Been there, seen that. 1000+1 times since Greece sought the aid of IMF, EU and ECB. The regular blackmailing: the notorious -and anonymous – “EU source”exhausting Greeks’ patience, putting pressure to EU beggars to give in to Troika’s demands. While the Troika’s representatives feel the pulse of several ministers in …
Read More »
German FM Westerwelle arrives in Athens today
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle is due to Athens today (July 3/2013). He will meet with this Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos at 07:30 pm at the Greek Foreign Ministry. After the meeting the two Foreign Ministers will hold a joint press conference and then enjoy a nice dinner. Westerwelle will …
Read More »
Why are Athens streets closed this afternoon?
No, no Greeks took to the streets to protest austeirty, taxes and other Troika incoveninces. The streets around the US embassy in Athens are closed because our spying friends and allies celebrate the 4th of July. Small streets around the embassy are closed to traffic, while vehicles do not move on regular speed on …
Read More »
German FinMin Schaeuble to visit Athens, July 18/2013
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble will visit Athens on July 18th 2013 and will meet with his Greek counterpart Yiannis Stournaras and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. Speaking at the German Parliament, Schaeuble said that on the agenda of the talks will be “bilateral issues with emphasis in combating youth unemployment in …
Read More »
Minister resigns 2 hours after appointment – Only in Greece possible
Sofia Voultepsi, deputy Health Minister in new Greek cabinet, submitted her resignation two hours after she was appointed to the post by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. Late on Monday, Voultepsi (Nea Dimocratia) issued a statement saying that she would not accept the invitation by Antonis Samaras to the post of …
Read More »
Greece got a new government
After tough negotiations between Nea Dimocratia and PASOK, ND-ND and PASOK-PASOK, the names of the new coalition government Nea Dimocratia-PASOK were announced on Monday evening. Antonis Samaras remains Prime Minister PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos becomes deputy PM and Foreign Minister Yiannis Stournaras remains Finance Minister In othe rimportant ministries: Defence: …
Read More »
Greek FinMin calls for immediate evacuation of ERT- Personnel: “We stay here!”
Greek Finance Ministry called for the immediate evacuation of the headquarters of public broadcaster ERT under occupation by the fire personnel. In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, the Ministry announced a plan for the compensation of the dismissed 2,656 ERT personnel. In a short statement, the Finance Ministry calls …
Read More »
Greece’s crisis in times of …political crisis
What happened last night in Greece? I could summarize it in just a few words: we have very extrovert politicians in the government who prefer to carry out their disagreements in public than sit in an office and work out their differences in public. Otherwise I have no reasonable explanation …
Read More »
Thriller in Athens: Samaras coalition gov’t in impasse – Live blogging June 20/2013
The meeting between PM Antonis Samaras, Evangelos Venizelos (PASOK) and Fotis Kouvelis (Democratic Left) ended in impasse only 45 minutes after it started on thursday evening. It looks as if junior partner Democratic Left (Kouvelis) withdraws its support to Samaras. Kouvelis statement expected soon. 10:47 pm Fotis Kouvelis speaking: “I …
Read More »
Greek gov’t: ERT? What ERT? It’s the gov’t reshuffle, stupid
Last night they agreed. Prime Minister Samaras and his coalition government partners Venizelos (PASOK) and Kouvelis (Democratic Left) agreed about shutdown public broadcaster ERT. They just didn’t dare to speak openly about it. Venizelos and Kouvelis kept the ‘agreement’ in secret in order to continue negotiations with Samaras in order …
Read More »
Greek coalition gov’t partners to meet again Thursday on ERT – Live blogging from Athens June 19/2013
The crucial meeting of prime minister Antonis Samaras with his coalition government partners Evangelos Venizelos (PASOK) and Fotis Kouvelis (Democratic Left) started at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The three leaders seek a compromise on re-opening of public broadcasting ERT shutdown by Samaras’ order per Legislation Act on June 11th 2013. …
Read More »
Athens: state hospital Sismanoglio CEO turns land plot into vegetables garden
Finally! A Greek public servant started to think beyond the narrow paragraphs of bureaucracy and take advantage of given possibilities and options for the shake and benefit of the public. The CEO of Sismanoglio public hospital in Athens paved the way for a radical utilization of the garden plot surrounding …
Read More »
Court rules: ERT must open again!!! – Live Blogging from Athens, Jun 17/2013
The crucial meeting among Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras and his coalition partners Evangelos Venizelos (PASOK) and Fotis Kouvelis (Democratic Left) meet at 7:30 pm. Coalition government cohesion is at risk after Samaras ordered the shut down of public broadcaster ERT on June 11th 2013. While the government leaders meet, …
Read More »
German FinMin wants to visist Athens
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble expressed the wish to visit Athens. The wish was expressed during a phone conversation with his Greek counterpart Yiannis Stournaras on Monday. Greek media report that the German FinMin also told Stournaras that Greece has to continue with the reforms. Shcaueble said that Athens has …
Read More »
ERT solidarity concert: musicians and choir members go emotional in breathtaking night
Emotions were high during the Grand solidarity concert at public broadcaster ERT on Friday evening. 500 musicians from all music ensembles from Athens and Piraeus, the orchestra from Greek National Opera, and of course the overnight-fired musicians and choir members of the ERT Symphonic Orchestra and modern ensembles joined the …
Read More »
EBU president: “ERT signal must re-instated”; to meet with Greek FinMin; Petition
The president of European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Jean-Paul Philippot is currently in Athens to discuss the issue of ERT shutdown with Greek finance minister Yiannis Stournaras, who is now the holder of ownership title of the public broadcaster. He is reportedly to ask Stournaras and the government to reestablish ERT …
Read More »
Athens: dog protester outside ERT
Oh oh oh! A very dangerous four-legged protester. Holding a banner. Urging protesters to stop killing … mosquitoes. “Don’t kill mosquitoes – It’s other sucking our blood – suppression/state – capital/markets” PS I think, this dog is an anarchist….
Read More »
ERT protests, Jun 13/2013
Thousands protesters are currently outside the headquarters of Greek public broadcaster ERT, that was suddenly shut down on June 11/2013 – with an order of prime minister Antonis Samaras. Journalists and technicians who were dismissed and lost their jobs overnight have occupied the ERT HQ and broadcast live on 24-hour …
Read More »
ERT shutdown: Greek Festival cancels concert – Requiem for ERT Choir
Oh, these are the little things in life that they may go unnoticed by the majority of people. The symphonic orchestra, the music ensemble and the choir of – former – Greek public broadcaster ERT. The State Orchestra of Athens and the Greek Festival were enforced to cancel a concert …
Read More »
Greece’s public broadcaster ERT “sudden death”: occupying journos transmitting live via…
Half an hour after midnight and several thousands people are gathered outside ERT to protest the ‘sudden death’ of Greece’s national broadcaster. Fellow journalists, common people but also singers giving a solidarity concert. Inside the ERT premises, journalists and technicians who occupy the studios keep transmitting a live program commenting …
Read More »