The waves of the Aegean Sea softly wash on the tables and chairs of two beach restaurants in Greece’s Halkidiki peninsula, creating what can be described as an exquisite setting, yet one that is completely illegal.
According to The Australian, only after local protests last summer about bars and restaurants illegally covering beaches with sunbeds and tables is the Greek state taking action, cracking down on rogue tourist practices with surveillance drones, satellite imagery and a special app on which people can post complaints.
64-year-old pensioner, Evgenia Rapti, who has a summer home near Pefkochori beach, is one of many locals outraged by the inexorable growth of Greece’s tourism industry.
Sunbed wars: Greece tries to rein in beach chaos. Photo: Republic online.
“The whole beach has been taken over” with tables, chairs and deckchairs. When we bought our house 40 years ago, it was completely different. The beach was empty and it was nice to lie there,” Rapti said.
Beach activist, George Theodoridis weighed in on the matter, speaking to the importance of the app that helps locals with complaints.
“I can click directly in the app at the location where I am and file a report saying that (this private operator) does not have a licence,” Theodoridis said.
Close to 6,000 complaints from the public have been logged on a national scale via the new, official, MyCoast app since April this year.
This follows new laws made in March of this year that have stated umbrellas and deck chairs must be at least four metres from the water, with rentals not permitted on beaches that have less than four metres of sand.
Wildfires are breaking out across Greece, with more erupting on Tuesday on Evia Island, Attica, and Thebes, Central Greece.
According to Ekathimerini, a wildfire in the Paximada region of Karystos, Evia, is destroying low vegetation but allegedly poses no threat to communities. 38 firemen and 14 vehicles have been rushed to the location, with four planes and one helicopter providing air assistance.
Wildfires continue to burn in Greece. This is in Varis-Koropiou, Attica, near factories and houses. Fire chief Vassilis Vathrakogiannis described the day as very difficult, noting that new fires are breaking out almost every 10 minutes. pic.twitter.com/YlOY7x2KOL
A wildfire has also started in the Markopoulo region of eastern Attica, destroying low vegetation, while another wildfire has also broken out in an agricultural area near the Thebes hospital in Central Greece.
Roughly 44 firefighters with nine vehicles have been deployed in the area as two aircraft and two helicopters continue to contribute to the firefighting efforts.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection reported a very high fire danger across Attica, Evia, Crete, and the North Aegean islands.
Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek mayor-elect of the Albanian town of Himare, will remain in prison after an Albanian court rejected his appeal on Tuesday.
Beleri was elected mayor of the coastal town on the Albanian riviera in May 2023, just two days after being arrested for vote-buying. Beleri defeated his opponent by 19 votes after allegedly offering 40,000 Albanian leks (€355 at the time) to buy eight votes.
In March 2024, he was sentenced to two years in prison. The rejection of appeal means he will have to stay there until mid-October.
Fredi Beleri’s request for release rejected again.
On Wednesday, Beleri released a statement commenting on the court of appeal’s decision, calling it a “parody of justice.” Beleri said he expected the decision and that it had been planned by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
“The problem from now on will be Edi Rama’s, not mine. In the end, light always overcomes darkness,” Beleri said.
Greece’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement on Wednesday and said the court’s appeal decision “confirmed concerns over the level of the rule of law and the protection of minorities in Albania.”
📌 Ανακοίνωση Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών για τη σημερινή απόφαση του Εφετείου Τιράνων
The Foreign Ministry added that Greece had expressed concerns over many aspects of the case, including the violation of the presumption of innocence, the disproportionate sentence imposed by the court, as well as the denial of Beleri’s right to be sworn in.
The ministry reminded Albanian authorities of their obligation to allow Beleri to attend the sessions of the European Parliament.
The Cyprus Community of New South Wales has been struck by a significant data breach, leading to a wave of unauthorised communications sent to its members.
The breach has compromised both personal and Club data, resulting in false correspondence claiming to be from the Community or individuals associated with it.
The Community disclosed the breach following numerous complaints from members about suspicious emails and letters. These communications falsely claimed to be from the Cyprus Community of NSW or its affiliates.
In an urgent announcement, the Community advised all members to:
Ignore Unsolicited Correspondence: Do not respond to any SMS, email, or letter from individuals or entities claiming to be associated with the Club.
Avoid Sending Money: Do not send money in response to any such communications.
Verify Authenticity: Do not rely on the authenticity of any unsolicited correspondence.
Protect Personal Information: Do not share your personal details, including email addresses and mobile numbers, with anyone claiming affiliation with the Club.
Limit Online Interactions: Do not engage in online interactions with individuals or groups claiming links to the Club.
The Community has reassured its members that their private contact details were not disclosed to any third party.
The Community emphasised that the claims made in the unauthorised correspondence are inaccurate and should be disregarded.
In response to this breach, the Community has expressed it will be implementing additional security measures to protect its data. The breach is considered a serious criminal offence, involving the unauthorised access of data and personal member details.
The Community will soon formally announce the outcome of the EOI campaign and invite members to review the proposals. Until then, members are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
On Monday 24 June, the Lord Mayor of Adelaide Dr Jane Lomax-Smith held a reception in honour of the centenary of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA). Archbishop Makarios and the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide joined the City of Adelaide to commemorate and celebrate this significant and important milestone of the GOAA.
Addressing guests, the Lord Mayor emphasised the deep contribution that the Greek diaspora has made to the city and the Adelaide City Council, changing the face of Adelaide from the roots of society. The Lord Mayor expressed her admiration for the contribution of the church to the community, and all the men and women who have upheld their faith and cultural traditions.
Archbishop Makarios thanked the Lord Mayor for her cordial and welcoming reception, expressing his gratitude to be a part of the Australian multicultural fabric.
The Archbishop acknowledged that the GOAA began its journey with challenges, but that “our migrant forebearers had deep faith in God, trusting in Him and relied on the protection of the Holy Mother of God.” He expressed that in so doing, and “with their utter determination and hard work, along with their self-sacrificing mindset and ethos, the Grace of the Holy Spirit blessed their endeavours and enabled our church to bear fruit and flourish.”
The Archbishop commended the parish priests, presidents and committees for their great efforts, as well as emphasising the importance of organisations such as the Greek Welfare Centre, St Basil’s Homes and schools like St George College.
SA Minister for Transport, Tom Koutsantonis finalised proceedings thanking Archbishop Makarios, Bishop Silouan of Sinope and the clergy, emphasising that without the Archdiocese and its guidance, its truth and its offer of true communion with Christ, the maintenance of the Orthodox faith would not be possible.
As state Treasurer in 2016, Minister Koutsantonis provided $100,000 of support to St George Church in Port Pirie, the first Greek Orthodox Church in South Australia, ensuring its maintenance and longevity for the community.
Minister Koutsantonis finalised proceedings by supporting the unification amongst Greek communities and the Orthodox church in the state.
“South Australia is the last remaining jurisdiction where there are some difficulties. Those difficulties, like a good father and shepherd, our Archbishop wants to heal… with love, and it is beautiful what he is attempting to do. And the South Australian Government… is fully committed in any power possible that we have… to unify our Church,” he said.
Specials guests present at the event included: The Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport representing the Hon. Peter Malinauskas MP – Premier of South Australia; His Excellency Stavros Venizelos, Ambassador of Greece in Australia; The Hon. Andrea Michaels MP, Minister for Small and Family Business, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs and Minister for Arts; The Hon. Jing Lee MLC, Deputy Leader of the Opposition; The Hon. Connie Bonaros MLC, The Hon. Olivia Savvas MP; The Hon. Cressida O’Hanlon MP; The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Adelaide Dr Jane Lomax-Smith; Archbishop Makarios – Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia; Bishop Silouan of Sinope; Consul-General of Greece in Adelaide, Mr George Psiachas; Deputy Lord Mayor Keiran Snape; Councillor Mary Couros; and Dr Vladamir Devrelis, President of the Greek Orthodox Intercommunities Council of South Australia.
Founder and CEO of Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM and his team raised just under one and a half million dollars for World Refugee Day in 17 hours.
In a post on X last Thursday, June 20, Karapanagiotidis shared how the ASRC team raised $1,384,790 as of 11 pm on World Refugee Day. By Monday, 24th, the $1.4 million target had reportedly been reached.
Karapanagiotidis also thanked those who donated to the cause later in the post.
$1,384,790 our World Refugee Day total as of 11pm 🥳❤️
While we just missed our target of $1.4M we reached a more important one today.
A day where the stories & contributions of refugees were celebrated & you stood up for a more compassionate & fairer Australia. Thank you ❤️🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/jwSNgrdILw
The Melbournian of the Year for 2023 has established a virtuous domain of volunteers, many of whom are refugees and migrants themselves.
As the son of migrants who fled war-torn Greece in the 1950s, his aim continues to encourage every second and third generation of Greeks, born here, to remember where they have come from.
The Cyprus 50th Anniversary Action Group is calling on all members of the Cypriot and Hellenic communities, along with their friends and supporters, to join in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the illegal Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus.
This solemn occasion will take place on Sunday, July 21 at Federation Square in Melbourne, beginning at 2pm with a flag-raising ceremony and wreath laying at 2:30pm. It will be followed by speeches from the Mayor of Melbourne, State and Federal politicians, and community and church leaders.
There will also be a choir and well-known singers, including Marios Charalambous, who will sing beloved and moving songs such as “Ena to Helidoni,” “Tis dikaiosynis Ilie Noite.”
Group photo of Victorians marking the anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus at the Australian Hellenic Memorial in Melbourne in 2023. All photos copyright: The Greek Herald / Marianna Alepidis.
Cypriots will gather at Federation Square to remember that:
50 years ago, Cyprus was invaded and 36% of the island occupied by Turkey.
Over 30,000 Turkish troops are still stationed in Cyprus.
175,000 Greek Cypriots were forcefully removed from their homes.
Thousands were killed during the invasion, and more than 1,000 are still missing.
No country except Turkey recognises the puppet regime in the North.
The UN, EU, and Australia support a free, united Cyprus.
The occupation violates democracy, human rights, and international law.
The Cyprus 50th Anniversary Action Group said it believes it has a duty to honour the memory of all those who died and are missing and express its solidarity with the thousands of displaced families. It denounced the Turkish extremist propaganda that attempts to rewrite history by calling the invasion and occupation “50 years of peace.”
The Cyprus 50th Anniversary Action Group is calling on communities to join in marking the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
Theo Theophanous, President of the Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria, declared, “We take pride in our Hellenic history, religion, and culture, and, along with all Philhellenes, we are advocating for peace and a free, unified Cyprus.”
“We pay homage those who have died, are missing, or displaced. We commend the Australian Government for 60 years of peacekeeping in Cyprus and its support for a unified Cyprus alongside the UN and EU. We reject the divisive efforts to establish two separate countries in Cyprus. We urge everyone who seeks justice for Cyprus and its people to come to Federation Square and show their support,” Mr Theophanous added.
Pavlos Andronikos, President of SEKA Victoria, said, “In this 50th year since our island was torn in two, it is imperative that we do not forget.”
“Turkey has unleashed a campaign to persuade governments around the world to recognise its illegal state built on stolen, ethnically-cleansed territory. We must do our utmost to prevent any such recognition, and to push for Turkish withdrawal, and a satisfactory and just settlement of intercommunal differences. The results of a criminal invasion, partition by force, and ethnic cleansing must not be accepted,” Mr Andronikos said.
“Recently, when just a few of us raised our voice, we managed to prevent “the president” of our occupied territory from being acknowledged in any meaningful way by the Australian government when he came knocking. In the last few days, we also managed to prevent the formation of an Azerbaijan friendship group in our Victorian Parliament. We can influence events, and we must. Just think what a powerful message will be sent if we fill Federation Square with Hellenes—from Cyprus, from the islands, from the mainland. This year more than ever we must stand together, raise our voices, and demand what is right—Justice At Last!”
The first of 129 skilled workers from Adelaide-based ASC, including nuclear shift test engineer, Peter Courtis will leave for Pearl Harbor on Saturday to work on US nuclear-powered submarines in the first AUKUS training program of its type.
According to Adelaide Now, four engineers and nuclear experts met on Friday with Defence Minister Richard Marles and Premier Peter Malinauskas, ahead of United States training placements lasting between 18 and 46 months.
They are among the first 30 ASC employees to be sent to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Hawaii, where they will receive direct training in the repair of Virginia Class nuclear-powered submarines alongside their US counterparts.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Premier Peter Malinauskas at a ceremonial cutting of the first piece of steel to be use. Photo: Adelaide Now.
“These highly skilled workers already have decades of combined submarine experience, having sustained our Collins Class submarines, and now have the opportunity to be upskilled by our US counterparts in sustaining nuclear-powered submarines.” Nuclear health technician, Gary Cluse said.
“We’ll obviously be the first cohort from a knowledge base outside of Australia and we’ll come back to Australia and bring that knowledge with us to build the sustainability for our defence.”
By January, 129 ASC workers would be at Pearl Harbor for naval propulsion training. This will be a combination of classroom and on-the-job instruction. They will return to crucial responsibilities in WA, directing the maintenance of US and UK nuclear-powered submarines at the Garden Island naval facility near Perth as early as 2027.
In addition, the ASC workers will return as leaders to pass on their skills and train other workers at ASC, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation.
Perth Glory can confirm that its Liberty A-League Head Coach, Alex Epakis, has given notice of his intention to depart the club at the end of July for personal reasons.
Epakis is the longest-serving Head Coach in Glory’s ALW history having overseen 66 games across the past four seasons.
Although his tenure coincided with some challenging times for the club, the 33-year-old viewed it as an overwhelmingly positive experience at both a personal and professional level.
“Despite the strategy and plans collectively put in place for next season by myself, Football Director Stan Lazaridis and CEO Anthony Radich, I have made the difficult decision to step down from my position due to personal reasons,” he said.
“The ongoing support of Anthony, Stan and previous management has been exceptional across my time at the club and I appreciate their understanding of my decision.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and opportunity of coaching the Perth Glory ALW team.
“It has been an experience which won’t be forgotten and a responsibility which I have sincerely valued.
Alex Epakis coaching. File Photo.
“To the best of my ability, I was unwavering in my attempt to lead the squad, achieve on-field competitiveness and foster a strong team identity during a period of great uncertainty for the club.
“I am deeply appreciative of the connection formed with all the Members, fans and sponsors and the support they provided for the team.
“I have also hugely valued the opportunity to work with the players and staff across the four seasons.
“I’m extremely grateful to the playing group for the respect and belief they’ve shown me across my tenure, and I wish them all the absolute best.
“I believe the club is heading in the right direction and that the strong leadership of Anthony, Stan and the Pelligra Group will no doubt return Perth Glory to its competitive best.
“I look forward to seeing the club progress and achieve future success.”
Radich, meanwhile, acknowledged the dedication and resilience shown by the outgoing Head Coach.
“Alex has made a significant contribution to the club over the past four years and we will be very sad to see him go,” he said.
“That said, we understand the personal sacrifices he has made and appreciate that he now needs to reassess and reset.
“Alex has worked incredibly hard to strengthen our ALW program and laid a very solid foundation for his successor to build upon as the club moves forward.
“On behalf of everyone associated with the club, I would like to sincerely thank him for all his efforts and wish him all the very best for the future.”
The club will confirm the appointment of a new ALW Head Coach in due course.
Strathfield GP, Dr Peter Alexakis who fought the Salvation Army in court to claim $24 million from a patient’s estate was reprimanded with more than a dozen conditions placed on his registration by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) on Friday, June 21.
In bringing the action to the NCAT, the Health Care Complaints Commission stated that Alexakis posed an unacceptable risk to the public and that his registration should now be suspended or cancelled.
Five complaints were upheld by the tribunal relating to cancelling or suspending Alexakis’ registration, yet it was concluded that simply placing conditions on his registration “would adequately protect the health and safety of the public.”
The Strathfield property left by Raymond McClure to Peter Alexakis. Photo: The Daily Telegraph.
The tribunal described the recent court proceedings as a “harrowing experience” for Alexakis, and that they had “opened his eyes” to the gravity of his conduct which included prescribing addictive drugs.
“Realistically, having regard to his age, and the professional development which [Alexakis] has undertaken in the past six and a half years, little purpose would be served in suspending his registration,” the tribunal said in its decision.
Under the restrictions currently enforced by the tribunal, Alexakis cannot possess or prescribe any schedule 8 “drug of addiction”; he is barred from visiting patients in their home or nursing home; and he must complete courses on ethical decision-making and palliative care treatment.
Alexakis must appoint another GP to also be his mentor and to practise in a clinic with at least two other registered medical practitioners; he cannot attend to more than 36 patients a day.
