Day: September 27, 2013

Βαθιά θλίψη και μια δυνατή αίσθηση απώλειας προκαλεί η είδηση πως σήμερα έφυγε από το ζωή η κορυφαία Ελληνίδα τραγουδίστρια Πόλυ Πάνου σε ηλικία 73 ετών.

Στις αρχές του μήνα είχε γίνει γνωστό ότι νοσηλεύεται σε βαριά κατάσταση.

Η σπουδαία φωνή του ελληνικού πενταγράμμου δεν άντεξε και σίγησε σήμερα.

Σχετική ανακοίνωση εξέδωσε το νοσοκομείο Υγεία όπου νοσηλευόταν δίνοντας μάχη με τον καρκίνο.

Η σορός της Πόλυς Πάνου θα τεθεί σε λαϊκό προσκύνημα από τις 09.30 της Δευτέρας στο παρεκκλήσι του Α΄Νεκροταφείου ενώ στις 15:00, στην εκκλησία του ίδιου χώρου θα ψαλεί η νεκρώσιμος ακολουθία.

Στη συνέχεια η σορός θα μεταφερθεί στο Νεκροταφείο του Κόκκινου Μύλου όπου και θα ταφεί σε οικογενειακό τάφο.

Source: Ekathimerini

Greece may face the possibility of snap elections if Golden Dawn MPs resign en masse from Parliament, an option that party leader Nikos Michaloliakos refused to discount on Thursday.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras may face the choice of having to choose between a series of by-elections or going to a national ballot if the far-right party’s 18 lawmakers quit their seats.

There would be a number of constitutional peculiarities involved if Golden Dawn walks out. Firstly, one of its MPs is from a state list, which means he has not been elected directly but has been awarded a seat in Parliament based on his party’s share of the national vote. Opinion is split on whether ballots would have to be held around the country to decide which party would gain this seat.

There would also have to be by-elections to replace the remaining MPs and Samaras fears this might be destabilizing for the country.

SYRIZA indicated on Thursday that it would aim to increase its presence in Parliament if by-elections are held and then push for general elections. “SYRIZA will turn these elections into a referendum on Nazism and the [EU-IMF] memorandum and into a stepping stone so that there can be national elections and a new parliamentary majority,” said leftist MP Dimitris Papadimoulis.

Michaloliakos refused to say if his party would quit but stressed that Golden Dawn could not be held responsible for the “political turmoil” that would follow such a move.

The predicament for Samaras came as the government was put on alert by a statement issued by the Association of Special Forces Reservists (KEED) on Wednesday. The group called for the government to resign and be replaced by a caretaker administration that would suspend any commitments Greece had under its bailout terms. The tone of the statement suggested a direct intervention in the democratic process but KEED issued a statement Thursday denying that it had any intention of encouraging a coup.

Nevertheless, the statement prompted an emergency meeting of ministry and judicial officials at the Supreme Court. Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou described the issue as “troubling” but said that “the overwhelming majority of men in the armed forces are dedicated to democracy.”

Γέφυρα Ρίου-Αντιρρίου ή επίσημα Γέφυρα Χαρίλαος Τρικούπης

Είναι πιθανότατα το πιο σημαντικό έργο της σύγχρονης Ελλάδας.

Κανείς όμως δεν μπορούσε να φανταστεί πόσο δύσκολη ήταν η υλοποίηση του οράματος του Χαρίλαου Τρικούπη.

Δείτε το εκπληκτικό ντοκιμαντέρ του National Geographic…

Source: Ekathimerini

An investigation into the phone records of Golden Dawn members has revealed information that could lead to charges being brought against at least three of the neofascist party’s MPs, judicial sources revealed on Thursday.

Supreme Court deputy prosecutor Charalambos Vourliotis has been probing the phone records to find evidence that would allow party members and MPs to be tried for being part of a criminal organization, which carries stiff prison sentences. To proceed with such charges, there needs to be evidence that the violent attacks and other criminal behavior, such as extortion and bribery, were carried out according to a fixed pattern.

Wiretaps carried out by the National Intelligence Service (EYP) indicate that at least three Golden Dawn MPs were in direct contact with members allegedly involved in illegal activities, sources said.

Authorities are also considering probing bank accounts as part of their investigation.

The effort to pinpoint and remove any influence that Golden Dawn may have within the police force continued on Thursday with raids by internal affairs officers on precincts in western Attica. The police stations in Peristeri and Aegaleo were searched following complaints that officers there failed to investigate attacks on immigrants.

Internal affairs also searched the headquarters of the police’s anti-terrorist unit (EKAM) but sources said nothing suspicious was found.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America welcomed yesterday at the Archdiocese Headquarters the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, who is visiting New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America (photo Dimitrios Panagos/GOA)

President Anastasiades was accompanied by his wife, the First Lady of Cyprus Andri Anastasiades, the Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States George Chacalli, the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Ambassador Nicos Emiliou, Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides, the Director of the President’s Diplomatic Office Nicos Christodoulides and his associate Pantelis Pantelides, the Consul General of Cyprus in New York Koula Sofianou and Panikos Papanikoloaou, past president of the Cyprus Federation of America. His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela and Fr. Alexandros Karloutsos also attended the meeting on behalf of the Archdiocese.

During the meeting, Archbishop Demetrios outlined for President Anastasiades the efforts of the Archdiocese and the Greek American community in support of Cyprus throughout the years, and especially after the recent economic crisis which hit the people of Cyprus. In turn, the President expressed the gratitude of the people of Cyprus for all the help and relief assistance and presented an overview of the efforts of his government to overcome the crisis and reach a just and fair solution to the problem of Cyprus.

Talk shows, music programs and hourly news bulletins make up the schedule of a new public radio station, Proto Programma, which began broadcasting on Thursday.

The radio station, which replaces those of defunct state TV and radio broadcaster ERT, is primarily staffed by former ERT employees and transmitting on the 95.6 FM frequency, among others.

Meanwhile, the Council of State is expected to deliver a decision on Friday on an appeal by the union representing ERT workers, POSPERT, regarding the government’s closure of the public broadcaster on June 11.