Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has added to mounting criticism against Greece for its alleged migrant pushbacks.
Akar said the Greek government has “aggressive” and “expansionist” policies during a defence meeting in Turkey on Monday.
“The efforts of the Hellenic Coast Guard to pierce the inflatables of innocent defenceless people in the middle of the sea, as well as to shoot them, this is really a great crime against humanity,” he said.
He went on to accuse Athens of inflaming tensions between the two countries by making “repeated and continuous provocations, aggressive statements and actions that… in violation of international law, distort and mislead”.
Turkey’s ruling party spokesman Omar Çelik (Photo: AA)
Spokesman of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party Omer Celik this weekend accused Greek forces of stabbing migrant dinghies.
“Without the Turkish Coast Guard, these people would have died,” he claimed.
Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar reaffirmed his stance on the occupation of troops on the island during the meeting.
Tatar said calls for Turkey to withdraw the troops is “a dream that is impossible to realise”.
Since 2012, Councillor Harry Stavrinos has been serving the constituents of West Ward and the Greater Randwick community. Now, he is up for re-election at the upcoming local council elections in New South Wales on December 4.
As Cr Stavrinos hits the campaign trail, we sit down with him to discuss his political career and what his plans are if he is re-elected.
1. How did you get into politics?
From a young age, politics has always been a focal point of discussion within our household, but I don’t consider myself to be a politician. I consider myself to be a ‘Statesman’ – someone who has been elected by the people for the people.
In 2012, I was given the opportunity to run in the West Ward as part of the Randwick City Council and through hard work and determination, I was elected.
2.Does your Greek heritage influence your work?
Ancient Greece was the foundation of democracy and being of Greek heritage, I feel that it’s in our blood to fight for what’s right and to give a voice to the “silent majority.”
Common sense is not so common anymore and people are fed up with politicians who are motivated by their own self-interests and political agendas. My passion is to serve our community because nothing gives me more pleasure than hearing the words “thank you” after fighting for a cause or delivering infrastructure for the community.
Cr Stavrinos at a Greek Independence Day ceremony organised by Randwick City Council to commemorate the bicentenary this year.
3. What have you achieved so far as a Councillor?
Since being elected in 2012, I have delivered more than $20 million in major infrastructure projects not including footpaths, drainage, kerbs, gutters and playgrounds.
These projects include the $4.3 million Kensington Community Centre, the $2.5 million Meeks Street Plaza, the $13 million parking initiatives for Kingsford and Kensington, and the upgrading of playgrounds at Kensington Park, Kokoda Park and Fitzgerald Park.
Other things include:
Fought against Councils Kingsford to Kensington(K2K) Town Centre Strategy which would see 20-storey high rises being built along Anzac Parade.
Fought against the Labor/Greens 20% increase to council rates.
Opposed inappropriate over-development.
Supported local business by delivering greater amenity and improving town centres through activations and markets.
Increased pensioner rebates.
Protected solar access of parks and playgrounds.
Introduced grass-cutting services for pensioners.
Introduced verge and nature strip programs to beautify our city.
Fought to address parking and traffic issues caused by state and federal government policies.
4.What are your plans if you are re-elected this year?
Cr Stavrinos being the emcee for the Kingsford Noodle Market event, which is held annually in Kingsford to help promote local businesses.
If I’m re-elected in December, I have devised a 9-Point plan:
1) Fight for Grassroots Local Government Issues- Politics and factions shouldn’t play any role in Council and I will continue to focus on roads, rates and rubbish.
2) Continue to oppose High-Rise Development and inappropriate over-development.
3) Continue to deliver record spending on capital expenditure.
4) Continue to protect and fight for more green space.
5) Ease parking pressures on our streets.
6) Conduct more community consultation with my office in Kingsford being open to everyone.
7) Continue to hold council fiscally responsible.
8) Increase pensioner rebates.
9) Introduce more waste services for families upon request.
5.What message do you have for our readers and the Greek Australian community more broadly?
There is no greater honour than to “serve your community” and to fight for what you believe in.
Politics and factions should play no role in local government and when voting on December 4th, look to support the person, not the major parties.
Greek Australians should look to support fellow Hellenes because if we remain united, we will never be defeated.
6. Is there anything else you would like to add?
VOTE 1- HARRY STAVRINOS (INDEPENDENT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY CANDIDATE)
National and international borders are slowly reopening in Australia and COVID-19 restrictions are easing in certain states and territories as the country hits the 80% double dose vaccination rate.
For Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, this new COVID normal means it’s time for the government to step back and for Greek Australians to “get on with life and enjoy the freedoms that should be theirs.”
“The Greek Australian community is renowned for their community and entrepreneurial spirit, even in challenging times. This has been clear for all to see throughout the pandemic where they have shown great support for each other and the wider Australian community,” Mr Morrison told The Greek Herald.
“As Australia safely reopens and stays safely open, the Greek Australian community can once again freely get back to doing the things they have missed for so long, attending religious services, celebrating milestones, keeping their business and investments strong and travelling overseas.”
Scott Morrison is encouraging Greek Australians to “get on with life.”
‘Sense of freedom is in our DNA’:
For Greek Australian entrepreneurs who have invested in Greece and commute between the two countries for business, this restoration of their freedoms and the reopening of the international borders is exciting.
Lefka Georgantis, co-owner of the White Pebble Suites in Pollonia, Milos is one of these entrepreneurs.
“When we are in Greece, we hear from other hoteliers how much they miss their Australian clients,” Lefka said.
“It’s really exciting that Australians will be able to travel again after almost two years of restrictions. We need to move forward.”
Lefka Georgantis is the co-owner of the White Pebble Suites in Pollonia, Milos.
The CEO of Christopher’s Cake Shop, Kyriakos Panayi, couldn’t agree more and tells The Greek Herald he’s also happy to be back in business serving a variety of handcrafted cakes, pastries and Greek inspired desserts across 10 locations in Sydney.
“We lost 60 percent of our revenue across the stores during the lockdown but almost immediately after [lockdown ended] sales skyrocketed again,” Mr Panayi says.
“Staff hours are also up pre-lockdown and that’s very important from a mental health perspective… because a job is the best form of safety and security for anyone.”
Mr Panayi adds that now it’s time to enjoy our newfound freedoms as we adjust to the new COVID normal.
CEO of Christopher’s Cake Shop, Kyriakos Panayi.
“Being of Greek descent, that sense of freedom is in our DNA. It’s a Eureka moment and kind of brings you to tears,” he says.
“Whether it’s from a business, personal or emotional perspective, we have to learn to live with the virus and we can’t be locked down again.”
Businesses in western and south-western Sydney would relate to this piece of advice the most considering they were some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 lockdown imposed on NSW this year.
That’s why Mr Morrison has also recently announced the Federal Government will continue to back small and medium-sized businesses in those regions to secure Australia’s recovery from COVID.
When Year 9 Adelaide High students and their teacher arrive for their annual catch up with members of the Greek Union of Aged Pensioners at Thebarton Community Centre in Adelaide, the joy can be seen on the faces of all.
“Please welcome our lovely children who are here with us today, what a happy day this is,” sounds a firm but happy female voice in the loudspeaker.
The students, split in groups of two or three and join the seniors who sit around the tables sipping on Greek coffee and chatting vibrantly with their friends while encouraging the youth to join in.
“Poio einai to onoma sou (what is your name) and apo poio meros tis Elladas eisai (where in Greece are you from),” the students ask the pensioners in Greek as they try to write the answers on a piece of paper they have in front of them.
As the intergenerational project begins for another year, a synergistic vibe fills the community centre.
“We have been doing these visits for four years now. It’s all about connecting young people with the older generation and making sure their language and stories will be carried on to the future,” Adelaide High Modern Greek Teacher, Dimitra Rozaklis, said.
“The students will go back to school and write a short biography of the person they interviewed and they will then give this back to the community.”
Most of the pensioners have their own children and grandchildren to interact with but are happy to see that young people not necessarily of Greek background are interested in learning the language.
“It is very encouraging that they [students] can speak Greek,” Dimitra Georgiadi, 74, said.
Ms Georgiadi immigrated to Australia from Nauplion in 1966 in search of a better life and had been a fruit picker for more than three decades until she retired in 1999.
Photo L: Year 9 Adelaide High School Student, Electra with Ms Dimitra Georgiadi
“Life was very hard in the beginning. I was picking peas and had to fill up a sack to make one dollar and later on I was picking apricots for 90 cents a tray.
“When I had kids, I used to put them in the car and take them to the orchards with me. When it was too hot, I had to cover the top part of the car with a damp blanket to keep the temperature low,” she said.
For Year 9 student, Electra, socialising with Ms Georgiadi has been a great experience.
“Finding out about their stories and knowledge and what they’ve been through is really exciting. I really like seeing them be happy and lighting up about us coming here.”
Photo R: Year 9 Adelaide High Greek Class Student Raiyana
Student Raiyana started learning Greek in primary school and continued her studies through high school because she didn’t want the knowledge to go wasted and she developed an interest in the culture.
She said she can relate with the elderly on a different level.
“My family also migrated to Australia from Sri Lanka 11 years ago and although I was young, I have memories of how hard life was for them at times, back then,” Raiyana said.
Greek Union of Aged Pensioners of Thebarton & Suburbs Committee. From L to R: Secretary Kathy Milohis, President Diomitrios Papanikolas, former President Pota Varkaris and Katerina Keliouris
“Looking at them [the elderly] I understand how hard it must have been to start a life from scratch. I am happy to be here and keep them company.”
President of the Pensioner’s Union, Dimitrios Papanikolas, says the intergenerational project is a great initiative and wishes the students could visit more often.
“I love kids and their efforts are really remarkable.The feedback we get from our members is great. We hope we can have the students again with us for our Christmas party.”
Parents of working teens are being urged to make the most of Australia’s superannuation incentives and compound interest to give their children a powerful kickstart to building wealth.
According to The Australian, big benefits can flow from the government co-contribution scheme, which pays up to $500 a year into a low-income earner’s super fund if they contribute up to $1000 of their own money – less than $20 a week.
Financial strategist, Theo Marinis, started contributing to his daughter Sophia’s superannuation when she began part-time work at a supermarket at 14.
Financial strategist, Theo Marinis.
He told The Australian he doesn’t regret it as Sophia “is now 27 years old and has a super balance approximately 2.7 times the recommended super balance for a 30-year-old.”
“It’s definitely worth doing – it’s amazing how quickly it compounds and it sets them up and teaches them,” Theo said.
Sofia couldn’t agree more and told the newspaper she “feels a sense of security” knowing her superannuation is “compounding nicely in the background.”
“Superannuation is not something to sleep on – the sooner you start, the better off you’ll be,” she said.
A shortage of material supplies and labour have hit Western Australia’s construction industry as the state’s strong local economy and lack of COVID-19 translates into a building boom.
According to the Executive Director of the Master Builders of WA, John Gelavis, an increase of 30 to 40 percent in material costs is not uncommon.
“It’s very difficult because these increases are happening at a rate of knots and they’re quite severe increases,” Mr Gelavis told The Australian.
Executive Director of the Master Builders of WA, John Gelavis.
Mr Gelavis said that supply and demand issues meant a single-story home that would have previously taken eight to 10 months to build will now take 12 to 16 months.
“There’s obviously a strong pipeline of work being built. The challenges are around the supply of materials and trade contractors,” he told the newspaper.
There are hopes the looming end of interstate and international border restrictions may provide some relief as extra workers enter WA.
Frank Poullas, the Chairman of ASX-listed company Magnis Energy, has been re-elected at an investor vote, The Daily Telegraph reports.
This comes despite Mr Poullas confirming that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has requested documents relating to the irregular trading of the company’s shares.
The AFP raided his home in September as part of the ASIC investigation.
But Mr Poullas told investors on Monday he had no involvement in possible artificial inflation of the Magnis share price – a practice known as “pump and dump.”
Magnis Energy hub in Townsville.
Sources suggest the ASIC investigation is focused on posts about Magnis Energy on messaging platform Telegram and on stockmarket discussion board HotCopper.
Mr Poullas told investors that no director was involved in the Telegram group that was discussing Magnis shares.
The company has had a string of resignations in the last few months including Richard Petty, who joined the board in March and chaired the company’s audit and risk committee, the ex-Macquarie executive Warwick Smith and former NSW deputy premier Troy Grant.
Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, has paid a three-day visit to Manama, the capital of Bahrain, and on his last day he met with his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.
During their meeting, the two Foreign Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultations, Ekathimerini reports.
“The positions of Greece and Bahrain converge on a number of key areas, especially in terms of its approach to international law and the international law of the sea,” Dendias said after the meeting.
I was warmly welcomed by #Bahrain FM Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. Μy official visit is an opportunity to advance bilateral political & economic relations. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/oriYABKfo2
“Bahrain is a country which has always stood by us in international organisations, supported our candidacy for the UN Security Council, and has condemned the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque.”
Greek diplomatic sources said Dendias used the visit to boost the collaboration of the legal departments of the foreign ministries of both countries.
The two Foreign Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultations.
Dendias was the only EU minister to attend the Manama Dialogue Forum, the biggest regional conference on security issues, which was also attended by the US Defense Secretary and Israel’s National Security Adviser.
During his visit, Dendias was received by King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to whom he extended President Katerina Sakellaropoulou’s invitation to visit Greece at the earliest opportunity.
Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar, has accused Greece of “playing the victim card” in its relations with Turkey.
“[Greece] has repeatedly and constantly made provocations, aggressive statements and actions which raise tension,” Akar said on Monday.
He added that the government in Athens is “falsifying facts and misleading [other states],” while being the one which, in fact, violates international law.
“[Greece] is making selfish statements in order to draw attention to itself,” Akar said.
Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar.
“They are trying to portray themselves as the victim and Turkey as the aggressor. However, history and ongoing developments clearly show that it is them who are adopting an expansionist and aggressive policy.”
This statement comes just days after Turkey’s Defence Ministry alleged Greek coast guard units had pushed and shot at inflatable migrant boats as they made the treacherous journey from Turkey to Greece.
Greece has recently come under fire by Turkey and the European Union after allegations emerged the country’s coastguard was illegally pushing back migrants, but Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has repeatedly denied these claims.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has met with His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Athens today to discuss a number of issues currently concerning the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
During the meeting, Mitsotakis told Patriarch Bartholomew that the reopening of the Theological School of Halki remains a high priority for the Greek government.
The two leaders also discussed the outstanding issues concerning the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek minority in Turkey.
Είχα την τιμή σήμερα να υποδεχθώ τον Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη κ.κ. Βαρθολομαίο, στο πλαίσιο της επίσκεψης που πραγματοποιεί στην Αθήνα για τον εορτασμό για τα 30 έτη από την εκλογή του στον Οικουμενικό Θρόνο. https://t.co/1vD2Xy5Tfjpic.twitter.com/Cv82GX1psi
Mitsotakis assured His Holiness of the continued support of Greece at the bilateral and international level with regards to his demands for the religious freedoms of Orthodox Christians in Turkey.
For his part, the Patriarch informed Mitsotakis about the latest developments following his recent visit to the United States and his contacts with the American leadership.
The Patriarch arrived in Greece on Saturday.
The Patriarch is currently in Athens for an official visit to mark the 30th anniversary since his enthronement.
Over the weekend, he led a mass with Archbishop of Athens and members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece at the Athens Cathedral for the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary.
The service was also attended by Education and Religion Minister, Niki Kerameus, Culture and Sports Minister, Lina Mendoni, Tourism Minister, Vassilis Kikilias, and Athens Mayor, Kostas Bakoyannis.
