Opposite directions

Opposite directions

ANGELOS STANGOS

It was less than a month ago that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in an interview with Skai TV that whatever helps create jobs can be considered leftist policy.

His comment was interpreted as a change in direction, especially with regard to the country’s privatization program.

It was also seen as a message to his ministers and SYRIZA members.

It would perhaps be presumptuous at this stage to question how genuine Tsipras was being, but we can say with some confidence that if he was intending to deliver a message, the people who were its intended recipients have not received it yet.

There are very strong indications that this is the case. One example is Shipping Minister Theodoros Dritsas’s recent attempt to change the terms of the contract between Greece and Cosco for the Piraeus Port Authority (OLP).

This prompted other ministers to intervene to rectify the situation. Dritsas appeared to be moving in the opposite direction from the one marked out by Tsipras, even if it is very different to what he heralded when in opposition.

It appears Tsipras realizes that there has to be growth for there to be new jobs or that for there to be growth there has to be new private investment in Greece.

It is not at all clear that some of his ministers see things the same way. How they perceive growth and job creation is something of a mystery.

This raises the question of how the prime minister will proceed when the people he has appointed as ministers refuse or are unable to follow him along this new path.

This back-and-forth that is going on means that things are not progressing. Rather than being at a standstill, the country should be moving forward rapidly and escaping suffocation.

The failure to move forward does not just relate to issues that are linked to the economy.

The effort to strengthen statism and moves to create an impervious regime will not give the country a chance to breathe.

The same goes for the government’s tendency to show tolerance in the face of actions by self-styled anarchists, such as squatting, vandalism and attacks against the Church.

No economy can improve in such an environment.

At the moment, the prime minister appears to be following the strategy of letting all the flowers bloom, given that he displays tolerance and does not intervene to stop this instability.

He may be waiting for SYRIZA’s congress later this year in order to perform a clean up operation. His inaction so far, though, is not a very encouraging sign.

Cosco to clinch majority stake in Piraeus port ahead of further investment

Cosco to clinch majority stake in Piraeus port ahead of further investment

ILIAS BELLOSChinese giant Cosco is due to take on a majority stake in Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) on Wednesday concluding a process that began more than four years ago.

Representatives from Cosco, OLP and Greece’s privatization fund, the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED), are due to mark the occasion by sounding the opening bell for today’s trading session on the Athens Stock Exchange.

Cosco is due to pay 280.5 million euros to TAIPED to secure a 51 percent stake in OLP. It will also deposit another 88 million euros in an escrow account for another 16 percent in the company. The extra shares will be transferred when Cosco completes the investment it has committed to as part of the deal.

The firm has committed to investing almost 300 million euros in the port by 2020 before it can increase its holding in OLP. The majority of the amount in question is due to be spent on improving the infrastructure for cruise ships and passengers. The new owners also want to spend 55 million on upgrading the ship repairing facilities at the port.

The Chinese firm indicated in July, when Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited China, that it would invest 650 million euros, rather than the 350 million originally agreed, in Piraeus.

TAIPED will continue to own 23 percent of the port authority until the Chinese giant obtains the 16 percent share that has been set aside.

The new executive board is due to convene in the coming days. The new 11-member board is expected to be made up of seven Chinese and three Greeks. The mayor of Piraeus will retain his position on the board. The current chairman and vice chairman are also expected to remain.

It is expected that Cosco chairman Wan Min will be appointed chief executive officer (CEO), while the man who currently heads the Chinese firm’s subsidiary at the Piraeus container terminal, Captain Fu Cheng Qiu, will be made vice president and managing director.

Wednesday's transaction was cleared by the Greek Parliament on June 30, when 223 MPs voted in favor of the agreement that will see Cosco take over a majority stake in OLP and responsibility for the running of the port.

Next to Police, Bank Robbers Were Stealing for 2 Hours

Next to Police, Bank Robbers Were Stealing for 2 Hours 

A robbery like those you watch in the movies took place on Tuesday, August 9, in a Piraeus Bank branch in Athens. The robbers struck around 2:15pm and were in the branch for two hours right across from the Hellenic Police Attica Headquarters.

According to Greek police, four armed robbers, wearing silicone masks, came into the bank branch and after overpowering eight employees and five civilians, they took all the money from the cash registers, while they also forced open customers’ safety boxes.

The perpetrators remained inside the bank for more than two hours holding the employees hostage while the robbery was only made known to the police and the bank management after the robbers had left the building. According to the witnesses the four perpetrators had welding tools in their possession which they used to break into the safety boxes, causing extensive property damage.

It was estimated that the robbers stole around 60,000 euros in cash from the registers, as well as an undisclosed amount from the safety boxes that has not yet been estimated.

The police who has already studied the bank’s CCTV video is still investigating the robbery.

- See more at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2016/08/10/robbery-athens-next-to-police/#sthash.BGBbutG0.dpuf

Elegant Evagelia in sexy swimsuit (video)

Elegant Evagelia in sexy swimsuit (video)

Going for a swim at Kalo Livadi

All eyes were glued on hot model and backstage presenter of reality TV show ‘X-Factor’, Evagelia Aravani when she went for a swim at Kalo Livadi in Mykonos. The beautiful model was wearing a one-piece swimsuit flaunting off her amazing figure. Mykonos Live TV was there and ‘capture’ the blonde beauty on video.

Hedge funds line up for cheap Greek businesses

Hedge funds line up for cheap Greek businesses

Greek companies under immense pressure

International hedge funds are vying for the acquisition of many Greek companies in the red and non-performing loans from Greek banks. Nearly 60bln Euros of non performing loans by Greek companies have drawn the attention of tens of hedge funds interested in taking advantage of the abysmal state of many domestic businesses. The hedge funds are adopting a cynical, yet legal approach, as they are trying to either directly buy out companies in dire straits or take control of their (companies’) non-performing loans to Greek banks. An increasing number of hedge funds are changing their stance lately, as they prefer to buy the companies in auction sell offs at a much cheaper cost, rather than deal with the companies’ ownership directly. Hedge funds consider the cost of a direct buyout extremely high given the large debts Greek businesses are carrying and the poor state of the domestic market. A characteristic example is the buyout of TRAINOSE by Italian group Ferrovie Dello Stato Italiane for a mere 45mln Euros, a price way below the train company’s equity. The recent changes in the bankruptcy law deriving from the 3rd memorandum has made it easier for foreign hedge funds to swoop in and take over, as it provides that the liquidation procedures for companies in financial duress are expedited. Meanwhile, bankers are also involved in the ongoing ‘struggle’, as credit funds are pressing Greek bankers to accept prices for the acquisition of non-performing loans at 20% of their nominal value, arguing the Greek bankers do not proceed with the deals in a speedy fashion.      

Loukoumades (Greek doughnuts) with honey and sesame

Go ahead and spoil yourself with this traditional Greek doughnuts recipe! We’ve decided to add agave nectar in the dough and give it a new twist! Top them with honey, sesame and cinnamon, maybe some chopped nuts if you like! Or drizzle them with chocolate sauce! Either way, they are simply irresistible!

Serves: 30 pieces Preparation time: 20m Cooks in: 10m Ready in: 30m

Ingredients

For the dough:
250g all-purpose flour
20g fresh yeast
120ml lukewarm water
120ml lukewarm milk
1 pinch of salt
25ml agave nectar
15g butter
1 egg yolk
vegetable oil for frying

For the garnish:
heated honey
cinnamon powder
toasted sesame seeds

Method

Step 1
Mix the milk, water, butter and yeast in a bowl. Make sure the yeast dissolves completely.

Step 2
Add the agave nectar, salt, egg yolk and flour -a little at a time- and whisk until the mixture becomes a smooth batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place for 1 hour, until it doubles in size.

Step 3
Into a medium sized pan pour enough vegetable oil and heat it to high heat until it begins to bubble.

Step 4
Dip a tablespoon in a glass of water and spoon out some dough into the pan. Repeat until the pan is comfortably filled. You need to dip the spoon in the water so that the batter doesn’t stick on it. Use a slotted spoon to turn them on all sides, until golden brown.

Step 5
Place the loukoumades on kitchen paper to drain for 2 minutes and then arrange them on a large platter. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon powder and sesame seeds and enjoy!

Two wildfires on Euboea island raging

Two wildfires on Euboea island raging

Karystos town evacuated

Wildfires are raging in two locations on the island of Euboea. A fire broke out in the area of Karystos, south of Chalkida in the morning hours of Tuesday, while a second blaze occurred at approximately 6 am, Tuesday in the area of Kymi. Strong winds of up to 8 knots have hampered the fire extinguishing operations on the Karystos front, as aerial means cannot contribute to the land units of 13 fire engines and 26 fire-fighters on the scene. The Mayor of Krystos, Eleftherios Raviolas told Skai TV that the town had been evacuated. 36 fire-fighters and 16 vehicles are trying to put out the Kymi wildfire, with 4 planes and a helicopter contributing to the efforts.

Santorini and Mykonos among most expensive destinations for August

Santorini and Mykonos among most expensive destinations for August

Most expensive in Spain

According to survey conducted by French travel portal Allovoyages.fr, Oia and Imervigli in Santorini and Mykonos are among the most expensive tourist destinations in Europe for the month of August. The Playa d’en Bossa in Ibiza, Spain tops the list. The survey compared the cost of stay in all the European resorts for August and the findings cover the average prices of the cheapest available 2-bed rooms in at least a 3-star hotel. Playa d’en Bossa has an average price per night of 254 Euros, while Oia and the Italian village of Positano on the coast of Amalfi in Italy round off the top 3 most expensive resorts with costs of 242 and 243 Euros per night, respectively.

These are the 20 most expensive resorts:

1. Playa d’en Bossa (Spain) €254
2. Positano (Italy) €243
3. Oia (Greece) €242
4. Formentera (Spain) €240
5. Saint-Tropez (France) €229
6. Porto Cervo (Italy) €224
7. St Ives (England) €223
8. Mykonos (Greece) €216
9. Gallipoli (Italy) €213 €
10. Porto-Vecchio (France) €204
11. Imerovigli (Greece) 204 €
12. Monaco (France) 194 €
13. Capri (Italy) 184 €
14. Bahia De San Antonio (Spain) 183 €
15. Port de Pollenca (Spain) 172 €
16. Heringsdorf (Germany) 172 €
17. San Sebastian (Spain)163 €
18. Westerland (Germany) 162 €
19. Otrante (Italy) 157 €
20. Santa Margherita Ligure (Italy) 155 €

21-year old woman lives as a baby! (video+photos)

21-year old woman lives as a baby! (video+photos)

She and partner claim it is not sexual

Looking at Jess’s collection of dummies and sippy cups, you’d be forgiven for thinking the pretty 21-year-old had a baby of her own to care for.
But Jess’s collection of babygrows aren’t sized for a newborn – they are designed with her 5ft 5in frame in mind.
As an ‘adult baby’, Jess likes to wear nappies, drink from bottles and ‘regress’ back to her infancy.
A sexual abuse survivor, Jess, who lives in Lakeland, Florida with her 24-year-old boyfriend, David, says that regressing has helped her make peace with her troubled childhood. Jess, who works as a nanny, said: “Age play is really my best escape and it allows me to reclaim the innocence of my childhood and have it play out the way I always wanted.
“Aside from that though, regressing and being ‘little’ just fits with my personality.” “It allows me to be playful and cute, which is what I’m like naturally anyway and so I think that I would definitely still be living this lifestyle if I’d had a more ‘normal’ childhood.”
Jess and David engage in practices called Daddy Dominant/Little Girl (DDLG), Adult Baby Diaper Lover (ABDL) and Age Play (AP) – all sub-sects of BDSM. But the couple, who have been together for four years, say for them age play is not sexual and is more of a lifestyle choice.
“We never have sex while I’m age playing but for a lot of people it is a sexual kink,” Jess explained.

 

Pensioners to see cuts in supplementary and main pensions in September

Pensioners to see cuts in supplementary and main pensions in September

Up to 40% cuts in some cases

A series of sweeping changes and cuts in the pensions of hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries are expected to take affect in September. Nearly 1.2 million pensioners will see their supplementary pensions re-evaluated, while a large number of pensioners will see their main pensions slashed. A total of 200,000-250,000 pensioners eligible for supplementary pensions , 6,000 in the high bracket and 11,000 bank pensioners will be included in the re-evaluation of their pensions under the new social security law. The former employees of Alpha bank and Emporiki Bank are expected to be hit the hardest with cuts in their main pensions of up to 35%, while pensioners in the private sector will see a 15% reduction in their pensions. It is estimated that 200,000-250,000 pensioners in the banking sector, trade and commerce, petrol station workers and maritime agents will see their supplementary pensions slashed between 35-40%.

Anti-establishment groups throw petrol bombs against Athens Holy Synod offices (photos)

Anti-establishment groups throw petrol bombs against Athens Holy Synod offices (photos)

Government quick to condemn incident this time

A group of  unidentified individuals hurled cocktail molotov bombs at the Holy Synod of the Petrakis Monastery in Athens, at approximately 3am on Monday morning. The attacks resulted in two parked cars being damaged. The incident is the latest in a barrage of attacks against Churches across the country from self-styled anti-establishment groups, after the arrest of solidarity group members last week for charging into a Church into Thessaloniki. The Greek government’s spokesperson, Olga Gerovasili issued a statement condemning the attack. ‘Monday’s morning attack against the Holy Synod’s offices are abhorrent. The authorities have taken the necessary steps to detect the suspects’, she said.

Erdogan calls for death penalty in huge rally

Erdogan calls for death penalty in huge rally

Blasts west

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told a vast rally in Istanbul that he would approve the return of the death penalty if it was backed by parliament and the public.
He was speaking to a crowd of at least a million who had gathered in Turkey’s biggest city.
The rally followed last month’s failed military coup.
Mr Erdogan also said the state would be cleansed of all supporters of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.
The cleric is blamed by the Turkish government for the attempted uprising. He denies any involvement.
Religious figures and leaders of two of Turkey’s three opposition parties attended the rally. The Kurdish party was not invited. More than 270 people died in events surrounding the 15 July coup attempt, which triggered a government crackdown.
Thousands of alleged supporters of Mr Gulen have been detained or dismissed from government jobs.
Western nations have been critical of the government’s response to the coup. The European Union – which Turkey has applied to join – refuses to accept capital punishment in member states. The parade ground, built to hold more than a million people, was overflowing, with streets of surrounding neighbourhoods clogged by crowds, Reuters news agency reports.
Turkish government sources said five million people had attended, with the event broadcast live on public screens at smaller rallies across Turkey’s provinces.
Mr Erdogan told the rally: “It is the Turkish parliament that will decide on the death penalty… I declare it in advance, I will approve the decision made by the parliament.
“They say there is no death penalty in the EU… Well, the US has it; Japan has it; China has it; most of the world has it. So they are allowed to have it. We used to have it until 1984. Sovereignty belongs to the people, so if the people make this decision I am sure the political parties will comply.”

Source: BBC.com

SYRIZA perplexed after MP Kyristis says two men arrested are persecuted because of their political views

SYRIZA perplexed after MP Kyristis says two men arrested are persecuted because of their political views

Official government has not responded

The incident with SYRIZA MP George Kyristis expressing support to Sakkas who was accused with links to terrorist group ‘Conspiracy of Fire Cells’ and robber Marios Seisidis, has left ruling party SYRIZA under under pressure in its efforts to strike a balance between exercising power as the elected government and its long-standing affiliations with small self-styled anti-establishment and solidarity groups. This latest incident comes days after the official government of SYRIZA was forced to release an announcement on the storming of a Church by a solidarity group inn Thessaloniki. Kyristis claimed in a post the two arrested felons were victimised due to their political views. The Greek government has yet to make any statements on the positions expressed by Kyristis on the matter, and most believe the government is trying to distance itself from the MP, as it is still gauging the impact on its image from its belated condemnation of the Church incident. It is becoming apparent that a rift between the political leadership of the Public Protection Ministry and a political strain within SYRIZA is brewing underneath the surface. Kyristis persisted that the two arrested men were being persecuted because of the political views. 

Fire burning in downtown Lefkada (videos+photos)

Fire burning in downtown Lefkada (videos+photos)

Danger of blaze spreading in densely populated town

A fire has broken out on the island of Lefkada in the centre of the Ionian island’s town. The blaze is burring houses in the old town, and according to Lefkadapress.gr, three houses have already burt down, while the risk of its spreading to other houses is high. 8 fire engines and 20 fire-fighters are operating on the scene.

Bronze medal for Greece in air pistol by Korakaki

Bronze medal for Greece in air pistol by Korakaki

First medal in sport since 1920

Anna Korakaki has won the first medal (bronze) for Greece in the 10m air pistol in the Rio2016 Games. Korakaki totalled 177.7 points and coming ion third after China’s Zhang Mengxue (gold-199.4 pt) and Russian Vitalina Batsarashkina (silver-197.1 pt). It is the first medal for Greece in the sport since for 94 years!

’Shut up f##ing Turks’, GD MPs tell SYRIZA MP in parliament

’Shut up f##ing Turks’, GD MPs tell SYRIZA MP in parliament

My parents fought against Nazism, responded SYRIZA MP

A heated exchange of words erupted in parliament, Thursday, between MPs of the right-wing Golden Dawn (GD) party and muslim SYRIZA MP, Hussein Zeibek during talks of the bill on the erection of the Athens Mosque. GD MP Ilias Panayiotaros accused Zeibek of recently tearing up a Greek flag, allegations Zeibek denied saying that his parents had fought Nazism in WW2 in Albania and called on GD to prove their accusations. ‘I’ll bring photos. Declare that there is no Turkish minority in Thrace or else you are a Turk’, shouted GD MP Yiannis Lagos. Panayiotaros was continuing his verbal abuse by yelling ‘F##ing Turks. Shut up you f##ing Turks’.

Bela Hadid: Πρώτα κάνει γυμνό μετά ζητά συγγνώμη από τη μαμά της

Bela Hadid: Πρώτα κάνει γυμνό μετά ζητά συγγνώμη από τη μαμά της

Aν κρίνει κανείς από την πρώτη φωτογραφία από το «μυστικό σχέδιο» όπως χαρακτήρισε τη φωτογράφιση στη λεζάντα, τότε μάλλον μπορεί κανείς να πει ότι έχει δίκιο 

Μια σούπερ σέξι φωτογράφιση φαίνεται ότι ετοιμάζει η Bela Hadid. Οι φωτογραφιες αναμένεται να είναι τόσο ερωτικές ώστε ακόμα και το 19χρονο μοντέλο ένιωσε την ανάγκη να ζητήσει συγγνώμη από τη μητέρα της για τις πόζες και τις εικόνες που θα δουν το φως της δημοσιότητας.

Κι αν κρίνει κανείς από την πρώτη φωτογραφία από το «μυστικό σχέδιο» όπως χαρακτήρισε τη φωτογράφιση στη λεζάντα, τότε μάλλον μπορεί κανείς να πει ότι έχει δίκιο απέναντι στη μητέρα της.

Η 19χρονη ποζάρει σχεδόν γυμνή μόνο με το εσώρουχο κρύβοντας με τα χέρια τα απαραίτητα ενώ φοράει ένα τσόκερ.

Μαζεύει χρήμα ο Messi… (video)

Μπορεί ακόμα και να… ανακατεύεται όταν μπαίνει στο εσωτερικό του, και ούτε το υπηρετικό προσωπικό του να μην το έχει, όμως σίγουρα τα χρήματα είναι πολλά, οπότε χαμογελάστε κε Messi!

ΤΗΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΑΚΗ (twitter.com/vassilikigew)

Η πρώτη εμφάνιση του Tata Tiago σε διαφήμιση είναι παρέα με τον Αργεντινό διεθνή ποδοσφαιριστή Lionel Messi. Από τον περασμένο Νοέμβριο ο 28χρονος άσσος της Μπαρτσελόνα έγινε ο παγκόσμιος πρεσβευτής της Tata Motors.

Το Tiago έκανε το ντεμπούτο του στο φετινό Σαλόνι Αυτοκινήτου της Γενεύης σε μια φωτεινή απόχρωση του μπλε και με σπορ ζάντες, ενώ στο διαφημιστικό βλέπουμε το μοντέλο σε ένα έντονο πορτοκαλί χρώμα.

Για όσους το ακούτε πρώτη φορά, ίσως να σας θυμίζει κάτι περισσότερο με το όνομα Zica, με το οποίο κυκλοφόρησε στην αρχή. Αλλά η “συγγένεια” με τον υιό Zika υποχρέωσε τους Ινδούς να του αλλάξουν όνομα και κατέληξαν στο Tiago.

Το συγκεκριμένο αυτοκίνητο είναι προς το παρόν διαθέσιμο στην Ινδία, έχοντας επιλογή ανάμεσα σε δύο κινητήρες, μια μονάδα βενζίνης 1.2 lt με 84 ίππους και μία diesel, τριών κυλίνδρων και 69 ίππων.

Σύμφωνα με το σενάριο της διαφήμισης, ο Messi… χάνεται, με τη βοήθεια όμως του εξελιγμένου συστήματος πλοήγησης θα φτάσει στον προορισμό του. Επίσης, το Tiagο διαθέτει ηλεκτρο-υδραυλικό τιμόνι, infotainment από την Harman, αναδιπλούμενα πίσω καθίσματα, λειτουργία multi-drive, σύστημα ευστάθειας, πολυλειτουργικό τιμόνι και αισθητήρες παρκαρίσματος, τα οποία φαίνεται να απολαμβάνει ο αστέρας του ποδοσφαίρου. Επιπλέον, υπάρχουν 22 αποθηκευτικοί χώροι και ψυγείο.

Δείτε το πανάκριβο αυτοκίνητο που “έκλεψε” ο Messi μέσα από τα χέρια του Ronaldo