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What’s Up in Greece on July 29?
Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Uncategorized, Very Mix
OK, I’ll give it a try and report about Greek realities before the summer is gone. I am so touched by KTG-readers’ messages and I can’t let my fans without the ‘exclusive’ selection of news. Overcoming my July laziness I start with a summary of What’s Up in Greece.
The most important news today is the meeting between the taxi drivers/owners and the Transport Minister. as it will be crucial for the strike. Taxi drivers pulled the handbrake ten days ago, blocked airports and ports across the country and drove the tourism industry into a nervous breakdown. Of course, I’ll keep you inform about the meeting results and the ‘striking’ future.
Under the pressure of its lenders who agreed to save Greece, the government proceeds with speedy steps to fulfill its obligations – towards the lenders not its voters, it is understood. One of the first steps is the dramatic decrease of public spending. This will result into the merger and closing down of 29 state institutions giving income to 7,000 people. The government assures there won’t be lay offs. How will they do it? I have no idea…
Prime Ministers George Papandreou held a speech on the decentralization. To tell you the truth I did not understand much because of some syntax and words pick ups. But the general idea was that this will facilitate a speedy decision making.
Desperately trying to be arithmetically correct, the finance ministry has stopped the tax returns for two days. If you’re are waiting for your tax return to go for vacation, the money will be in your pocket after August 1st.
Several minor earthquakes 2,4-3,5 in and around Crete have triggered some concerns. However, you can only feel an earthquake of such intensity only if it is right under the chair you sit in and you will feel it like a soft sea wave.
The mayor of Athens is adamant to remove the tents of the “Indignant” Greeks from Syntagma Square. Although hardly somebody protests, a handful of protesters still camps opposite the Greek parliament. The protests are expected to resume in September. I am curious to see if the tents will be removed by police force. Tear gas by 37 degrees Celsius? That’s no good, my friends.
Former Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, allegedly involved in the Submarine Bribes case, will most probably be cleared of the ‘passive bribery’ offense because it has been timely barred. Why then bother with special committees wasting taxpayers money? Didn’t they know the offense is written off?
Tomatoes, peppers and herbs are growing on my balcony. The bougainvillea is at its best, although I clipped it wrong in winter and it grows more in the width than in height.
Oh, a tiny cucumber is growing protected by the wind…
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Ah!I am jelous, no aggouri yet to my balcony only tomatoes and a tiny littke peper. We ate it divided in two, me and the gardener together !
as my attention is not distracted by a gardener, my harvest is better
Taxi: Taxis around here are on strike too… They removed their sign and are now transporting people without running a meter. For some of them it is like it always was. For others it’s like X-mas and Easter have come together. Income and no taxes.
And I read that the measure to stop all payments by the tax offices was to postpone the payment of a few hundred million euro into August to make the books look better for the upcoming audit by the Troika. It’s the same trick they used to get into the euro, not?
And that statute of limitation is the most perverted and perverting thing I have ever come across. They should revoke it retroactively. Not possible? Then why is it possible to introduce new taxes retroactively. Where there is a political will, there is a way.