Re-elected Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pledged his conservative government would “fix the sins of the past” and over the next four years cut taxes, boost wages and pensions, and repay bailout debts earlier than expected.
According to kathimerini.com, the leader of the centre-right New Democracy party said in his first parliamentary address since the election that his party received a mandate to move fast with reforms.
Mitsotakis pledged to help the country achieve robust growth, regain this year an investment grade credit rating, and repay earlier than expected bilateral loans from Greece’s first bailout agreement with the eurozone.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The Prime Minister promised to give pensioners a one-off annual bonus again this year, extend measures to shield households from a cost-of-living crisis and increase a tax-exemption threshold by 1,000 euros for households with children from next year.
Mitsotakis also said the monthly minimum wage would be raised to 950 euros from 780 euros currently, while social security contributions would be cut by one percentage point. A business tax on the self-employed would be gradually reduced.
Mitsotakis says Greece, still the eurozone’s most indebted nation, can achieve primary surpluses of around 2 per cent annually, despite the relief measures.
A 2,000-year-old Greek altar was discovered at the archaeological site of Segesta on the island of Sicily, Italy on June 29.
The site of Segesta was an ancient Greek city in the mountains known for its 5th century BC temple.
Sicilian authorities said the Greek altar was used by families for worship before the rise of the Roman empire in the first century Before Christ (BC).
Archaeological Park of Segesta, Italy.
Regional culture minister Francesco Paolo Scarpinato told Economic Times: “The Segesta site never ceases to amaze us.”
“Excavations continue to bring to light… pieces that add new perspectives and interpretations to a site where multiple civilisations are stratified,” Scarpinato added.
A Greek escape room Lockhill, located in the west Athens district of Nea Ionia, was voted number one in the world by Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts (TERPECA) for 2023.
The escape room was number one among 929 rivals in 28 countries around the world.
Greek escape room Lockhill in Athens. Photo: Lockhill.
Lockhill was described as one of the best escape rooms because of its scary “Chapel and Catacombs.”
Greek and foreign escape room enthusiasts also noted that the props, scenery and audio-visual effects with live actors added mystery and suspense, setting Lockhill apart from other escape rooms.
Lockhill.
The owner and creator of Lockhill, Vasilis Dalitsikas, told AMNA.gr: “It is truly an honour for me that one of my creations was awarded by a very large section of people in Greece and abroad as the best escape room in the world.”
“When people who have experience with more than 1,000 escape rooms worldwide tell you that yours is the best they have played, this is incredibly rewarding. It gives me the energy to make more and new rooms-experiences,” Dalitsikas added.
A Southeast Asia news website, Seasia.Stats, has ranked two streets in Greece among the “The World’s 20 Most Beautiful Streets.”
In first place was Symi Harbour at Livadia, with Anafiotika in Athens coming in seventh place.
Anafiotika under the Acropolis.
From Symi Harbour, people can see a coastal village studded with pastel-coloured houses all piled on top of one another.
Anafiotika, on the other hand, is nestled under the Acropolis and forms part of the old historical Athenian neighbourhood called Plaka. It is known for its white-washed houses and colourful features.
Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said visitor zones will be implemented at the Acropolis in Athens to address the problem of long tourist queues.
This comes after Mendoni confirmed that visits to the ancient monument have increased by 80 per cent compared to the corresponding period in 2019.
Photos have also emerged recently on social media of long queues of tourists waiting in the sun to visit the Acropolis.
Photo: kathimerini.gr
According to Mono News, Mendoni said the zones program has been designed since last October and is 95 percent ready to be applied. The visitor zones will be in place in July.
The zones will involve a specific number of tickets for specific hours, something that mainly has to do with big group visits, such as cruise visitors who cover the mornings until 2pm.
Shade as people wait in queues, as well as drinkable water outside the entrance of the archaeological site, will follow soon.
A former residential aged care facility owned by St Basil’s NSW / ACT in the inner west Sydney suburb of Annandale has sold at auction for $17.255 million.
According to Real Commercial, proceeds from the sale of the property will go towards the refurbishment of St Basil’s existing aged care facilities across Sydney and the Australian Capital Territory.
The property at 252 Johnston Street Annandale has development approval to expand and add an extra level.
252 Johnston St, Annandale, NSW. Photo: Real Commercial.
The auction saw six registered bidders with five active. The winning bid went to a private developer who plans to convert the site into affordable housing.
At the time, the Chairman of St Basil’s NSW / ACT, James Jordan, said the building, which was built in the 1970s and formerly known as Sister Dorothea Village, was “no longer fit for purpose.”
The match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andy Murray was suspended on Thursday and will continue on Friday afternoon. The Brit leads with 2-1 sets.
Due to the rule that no tennis can be played after 11pm (local time) at Wimbledon, the organisers decided it was in the best interests of both players to call off Andy Murray’s match against Stefanos Tsitsipas at around 10:40 pm, just after completion of the third set.
Centre Court rises for @andy_murray who leads two sets to one.
Tsitsipas had taken the first set, but Murray fought back and won the next two to lead 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 6-4.
This will be the fourth consecutive day in which Tsitsipas will have to play, after he had to finish his match with Dominic Thiem in the first round on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In a stroke of serendipity, Nola Radiotis, this year’s Darebin Council Citizen of the Year and CALD Elder Community of the Year, found herself crossing paths with Rocca Salcedo, the dynamic force between Dance and Roll, the wheelchair dance group that earned the title of Darebin City Council’s Community Group of the Year.
Fuelled by their shared passion for dance, both women left the awards ceremony determined to present Greek dancing to the Dance and Roll ensemble.
The wheelchair dance group earned the title of Darebin City Council’s Community Group of the Year.
Nola wasted no time in curating a transformative dance program to transport the wheelchair dancers on a cultural journey through Greece.
“I wanted to give them a taste of diverse dance styles from all around Greece,” she said, putting together a dance workout which incorporated the Zorba dance, syrtaki, zeibekiko, tsifteteli and a whole host of other styles with enlightening descriptions of the dances’ rich history between sets.
The Darebin Arts Centre burst into life as Dance and Roll took centre stage, wheeling through Greek dances. Following the performance, the troupe gathered to savour Nola’s delectable spanakopita and loukoumades. With none having travelled to Greece, they wondered what a trip would be like and what wheelchair-friendly options there would be.
Dancers
“I’ve never been to Greece, but I’ve heard about their celebrations with plenty of dancing,” Karen said, adding she had enjoyed learning about the dances.
“Learning new dance styles like flamenco, tango, Bollywood with different teachers each time, has been incredibly enjoyable. Not only do I enjoy learning the dances, but I also find out more about the history of the places they come from and the people who dance them.”
Wheelchair dancers from around Melbourne come to the weekly Thursday sessions
The dancers present agreed that their favourites of the evening were the Zorba and syrtaki due to the euphoric music and fantastic workout.
Wheelchair dancers from around Melbourne come to the weekly Thursday sessions and even more from around Australia – sometimes even overseas – join in to the online workshops.
Karen said: “There aren’t many opportunities available. Dance and Roll is the only one of its kind in Melbourne.”
“I wanted to establish a space where people with disabilities could connect, make friends and find joy through movement”
Sue, who has arthritis and spina bifida, eagerly seized the opportunity to join the group when she found out about it and has found it to be a valuable source of connection and friendship. The bond formed among the dancers extends beyond the dance classes, with many of them regularly meeting outside of scheduled sessions.
Dancers
Rocca, a wheelchair user hailing from Colombia, expressed her original motivation for creating this extraordinary space in what has been a journey fraught with resilience. The Colombian graduate of International Law at the University of Melbourne had planned to return to Columbia following her studies, but instead remained hospitalised for a year following a car accident that left her in a wheelchair.
“After my car accident in 2001, dancing became a distant dream. But I soon realised that dance holds immense social and therapeutic potential. I wanted to establish a space where people with disabilities could connect, make friends and find joy through movement,” she said.
The dancers present agreed that their favourites of the evening were the Zorba and syrtaki
Nola, inspired by her meeting with Rocca, hopes to continue to offer Greek dancing to the troupe and plans to introduce the participation of ‘Anemones’ dancers to interact with the wheelchair dancers. As with the first session, the lesson will culminate in a joyous celebration, complete with Greek treats.
Nola, inspired by her meeting with Rocca, hopes to continue to offer Greek dancing to the troupe
She is eager to make the experience as immersive and creative as possible to empower the dancers as they embrace the rhythm of life through Greek dances.
Dance and Roll classes take place on Zoom on Mondays from 5-6pm and at Darebin Arts Centre every Thursday from 6-7pm. For more information, call Rocca on 0408 523 742.
Sue Chrysanthou, SC, an in-demand defamation barrister in Sydney, has been given a formal reprimand for unsatisfactory professional conduct by the NSW Bar Council.
Adelaide Writers’ Week director Jo Dyer, a friend of the deceased woman who accused Porter of rape while they were teenagers and a potential witness in the case, sought a court order restraining Chrysanthou from acting for him on the basis that the barrister had already advised her.
Former Attorney General Christian Porter.
Chrysanthou was restrained by Federal Court justice Tom Thawley from acting for Porter, a decision upheld on appeal last year well after the original defamation case was dropped.
Dyer made a separate complaint to the NSW Bar Council against Chrysanthou’s acting for Porter, with the barrister’s reprimand decided at a meeting in June.
Chrysanthou has a period of 28 days in which to seek an appeal against, or review of, the Bar Council’s decision.
The Justice for Cyprus Co-ordinating Committee (SEKA NSW) has announced its program of events to mark the 49th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus this year.
Starting in July in Sydney, the events include a wreath laying ceremony and anti-occupation gathering. Here is the full program of events:
Sunday, July 16:
SEKA NSW is inviting people to a fundraising lunch at the Cyprus Community Club at 58-76 Stanmore Road, Stanmore on Sunday, July 16 at 12.30pm. The lunch will include a documentary screening. All takings on the day will go towards the expenses of the commemoration for the 49th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Tickets are: $60 for adults and $35 for children under 12. For bookings please contact: Cyprus Community Club on 9557 1256, Chris Koulinos on 0404 876 331, or Dr Miranda Adamou on 0417 440 978.
Sunday, July 23:
SEKA NSW has organised a full program of events to commemorate the anniversary on Sunday, July 23.
Starting at 10am, a memorial service will be held in memory of the fallen and prayer for the missing persons at the Cathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady at 242 Cleveland Street, Redfern. From 1.30pm, there will be a wreath laying ceremony at the Martin Place cenotaph. This will be followed by an anti-occupation gathering with speeches and cultural program at the Cyprus Community Club in Stanmore at 3.30pm.
The Deputy Spokeswoman of the Republic of Cyprus, Doxa Komodromou, will be present at the commemorations.
Free buses will be available from the Cyprus Community Club at Stanmore to Martina Place. Busses will be leaving between 12pm and 12.45pm. For more details please call 9557 1256.
