NEW SURVEY: Greece needs strong dynamic to promote fundamental reforms

Greece has yet to establish a strong dynamic of promoting fundamental reforms, as in several sectors there are delays, political confrontation and social reactions against necessary real changes, a survey by the Institute for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) and The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said this week.

The survey, entitled "The role of structural reforms and the prospects of the Greek economy," was presented on Tuesday by seven largest bilateral chambers in the country. It examines data, presents challenges, reflects the progress made and highlights the priorities of the Greek economy and the direct actions that are needed in order to continue and complete the necessary reform projects which will signal the country's entry into a new growth cycle.

The survey said that the Greek economy showed signs of stabilisation after six years of deep and prolonged recession, with balance returning both in the fiscal sector and in the country's external balance, restoring confidence in markets. It noted, however, that a risk that the Greek economy could not achieve its necessary high growth rates and the necessary primary surplus still existed, which could prolong limitations on borrowing, while a further weakening of domestic saving could now spur consumer spending, leaving the country's growth in the hands of exports and direct investments.

The basic preconditions for growth are promoting a regulatory framework of efficient governance and justice, upgrading the domestic business environment and strengthening Greek economic competitiveness. The survey noted that some reforms in this direction have been already implemented in the framework of an existing economic policy program.

The survey noted that priorities should be a fundamental change of mindset and operation of the economy, focusing on innovation and business activity, transforming a production basis by promoting its comparative advantages and implementing reforms. The role of bilateral chambers is crucial towards this effort as they link Greek enterprises with the country's largest trade partners abroad. (AMNA)

MAYOR OF PIRAEUS - Too right-wing, very extreme old-line supporter

Vassilis Michaloliakos is an example of a “professional” politician of post-Junta period since he started engaging with politics from the age of 15

Brought up on party offices he studied medicine with a strong presence in the auditoriums of the Medical School of Athens and epic battles against the leftist factions that prevailed at the universities.

Coming from the conservative anti-communist environment of Mani region, the young Michaloliakos started his political career through the newly formed ONNED moving towards the leadership.

Mr Vassilis Michaliolakos was leader of the Youth Organization of New Democracy in 1982. He was commanding with iron discipline imposed by the groups “Centaurs” and “Rangers” that he had formed to participate in every episode and terrorize their opponents: from university auditoriums, from where they wanted to remove leftist students, to the streets of Athens, where they fought to overthrown PASOK, but also to ONNED offices, from where all those who had liberal tendencies or threatened his leadership were removed.

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Vassilis Michaloliakos on the left (with white shirt ) at Averof’s speech to ONNED, the then leader of New Democracy

Vassilis Michaloliakos was also a deputy mayor of Athens, something that he avoids mentioning during his election campaign along with his love for Panathinaikos football club. “We do not care so much about him being Panathinaikos, but mainly because he is against Olympiacos football club” the administration of Olympiacos team says, “since Mr Michaloliakos was always against of anything the amateur club of Olympiacos ever asked,”. That is why his political movement to Piraeus in 1990 after failing to being nominated for Athens municipality, was not so easy.

Moreover, Mr Michaloliakos was the target of a bomb attack in January 2001 resulting to serious injuries. The first assumptions saying that this was terrorist attack have never been confirmed and the case is still unsolved although it was published that Mr Michaloliakos had informed the then leader of New Democracy, Costas Karamanlis, that a political opponent of his in Piraeus was behind the bomb attack requesting from “the leadership of the party to take measures against that person”.

During his tenure in office Mr. Michaloliakos attempted to show a more consensual profile, although his opponents accuse him of directing the municipality by authoritarianism and closed family practices, that made several of his colleagues to abandon office long before Mr. Yannis Moralis appeared to the political scene, who, judging by the reactions of the current mayor, is a big threat to him and those who surround him.

The battle in Piraeus has a special meaning since two worlds clash: the one of labor and hopes for tomorrow against the one of political intrigue and patronage networks. The result will undoubtedly have an impact across country.

ProtoThema

PROVOCATION - Two Turkish Navy Vessels Violate Greek Territorial Waters

According to press reports, not one but two Turkish Navy vessels violated Greek territorial waters on Tuesday. More precisely the Turkish frigate “Turgut Reis” illegally entered Greek territorial waters at 13:43 and then made its way to the islands of Evia and Andros. The Turkish frigate then took a southerly course at 17:50 ending up near the island of Kythnos.

While this was going on, the Turkish missile boat “Bora” entered Greek territorial waters at 13:21 and ended up being spotted north of the island of  Naxos. It then moved westward at 15:24 and apparently spent two hours in Greek territorial waters before returning to the Turkish coast.

The National Defence General Staff said later in the day that the Turkish vessels were participating in the “Beyaz Firtina 2014” navy exercise.
On its part, the Greek Ministry of National Defense said that Greek Navy vessels monitored the Turkish ships throughout their navigation, but of course there was never any word as to why these vessels violated Greek waters to begin with.

It is very alarming knowing that our political leaders do not act against such provocations.

Can a ship sail to Rhode Island in the US without being blasted by some American warship? Can a Russian warship cruise around Manhattan without giving the Americans a reason for being there? Wouldn't this trigger a war? Would this or would this not be inconceivable?

The answer is obvious.

So then why are we as a society not blasting these provocations from Turkey and why is our government not using these actions against Turkey in organizations such as the United Nations and/or NATO. With what right does Turkey tread and sail into Greek territorial waters. We must learn to ask more questions Frappers, because by ignoring such provocations we are merely setting ourselves up for the revival of the Ottoman Empire.

Samaras' New Growth Plan Says It Will Create Hundreds Of Thousands of Jobs

While presenting the country’s growth plan at the Benaki Museum on Tuesday evening (May 20), Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras claimed that over the next four years, the government is going to recover the 50 billion Euros that were lost since 2009, by investing in sectors such as tourism, primary production, energy and research & technology.

According to him, the above sectors could generate billions in revenue and at the same time create new jobs.

Samaras said that his plans include, inter Alia, the reduction of taxes (VAT and income tax) and the creation of a whopping 770,000 new jobs.

We don't know how realistic that is, but according to Samaras’ plan, Greece is going to finally return to the pre-crisis levels of prosperity by 2020 and repeated his claim that there will be no new across-the-board measures or bailouts.

     “Until 2020, Greece will have recovered the prosperity it had before the crisis,” Samaras said, while he stressed that conditions would gradually improve for the average citizen.

SPECIAL REPORT - The Rise of Golden Dawn & Why It Shocks Political Greek Life

Despite months and months of being termed a criminal organisation, neonazis, a stream of negative propaganda, being banned from all the mainstream media and the incarceration of many of its MPs, the far-right Golden Dawn party actually held its own in the major Athens and Attica region last weekend. In fact the rightest group saw a dramatic rise in its polling numbers in the Greek capital, despite the attempts by many other parties that either avoided this fact altogether or even laughably tried to downplay this development.

Golden Dawn spokesman and candidate for mayor, Elias Kassidiaris may not have been the upset that Golden Dawn hoped for by making it into the second round, but massing more than 16 percent of the vote is undoubtedly a stunning rise from the party's 2012 showing in Athens, (where previously it was a mere 7.81%).

Even more notable is the fact that in the region of Attiki, where party leader Nikos Michaloliakos garnered 7.9% in the previous general election, Golden Dawn candidate Ilias Panagiotaros garnered 11.11% of the vote.

In fact, in blue collar areas across Athens, Golden Dawn saw its numbers soar.

Specifically, in Athens' fourth electoral ward, which includes Acadimia Platonos, Kolonos and Sepolia, the far-rightest party was placed first, with a whopping 20.7% of the vote.

(Some say it was even higher)

Whereas in the sixth electoral ward, which includes neighbourhoods with populous migrant communities such as Kypseli and Patisia, the Golden Dawn party massed some 18.8% of the vote.

And quite remarkably in a couple of middle and upper income areas, such as Ampelokipoi and Kolonaki, this party even massed 14% and 13.7% (respectively) of the vote.

The same cannot be said about the area of Piraeus. There, Golden Dawn candidate Nikos Kouzoulos only received 5.68% of the vote, compared to the 8.26% it got in the 2012 general elections.

In general, the far-right party did well across the country, but it polled best in the Peloponnese and Central Greece regions.

And here is where the story becomes totally hilarious.

The same candidates and/or political parties which have over the last few months basically shunned Golden Dawn supporters (and in some odd cases have even made them feel like they were contributing to the devastation of this country's democracy), are now fighting to win over these voters in the second round of elections.

The showdown in our opinion will be in the region of Attica. Here the double digit polling results of Golden Dawn, constitutes a major pool of potential voters for the second round contenders.

The main opposition SYRIZA party which is the exact opposite of Golden Dawn is expected to attempt to build alliances with these voters. (DIFFICULT)

This is because the party's disappointing results in last Sunday's elections clearly indicates that if this move is not made, then they would never stand a chance to push their agenda and to win the national elections. Of course we all know that the far right will never vote for extreme leftists. And with this fact in mind, SYRIZA is afraid that if it does not do well this coming Sunday it will in the end face a nationwide array of elected local officials (that will mostly stem from the Right) that are going to one hundred percent oppose its agenda on national issues if it ever comes into government.

A positive development for conservatives, and certainly a terrible  development to all the Anti-Hellenes who have over the last few years worked feverishly to push a New World Order agenda on our society that has the signature of George Soros.

In Athens, it is expected that there will be an effort to woo Golden Dawn voters since some government officials have openly supported incumbent (and Soros-backed) George Kaminis. This will indeed be entertaining since Kaminis and SYRIZA's Gabriel Sakellaridis are sworn enemies of Golden Dawn.

We here at HellasFrappe have warned the government time and time again that the only way to face off with Golden Dawn is through political dialogue and not through purposely discrediting and persecuting them. That is why it will be difficult for the governing New Democracy party to woo its voters.

The firm evidence against Golden Dawn produced by the ongoing prosecution of the party as a criminal organization apparently had little impact at the polls, as Golden Dawn had major electoral gains over 2012 in both Athens and Attica.

Some analysts, such as veteran pollster and Athens University professor Ilias Nikolakopoulos, claim that the voters of the Golden Dawn party are an impossible pool to attract. He recently told Eleftherotypia that the vast majority of these supporters are most likely to cast spoiled or blank ballots, rather than support the party-backed candidates in the second round.

But even this bitter truth did not dash the candidates' hopes of extracting gains from the far right party. And as ridiculous as it may sound these candidates are depending on these voters to win this Sunday's elections.

Sakellaridis for instance whose party has continually lashed out and slammed far-right supporters said that SYRIZA is not making overtures toward neo-Nazis, but the 16% of the Athens electorate that voted for Golden Dawn is not in reality a group of people that are neonazis.

Dahhhh... some would say.

Clearly a 100 percent hypocritical statement isn't it?

Even more entertaining and quite laughably, the incompetent and Soros backed George Kaminis was quick in admitting his hopes of attracting the Golden Dawn vote. He told Eleftherotypia that he was appealing to everyone, including Golden Dawn voters but that "they must accept our positions, because we are not going to adopt those of Golden Dawn".

(Yeah... Only idiots accept Soros backed ideologies Georgo... Good luck with that one!)

On the other side of the scale, conservatives are confused. Veteran supporters of the New Democracy party who have for decades supported a "Karamanlis" political philosophy, and who are extremely irritated with some of the decisions from the Antonis Samaras government, (which have stepped away from the party line and leaned the conservative party towards the Left in favor of PASOK coalition partner Evangelos the Large on more than one occasion), do not know where to cast their vote.

They are angry with the recent revelations concerning cabinet secretary and top adviser to Samaras Takis Baltakos who was caught on tape admitting that there was governmental judicial tampering against the Golden Dawn party. When he was ousted from the government in April, he justified his contacts with Kassidiaris as an effort to keep open channels of communications with Golden Dawn in what he said was an effort from him to make ND appealing to Golden Dawn's 500,000 voters.

In simple words, he left it to be understood that GD was set up to be persecuted from the law because they were becoming too popular with the people and because most of these voters were from ND and needed to be brought back into the herd.

(Doesn't this sound idiotic? Of course it does, but we have said -on more than one occasion- that political parties are nothing more than money-making corporations. If you dear Frapper still believe that parties get into political life to service the people, then you are walking with a blindfold!)

And this is probably why GD did so well last Sunday. Because the general view across Greece is that they are being persecuted for their popularity. The mere fact that political parties such as PASOK and DIMAR continue to raise this argument only allows GD to become even more appealing to voters.

One example of this is the statements that were made before the voting. Venizelos who instead of tending to his own party woes, continued with this ridiculous rhetoric saying that it was imperative that all political and social forces believe in Democracy and the fight "against Nazism and political violence”. DIMAR leader Fotis Kouvelis, whose party is doing terribly thanks to Anti-Hellenes like Maria Reppousi, said that “Golden Dawn’s rating obligate the democratic forces to tackle this dangerous phenomenon”.

And we ask: What democratic forces?

The ones who push Turkish chosen and George Soros backed candidates on us?

Or the ones that bow their heads to global imperialistic interests?

But wait... The statements get even more ridiculous.

On Monday Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis appeared on SKAI television calling the results of the election “a disgrace” and adding that the voters had “a personal responsibility” for electing a neo-Nazi party in their choice to protest against the coalition government.

(And yet now these same conservatives are courting the GD voters for their support this coming Sunday? Are you kidding us?)

Our opinion here at HellasFrappe is that the results of the first round showed that none of Greece's political parties nor the candidates they chose to endorse have any real resonance with the people.

This view is further enhanced by a statement that was made by one of Kathimerini's commentators:

     "The 'far-right' is merely a symptom of the crisis," they proclaimed at every turn, "the right will disappear - then it will be business as usual" - people will consume as before, Greece and Europe will become one giant multicultural Disney park. But it is as clear as air that neo-liberal and even socialist academics have completely miscalculated reality. The crisis has generated polarized wealth - the poor are permanently entrenched and the political left only raises its limp wrist with the same bromides from the 1930's, while rallying around the lost cause of immigration. Chrysi Avgi  (Golden Dawn) is as hard as Cretan rock, its political message resonates with Greeks and - it has once again demonstrated that, despite mass arrest, it is a permanent fixture of Greek political life."

This is the plain truth and it is high time that our leaders realize this. All those who had foreseen a complete reversal of the political landscape were obviously proved wrong – at least for the time being.

Clearly, the popularity of Golden Dawn is posing problems to Greece's mainstream parties, as other nationalist parties are doing across Europe in their countries as well, and this is what is scaring some hotheads in Brussels. They believe that the results of Sunday's election could affect national and even European agendas on hot-button issues, such as the integration of Muslims into Europe and the EU itself.

And they should be afraid.

What they do not realize is that all nations across Europe, Greece included, have their own political culture that influences the rise of nationalism and their stubbornness to recognize this is only fueling extremism.

Why?

The answer is so simple: Globalization.

The Western world's increasingly globalized economy and bureaucratic/NGO/academic culture simply means that global elites are pushing their own agendas and interests on nations for their own personal gain (most of which are harmful and inhuman to ordinary citizens). Shouting out “France for Frenchman” or “Spain for Spaniards” might sound as an us-against-them urgency and viewed as dark and dangerous by some wannabes who speak about political correctness, but our leaders would be foolish to ignore the fact that it’s also a way of renewing the social contract, or a way of demanding loyalty throughout society from top to bottom, to the shared weal of the national community.

This Sunday, instead of wooing these voters, who until today were ridiculed and pushed to the side by the supporters of globalism, our politicians should worry about the detachment of elites from common everyday citizens and nothing else. Why is it wrong for us to want them to renew their loyalty to national projects rather than allow them to push global citizenship on us? Why should this be termed racist, or xenophobic, or whatever.

Where is the crime in wanting the best for your country?

There is no crime... And the establishment only knows this too well. So instead of focusing on how to swing the vote in their favor this forthcoming Sunday, Greek political parties should be more concerned about defending the interests of Greece first and then finally getting in touch with their own people.  This is how fascism and extremism is won...

Our advice to them is that they should focus their creativity in a substantial debate about Greece’s place in Europe, and on how our country can better take advantage of domestic production to leave the crisis behind once and for all, as well as how to set aside the divisive and ineffective, as it turns out, conflicts.

There is no other way to fight the Golden Dawn party, and their obvious rise in popularity.

Signed
The HellasFrappe Team

Shock and Dismay Over The Suspected Privatisation of Beaches On Elafonisos

Locals and environmental groups are lobbying to block privatisations of the best beaches on the island of Elafonisos, which are protected under the EU Natura 2000 program and for good reason. The state privatization fund might have taken a step back from the planned privatisation of some of these pristine and prized beaches, but local protests and a nationwide uproar remains.

In a nutshell, the backlash involves a 50-year lease of the best beaches of Elafonissos island, Simos and Sarakinos, which locals stress are protected under the EU's Natura 2000 network of protected areas, as is the entire island, which is noted for its unique plant life.

The state-owned beach side properties to be exploited covers an area of nine hectares, and they are just two of the 13 beaches that the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (Taiped) reportedly seeks to privatise.

Though confirming that the fund owns the property, Taiped actually issued a statement earlier this week claiming that it has not yet incorporated it in any specific development program, and when it is, there will be an official open dialogue, with normally includes input from private citizens, as well as civic, and environmental groups.

(Same old dust in the eyes trick... and then back to business as usual)

Beachside properties currently advertised on the Taiped website include Agia Triada near Thessaloniki, Asprovalta in Halkidiki, and the beach of Thermisia in Ermioni (Peloponnese). Another beach side property that Taiped had put on the bloc in 2013 is Agios Ioannis in Sithonia, Chalkidiki, which has an area of 200,000 square metres and boasts a 2km beach line.

Taiped basically asserts that its plans for privatisation of these properties provide for an "especially mild and ecological development". And we ask, how can loud music, beach front bars, and mega hotels provide ecological development?

Why can't our leaders just admit the truth?

Let us be more specific. Based on a medium-term bailout deal passed by parliament in 2011 (yes under the George Papandreou government), the real estate privatisation scheme provides that such 50-year leases are going to provide investors with exclusive use of the beaches and seashores.

And so we ask again... (as concerned citizens), is this ecological development? Sounds like corporate development... and it is a disgusting thought.

HellasFrappe has supported the government on many fronts, especially on many much needed reforms. But it will not support the government on a project that clearly aims to fatten the pockets of some greedy politicians and investors who couldn't give a sh***t about the areas pristine and natural beauty.

And just in case we get criticized once again for lashing out at the PASOK-Papandreou government (for basically signing over all of Greece to his friends at the IMF) it would be wise for all of you to know that the Papandreou government opted for the solution of long-term land leases in early 2011, in an attempt to avoid future legal challenges to real estate privatisation. Many Leftist organizations and wannabes should think about that before lashing out at the government for moving ahead with something that is clearly out of its control.

Nonetheless, the government can find a clause in this controversy and obstruct this from ever happening.

In an ongoing civil society campaign on the Avaaz website, over 131,000 citizens have signed a petition demanding that the European Parliament address the issue of the use of and free access to beaches.

     "It sounds outlandish but this summer may be the last one that we can freely enjoy access to Greek beaches," the petition warns.

Taiped, which is clearly following the Memorandums signed by George Papandreou's government, hopes to collect 500 million Euros in revenues from real estate leasing and development by the end of 2014.

Friends, anyone who has ever visited the area of Elafonissos for example is marvelled by this small island. Located off Cape Malea in the southern Peloponnese, it is a main attraction for nature lovers and tourists in the summer. Its white sand beaches of Simos and Sarakinikos (the only two on the island) which stretch around a bend in the coastline and are connected by a thin strip of sand to a tiny, sandy almost-island, forming between them natural turquoise lagoons. The beaches form part of a wider ecosystem of extensive sand dunes which are increasingly rare in the Mediterranean. Once a well-kept secret, they have recently been featured in publications including the Guardian newspaper.

A separate article analyzing this controversy on PressProject says that now these areas may grow even rarer, since it has been transferred to the HRADF with a view to offering a 50-year lease on the property to private investors.

Certainly, the revelation of such a development provokes an immediate outcry. And this is because not only is the area of obvious, outstanding natural beauty, it is also included in the European NATURA network of protected areas. In fact, notes the same article, coastal sand dunes such as those in Elafonissos are particularly important for biodiversity, being refuges for plants and animals.

     "They are also increasingly being lost due to human activity. Numerous species of birds, small mammals and reptiles breed in the area, and the dunes form habitats for endangered plant species such as the sea daffodil (Pancratium maritimum). Currently the only development in the area is a small camping ground (itself the subject of numerous legal challenges), but which is sited away from the dunes."

The same article further reveals that the HRADF is now attempting to defuse the situation. In such a framework, it released a press release claiming that there have been no moves to develop the area, but, notes the same article, that conclusion is contradicted by the Fund’s own admission that the area has indeed been transferred to its portfolio.
According to recent Memorandum laws, all properties transferred to the HRADF must be privatized and cannot be transferred back to the state. So effectively, concludes the author of the same article, it is only a matter of time before such plans are established. (Makes perfect sense)

The Fund also apparently states that any future development plans would be particularly gentle and proceed with respect to the natural ecosystems.

Once again, says the author, the Fund is contradicting itself as is clear from the HRADF’s own description of the property.

     "The Fund’s own ‘Proposed Development Concept’ is for a hotel and vacation homes to be built on the property, and it is clear from the accompanying slides that the buildings would be sited directly on top of the sand dunes."

Therefore even if one takes at face value the Fund’s assertion that any development would occur following proper environmental assessments and public consultation, it is still difficult to see how even with modifications to the initial recommendations (which are portrayed to investors as feasible) any development could go ahead which would not cause irreversible damage to one of the most unique coastal areas in the entire country.

(Sources, ProtoThema, PressProject)