After completing similar projects in other parts of the historic center of Athens, municipal crews have now began cleaning graffiti off street walls in the picturesque Anafiotika neighborhood of Plaka.
The neighbourhood flanks the northeast side of the Acropolis and is popular with visitors during the summer months.
Graffiti has been removed from around the popular neighbourhood of Anafiotika.
Cleaning operations were conducted under the supervision of an archaeologist from the Ephorate of Antiquities.
Crews focused on areas that had been covered by graffiti for many years.
Around 75 liters of special solvent were needed to clean 250 square metres of walls, which were then covered with another material that repels graffiti.
Turkey plans to drill for oil near the Greek islands of Crete, Kasos, Karpathos and Rhodes based on a controversial maritime border agreement signed with the Libyan Government of National Accord in November 2019.
Requests for drilling submitted by the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) to the General Directorate of Mines and Petroleum have been published in the official gazette of Turkey on Saturday.
The requests detail how TPAO wants to conduct hydrocarbon exploration in sections of 24 blocks, all of which come within or beyond 6 nautical miles of the coasts of eastern Crete, Kasos, Karpathos and Rhodes, and overlap the Greek continental shelf.
The sections of 24 blocks where TPAO has requested to drill for oil. Source: SKAI TV.
According to the news website Ahval, Turkish Energy Minister, Fatih Donmez, announced that this drilling for oil may begin in the eastern Mediterranean within three or four months.
“Within the framework of the agreement we reached with Libya, we will be able to start our oil exploration operations there within three to four months,” Donmez said during a ceremony to mark the launch of Turkey’s oil-and-gas drilling ship, the “Fatih.”
Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and other countries oppose the agreement and have flatly termed it illegal.
In fact, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikos Dendias, said on Monday that Greece was ready to deal with Turkey’s latest challenge, if the neighboring country intended to pursue it.
Greek Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikos Dendias, said on Monday that Greece was ready to deal with Turkey’s latest challenge.
“Turkey is trying to usurp the sovereign rights of Greece,” Dendias said in a statement, pointing out that this planned drilling action stems from “the null and void Turkey-Libya memorandum.”
“We should be clear on this. Our positions on this specific issue and on the consequences of Turkey’s illegal conduct are a given. Turkey has repeatedly been informed of these positions. Greece has been and remains fully prepared to respond to this provocation as well, should Turkey decide in the end to go through with it.”
This regional dispute over mineral rights only seems to be deepening as the Turkish ambassador in Athens was also summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Monday to receive a formal complaint from the Greek government.
The process of moving thousands of refugees out of state facilities and subsidised accommodation across the country is to begin on Monday, though authorities have not determined which facilities will be affected first nor how long the process will take.
The Migration Ministry confirmed last Friday that a total of 11,237 refugees will be moved out of state facilities and hotels.
It remained unclear, however, how many of the total are refugees who secured asylum and how many had their applications rejected and therefore, face deportation.
The process of moving thousands of refugees out of state facilities across Greece is to begin on Monday, Source: Ekathimerini.
Those who have been granted asylum will be able to join job training programs and claim social benefits, the Ministry has said, though there is no word on whether the cash assistance provided to them will continue once they leave the facilities.
The Ministry has pledged that vulnerable migrants such as the elderly and unaccompanied minors will get privileged treatment.
This move comes after a new law, passed in November, reduced the period refugees could be sheltered from six months to just one. This period ended on Monday, June 1.
Athens says the move is necessary to alleviate pressure on the more than 32,500 refugees living in squalid camps on the Greek islands.
“It is normal that those who have been in Greece for longer can leave their place,” said Manos Logothetis, Secretary of the Greek Asylum Service. “There must be a limit and the refugees integrate and find a job.”
Greece’s luxury holiday home market is evolving into a new hotspot for the planet’s ultra-rich. The country has appeared on the radars of individuals on the Forbes lists of the wealthiest people, property professionals say. Even more importantly, this is happening while the pandemic is ongoing and despite its consequences on the global economy.
“In the period from May 1 to 25, we recorded a 53.5 percent increase in expressions of interest for the purchase of luxurious holiday residences in Greece, compared to the same period last year,” Savvas Savvaidis, Chairman and CEO at Greece Sotheby’s International Realty, said.
According to Savvaidis, the pandemic has not only failed to hamper demand for Greece, as one might have expected, but has in fact strengthened interest in the country thanks to its successful management of the health crisis.
After all, buyers in this particular category have managed to increase their incomes at this juncture thanks to investment portfolios that include a multitude of tech enterprises, which have benefited considerably from the swing toward teleworking.
“What those investors have always sought after, and even more so today due to the pandemic, is privacy and security. In Greece these are both available in abundance, with the properties being offered to them located on major plots or in isolated areas, and definitely not within major holiday settlements as is the case in other regions in the Mediterranean, such as Spain or the South of France,” Savvaidis explains.
In this context, Sotheby’s data shows that visitor numbers to Greek real estate websites have soared compared with 2019, with a potential market of some 122,400 private investors seen over the next few years.
Another important development is that this year, interested parties have been inquiring about properties that are 25.53 percent more expensive, totaling 3.11 million euros.
The Berejiklian government’s proposal to save $3 billion by freezing public sector wages has been labelled a “slap in the face” by nurses and teachers who worked on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic.
The proposal, announced last week by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, will put a 12-month pause on the 2.5 percent pay rise that 400,000 public sector workers in NSW are entitled to.
President of the NSW Teachers Federation, Angelo Gavrielatos, was one of the first to respond to this news and said the move would be resisted by the Federation’s members.
“This is hardly the recognition teachers and principals deserve after the extraordinary efforts they have made to maintain educational continuity for our students during these unprecedented times,” Mr Gavrielatos told The Greek Herald
Watch The Greek Herald’s exclusive interview with Angelo Gavrielatos about the work of teachers during the pandemic.
“If this pay cut is allowed to proceed, it would result in the loss of thousands of dollars in salary for teachers in the short term and tens of thousands in the longer term through the loss of superannuation savings.”
Similarly, Greek Australian nurse, Helen Zahos, said healthcare workers have sacrificed enough already and the pay cut is “disappointing.”
“We were there in the thick of the pandemic, we faced fears and went to work while others stayed at home to social distance. We feared exposing our family to COVID-19 and some nurses haven’t seen family up close for two months or more,”Ms Zahos said to The Greek Herald.
“During this pandemic, nurses were hailed as heroes and we are rewarding them with a pay freeze. This is unacceptable. Nurses will not be able to support the local economy with a pay freeze. It is our essential workforce that is losing out here.”
Greek Australian nurse, Helen Zahos, said healthcare workers have sacrificed enough already and the pay cut is “disappointing.”
Today, in response to this criticism, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said he wants to provide a one-off payment of $1000 in lieu of a salary increase for nurses, police, paramedics, teachers and train crews.
Mr Gavrielatos said this new “deal” was “unacceptable” as well.
“This offer adds insult to injury. The proposed pay cut is economically counter-productive,” Mr Gavrielatos said.
The Treasurer is now locked in discussion with unions in an attempt to come to a resolution before Parliament sits this week.
Tourists who are longing to visit Greece can still enjoy the magnificent views of the Meteora monasteries and even walk alongside the monks of Mount Athos using a new app called “VR Pilgrim.”
Just by using their own smartphone, tourists can enjoy 360-degree views of two of Greece’s most spectacular sites, the Meteora monasteries and the twenty monasteries atop Mount Athos.
Development Director of VR Treasures, Giorgios Tsatsanidis, said the VR Pilgrim app was launched to provide “comfort and peace” to tourists during the coronavirus pandemic.
“When scientists around the world are working hard on medicine against the virus, when people are facing a new reality with travel limitations and enforced space between them, we’d like to provide peace and comfort in a time when people seem to really need it,” Mr Tsatsanidis said.
The VR Pilgrim app lets you get access to the monasteries of Mount Athos. Source: VR Treasures.
“It is the first app in the world that makes it possible for anyone to touch, virtually, the greatest shrines and relics of the Christian world, filmed in the corners of our planet that are unique and sometimes off-limits to most travellers.”
Starets Kirill, Archimandrite of the cell of St. Nicholaos Halkias of Mount Athos, who was directly involved in the filming process, said: “Two years ago, when we blessed VR Treasures for the creation of a virtual library about the treasures of Athos, no one could imagine how relevant this would become.”
“In the actual situation, VR Pilgrim is the only opportunity to see the holy places with your own eyes,” Archimandrite Kirill emphasised.
In the case of Mt. Athos, which only accepts male pilgrims as visitors, this is indeed a rare chance for females to view the stunning monastic buildings constructed atop the mountainous crags of the peninsula.
Moreover, there are about 30 VR films where monks share their cooking recipes which have been kept secret for centuries. Interviewers’ stories and voice-over text in English, Greek, Russian and soon in Chinese, also lets everyone find out many interesting facts that have never been published anywhere before.
The Meteora monasteries, located northwest of the town of Kalabaka, were built atop the rocks of Meteora, rising more than 600 meters into the sky. With their spectacular setting and magnificent views, the monasteries are also listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
The VR Pilgrim app is available for download on Google Play and the App Store.
Nearly 1,000 Greeks are seeking the return of 300 million euros, which were confiscated from uninsured bank deposits by the Republic of Cyprus in 2013.
Greek depositors delivered a letter to lawmakers in Nicosia on Friday, asking for pressure to be placed on Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis to return their money before it goes to international mediation.
In the letter, containing 956 Greek plaintiffs, it was noted that the World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has agreed to hear their claim, and will likely rule in their favor.
They further said that in February, the ICSID ruled that they have jurisdiction over Greek claims to recover 300 million euros in bonds and deposits that were confiscated by Cyprus as part of the 2013 financial bailout by European institutions.
The ICSID has announced they will hear the case in November 2021.
The Greek Foreign Ministry has condemned Turkey for allowing the reading of the Koran inside Hagia Sophia on the anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople.
In a statement, the Ministry said the move was “an unacceptable attempt to alter the monumental character of Hagia Sophia,” as well as a challenge to the religious sentiment of Christians everywhere.
“This action is an insult to the international community and once again exposes Turkey, which has an obligation to respect both the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and UNESCO, of which it is a member,” the statement reads.
“We once again call on Turkey to respect its international obligations and stop putting domestic expediencies ahead of its very privileged role as guardian of a monument as important as Hagia Sophia, which belongs to all of humanity.”
Hagia Sophia’s walls were also covered in Turkish motifs on the anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople. Source: SKAI.TV.
Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO world heritage site, was built as a Greek Orthodox church in 535 AD. Following the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, it was converted into a mosque. The conquest of Istanbul is celebrated on May 29 every year.
As we are in National Reconciliation Week, I feel the need to join my voice with the voices of all those who struggled throughout the decades to achieve reconciliation in this Australian nation.
I feel the need to direct my steps towards the path taken by those who crossed Sydney’s Harbour Bridge 20 years ago, as well as all those who – in the past but also in the years to come – “built” small or large bridges of solidarity, mutual respect, trust and reconciliation between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
I strongly believe that the faithful of our holy Archdiocese present a good testimony and walk this blessed path with dedication. Besides, respect and unconditional love for one’s neighbour are basic tenets of our Christian teaching.
For the future, it is the duty and responsibility of all of us to preserve what Australian society has achieved to date and to contribute, with perseverance and without complacency, in the utter attainment of the concept of reconciliation. To attain this presupposes that we look at history with respect and honesty in order to recognise and acknowledge the mistakes of the past and to turn with loving eyes towards our neighbour and to strive daily for new inroads that will allow us to come even closer together. Steps that will allow us to say with one voice – “In this together!”
Kayla
Grigoriou is a South Australian gin distiller, coming from a family of
passionate winemakers of Spartan heritage. When the coronavirus pandemic hit
her community, she knew she had to help. So, she pivoted her Port Road
distillery’s production line, to produce hand sanitiser.
“One
night over dinner my parents, sister and I were discussing the effects COVID-19
was having not only globally, but more importantly on us, locally. We realised
that we could make a small difference to our community by turning our still
from making gin and start making ethanol for sanitiser.
“By
running the still 24 hours a day, bottling, labeling and blending our unique
ingredients we could not only diminish the shortage of sanitiser but we could
also bring back a couple of our staff members who had their hours considerably
reduced due to the effects COVID-19 was having on our company,” Grigoriou told The Greek Herald.
Kayla’s brand, ‘Needle & Pin’ is currently producing more than 2,000 bottles of hand sanitiser per day. She says, “we will continue making it, for as long as there is a need for it.”
Kayla Grigoriou turned gin into sanitiser to assist the local community. Photo: Supplied
Local winemakers hit
hard
Kayla’s
family has been operating their brand, Portia Valley Wines, for more than 40
years but this one, has been extremely hard especially for local winemakers.
The
Australian wine industry has had a challenging start to the year, between
bushfires, the coronavirus pandemic and trade wars in US and China markets.
“Covid-19,
has just been another obstacle we have had to overcome this year,” Grigoriou
said.
“We
initially felt the effects of Covid-19 back in January when China was at it’s
most vulnerable and shut down all sales. For us majority of our wine is
distributed overseas – especially Asia. Locally, we have seen that people are
buying more.”
The Grigoriou family
resilience
Sustaining
a family business for four generations comes at a cost but for the Grigoriou
family, it’s a matter of drawing knowledge from their ancestors’ knowledge.
“Over
four generations we have had different roles. Our family has taken the skills
and knowledge of past generations to build upon what seems to be our family
destiny!
“My father found that export was exceptionally important to the wine industry of Australia. We continue to move with our industry and as anyone tries to predict future trends, the ability to be fluid and willing to adapt is important for future growth,” Grigoriou said.
The Grigoriou family. Photo: Supplied
Although
a fourth generation Greek Australian, Kayla keeps her Spartan heritage close to
her heart.
“I will always remember the emotional power of storytelling left behind by my great grandfather growing up in Monemvasia and his stories of growing the Malvasia grape and the art of wine making has defiantly shaped us and me in particular. We are who we are today because of Pappou Christos. He certainly left a legacy”.
Asking
what her advice to the future female gin distillers is, this is what she
replied:
“It
is fair to say that in the distilling business majority are men, but that’s not
to say there aren’t amazing women distillers around the world. We have to fight
a bit harder to be recognized and considered. My advice to the future female
distillers is to go forward with it, guns blazing!
