for economy - Greek Reporter
April 16, 2013
4,000 public sector jobs to be cut for next tranche - UK Guardian
Greece on Track to Receive Next Aid Tranche - Wall Street Journal
Cyprus expects Russian money to flee - eKathimerini
April 15, 2013
Deal decided with Troika - NY Times
April 14, 2013
‘Sleep Out’ protesters warn entire families will be homeless in GreeceApril 12, 2013
Unemployment rises to 27.2% for Jan 2013 - Elstat
From the new stats released from ELSTAT for April 12, 2013:
"Unemployment rate in January 2013 was 27.2% compared to 21.5% in January 2012 and 25.7% in December 2012. The number of employed amounted to 3,617,771 persons. Τhe number of unemployed amounted to 1,348,742 while the number of inactive to 3,346,423."
The Elstat report shows unemployment broken down into areas. Aegean is lower with approx 19%, and Attica the highest with 28.4%.
Jeroen Dijsellbloem warns Greece to hurry - eKathimerini
Sixth consecutive year of economic recession - Zee News India "Brain Drain" in Greece - truthdig
April 11, 2013
Germany and Greece finance ministers argue over reparations - Yahoo AP
April 10, 2013
First time in 45 years Greece slides into deflation - UK Telegraph
Tsipras urges PM to stop negotiating with troika - eKathimerini
Cypriot bank deposits actually increased during March crisis - Fox News
Onassis' Skorpios island sells for €117+ - UK Telgraph
"The Greek shipping magnate's granddaughter, 28-year-old Athina Onassis Roussel, has agreed to sell the island of Skorpios, a jewel in the Ionian Sea, according to Greek media.
The identity of the Russian businessman has not been disclosed.
The forested island, off the western coast of Greece, was bought by Aristotle Onassis in 1962 for just 3.5 million drachmas, the equivalent of about £10,000."
April 9, 2013
Greece’s National Bank and Eurobank face nationalisation - Euronews
Merger Talks stall for Greek Banks - NY Times
Does Germany owe Greece Billions from WW2 Loans? - Euronews
April 7, 2013
Greece: The Unfolding Drama - CBC Books
Article asks "How much is the crisis home-made and to what extent is Greece again the victim of external powers? "
April 5, 2013
Troika Inspectors return - Economic Times
How PASOK destroyed itself - BBC
"The endless empty rows said it all. For a political party struggling to survive, the choice of a huge Athens stadium for its annual congress was probably a bad one.
A few thousand loyal supporters gathered, but the tens of thousands of vacant seats spoke of a party nearing oblivion.
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) has dominated the Greek political scene for more than three decades. It soared to power in 1981. The dictatorship had just ended here; Pasok created a welfare state, transforming Greece into a modern, European country.
The dream was not realised as we expected. We have a country bankrupt, corrupt and not functioning as it should”
But today it languishes at around 6% in the polls, widely reviled for corruption and for accepting hated austerity while in power in 2009."
April 4, 2013
Talks with creditors resuming - NY Times
April 3, 2013
Strike halts sea, train travel in Greece - Reuters
April 2, 2013
Greece Jobless Figure: Youth Employment At 58% - Sky News
Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn goes global with political ambitions -Guardian UK
April 1, 2013
Greeks grim on economy, brighter on outlook - eKathimerini
Troika Nixes National Bank-Eurobank Merger - GreekReporter
Thessaloniki Jews feeling pressure of Golden-Dawn - Ynet
Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles
Greece's Golden Visa program
