Keep Talking Greece

Turkish Ziraat Bank plans massive loan to Greek farmers

January 8, 2013 Comments Off on Turkish Ziraat Bank plans massive loan to Greek farmers

Turkey΄s Ziraat Bank is planning to extend 40 million to 50 million euros worth of loans to Greek farmers contingent on approval from the Greek government, daily Hürriyet΄s Yorgo Kırbaki has reported. Farmers, businessmen and industrialists have been struggling with the current lack of loans in the country, which has …

Greek poet to IHT : Things worse than in junta. Today everyone gets persecuted

January 7, 2013 5

Greek poet Kiki Dimoula made it to International Herald Tribune on the occasion of her poems’ translation in English. In an article with the title “Greek poet’s dark vision” Dimoula,81, speaks to IHT reporter about poetry but also about the crisis in Greece. Not only the economic crisis but also the …

“Jobless on voluntary work without payment,” says ex Greek FinMin Doukas

January 7, 2013 8

Former Greek deputy Finance Minister Petros Doukas came with a revolutionary proposal to reduce unemployment. Jobless should work on voluntary basis and without payment. On his private website, and in his article “90+ Suggestions for a Greek New Deal II”, Doukas proposes that the state, the municipalities and even the private …

Turkish FM Davutoglu warns Greece against petroleum exploration

January 7, 2013 1

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said, “In such a situation Turkey takes counter action” upon news regarding Greece’s petroleum exploration works in the Aegean Sea. Davutoglu stated that they were following the issue, the two countries had positive relations and in such time it is better to abstain unilateral …

Greek FinMin rules out heating oil subsidy as he sits in office heated by taxpayers’ money

January 7, 2013 5

I didn’t know Greek Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras had such a bitting sense of arrogance. On Monday, January 7th 2013, he called on Greeks to be patient for another year.” At the same time he dismissed suggestions by coalition government and opposition parties that heating oil subsidy might be extended to …

480-euro short-term “jobs” for 60K Greeks to prevent unemployment explosion

January 7, 2013 2

With the target to halt the tsunami of unemployment Greek government is about to announce five programs that will offer short term ‘job’ opportunities to 60,000 jobless up to 35 years old for the year 2013. According to newspaper “Dimocratia” these “jobs’ will be in form of training programs of …

Samaras’ government seats weakens as coalition partner DIMAR expells two MPs

January 7, 2013 1

Junior coalition government partner Democratic Left (DIMAR) expelled Monday MPs Odyseas Voudouris and Paris Moutsinas because “they have been permanently disagreeing with the official positions of the party” DIMAR said in a statement. Last week, Voudouris said in an interview, that he would call on a party congress where he …

Workers occupy Athens Metro Line 2

January 7, 2013 3

Workers at Athens Metro occupied the Metro depot at Sepolia suburb of north-eastern Athens, causing problems to thousands of passengers on Monday morning using Line 2 Agios Dimitrios-Agios Antonios. The occupation started at 2 o clock in the morning with the effect that a number of metro trains could not leave the depot …

Greece’s politicians to order 6 tugboats for the Navy: worth €22 million, V.A.T. excluded

January 4, 2013 2

Greece has apparently overcome the crisis and now development, growth and supplies are under way. Therefore a committee consisting of the Finance Minister and several representatives of government and opposition parties will be established with the aim to organize the construction and the purchase of six tugboats for the Greek Navy. …

Greece’s judges to get €100 million in retroactive wage increases

January 4, 2013 11

Next week the Greek government will approve with an extraordinary provision the release of 100 million euro to be paid to judges as retroactive wages increases, outstanding from 2011. According to Proto Thema, the release of the incredible amount of money is the key commitment of Minister of Justice, Antonis Roupakiotis, to …

Policemen express sympathy to colleagues arrested on suspicion of drug dealers protection

January 4, 2013 Comments Off on Policemen express sympathy to colleagues arrested on suspicion of drug dealers protection

Some twenty policemen gathered on Friday morning outside a court in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, to express sympathy and solidarity for two colleagues arrested for allegedly offering protection to a network of drug dealers. The solidarity protesters cheered and welcomed the defendants as …heroes when the two were taken to court in handcuffs …

Ernst & Young: Grim unemployment predictions for Greece (28%) and Spain (27%)

January 4, 2013 1

A study of the Ernst & Young financial auditors company predicts a new record low for unemployment in the eurozone, with the number of unemployed surpassing the 20 million mark in the second half of 2013, from 18.7 million in October, protothema reported. Ernst & Young bases its assessment mainly …