September 2013 – Page 6 – GREEK WORLD MEDIA

2013 Forbes 400 List: America’s Richest Greeks

Foreigners set to rouse property market in Greece

State asset tenders and bank portfolios currently offering investors great opportunities in local real estate

Some 100 million euros is expected to come into the local property market from foreign investors within 2013, according to a report by international real estate agency Savills, which would constitute a record amount for the last few years at least.

This high level of foreign investment in Greek property is expected to come from the state tenders conducted by privatization fund TAIPED, including the sale and leaseback of 28 properties for which offers are expected to be submitted by the end of the month or in early October. These tenders have reportedly attracted the interest of a number of investors who are able to pay significant amounts of money.

Another reason for the anticipated rise in property investment from abroad is the entry into the market of quality properties from the portfolios of the country’s banking groups, which due to the ongoing concentration of activities is leading them to selling their real estate holdings in order to strengthen their financial reports and cash reserves.

Nevertheless the Greek market still faces a number of problems. Savills says in its Europe-wide report that the general investment climate remains unchanged as investors do not have access to bank funding. The writers of the report state that “the eagerly anticipated recapitalization of the banking system has not translated into improved liquidity in the market.”

However, investors who do have access to the necessary cash flow are currently focusing on the Greek market due to the considerable drop in prices over the last few years, even for quality assets. It follows the pattern set for other peripheral markets in the European Union, such as Ireland, Spain and Italy, to which more and more foreign investors have been turning.

Savills also foresees a further 15 percent decline in commercial property prices this year in Greece, but this will probably signal the end of the downward cycle. The interest from foreign investors is set to halt the drop in prices, with Savills expecting the yields of quality properties in Greece to stay at the current levels of 8.5-9 percent for next year as well. This means the commercial property market will likely stabilize in 2014.

Crisis in Greece: PM Samaras sees recovery by 2019

Source: BBC

Teachers on strike in Greece rally in Athens, 16 September

Teachers are protesting against public sector cuts

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has said the debt-ridden country could return to pre-crisis living standards within six years.

“According to most [experts], we will not need a couple of decades, not a couple of generations, but only six years,” he said in a speech.

He spoke in Rome before travelling to Brussels to meet EU officials.

International lenders are due to conduct a new audit of Greece, where strikes against cuts are under way.

Doctors began a three-day strike on Tuesday in protest at government plans for hospital mergers.

Teachers went on strike on Monday with thousands attending rallies outside parliament in the capital, Athens, as well as the second city, Thessaloniki.

Greece’s economy has shrunk by 23% since 2008, and international lenders expect it to diminish by a further 4.2% this year.

The country has received two aid packages totalling about 240bn euros (£205bn; $321bn) and will need about 10bn euros more to cover a funding gap.

In rare good news for the economy, a finance ministry official told Reuters news agency the government expected its budget gap over 2015 and 2016 to be “well below” 2% of GDP thanks to a strong tourism season this year.

New money

Speaking at a conference organised by the International Herald Tribune, Mr Samaras said his government had implemented “sweeping reforms” and the country was now “going through the end of the recession”.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras (left) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at a news conference in Brussels, 17 September

Mr Samaras (left) met the head of the European Commission in Brussels

In Brussels, he met European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso who said in a statement after the talks: “I believe now we can say there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

However, Mr Barroso added, there was “still a way to go to modernise the public sector and really put it at the service of citizens and companies”.

Mr Samaras, who leads a fragile coalition between his conservative New Democracy party and leftist parties, has agreed to put 25,000 civil servants on a reduced salary this year before they are transferred or dismissed.

The action is being taken in exchange for a new instalment of loans worth 1bn euros from the so-called troika of lenders – the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

It is the first time under the Greek constitution that public sector workers will lose their jobs, with 15,000 redundancies expected by the end of 2014, the BBC’S Mark Lowen in Athens reports.

Some 4,500 civil servants – mostly teaching staff – were already redeployed at the end of July.

A technical team from the troika is due to arrive in Athens this week, followed by senior mission chiefs on 22 September, AFP news agency reports.

They are expected to examine the privatisation of three ailing industries – mining company Larko, truck manufacturer Elvo and defence contractor EAS – and the drafting of a new property tax.

‘Impossible to live’

When protesting school guards tried to push their way into the ministry of administrative reform on Monday, police fired tear gas.

“We want our jobs back!” former school guard Eleni Stathaki, 53, told Reuters news agency, weeping. “They threw us out but want us to keep paying taxes. It’s impossible to live like this.”

As protesters marched through Athens to parliament, they chanted “Let’s kick the government, the EU and the IMF out!” and held banners reading “No firings!”

A two-day general strike by public sector workers is due to begin on Wednesday.

Greece insists that its notoriously inefficient and bloated public sector needs reform, our correspondent says.

But with unemployment nearing 30%, it is a hard argument to sell to the people, he adds.

Hospital doctors join Greek strikes

Greek flags and protest

Greek doctors have joined the latest wave of strikes to hit the debt-stricken country, with thousands of public sector workers protesting against government plans for lay-offs and redeployments.

In Brussels, however, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said during a visit by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras that the unpopular policy of austerity was showing results in Greece and must be pursued to the end.

Teachers from schools and universities, civil servants and lawyers are also on strike, in protest at reforms that Samaras’ centre-left coalition government is undertaking in return for international bailout funds.

Doctors in public hospitals are protesting at government plans to merge various hospitals in an effort to cut down on public spending, while lawyers oppose changes in their sector that will result in pay reductions.

On Tuesday, some 200 angry workers from the Greek ministry of development gathered in central Athens to protest at cuts.

“We have just received a list with 100 ministry employees who have been placed on the redeployment scheme. We are sure that this will lead to their lay-off,” union leader Dimitra Chioni said.

Many secondary schools remained shut around the country, with the main secondary school teachers union opposing a reduction of teaching staff and the abolition of so-called secondary subjects that include foreign languages, art and music.

Universities remained shut as well, refusing to provide the government with a list of names of staff that could be placed on the redeployment scheme.

The lawyers are expected to be on strike for two days, the doctors for three, while the teachers are due to continue their action for the rest of the week.

The latest wave of public sector strikes began on Monday, ahead of Samaras’ talks with EU officials in Brussels and the start of a new audit by European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund creditors.

Barroso said that after huge sacrifices there was “light at the end of the tunnel”, with twice-bailed out Greece set to return to growth next year.

After six years in a deep and damaging recession, Greece is finally turning the corner, with public finances set to show a primary surplus if debt and interest payments are excluded, said Samaras.

“Today there is no more talk about the infamous ‘Grexit,'” he added, referring to the possibility the country would leave the eurozone as it failed to meet its bailout targets.

First rescued in 2010 by the troika of the European Union, the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, Athens soon needed a second, bigger bailout which included a controversial write-down of some 100 billion euros ($A144.18 billion) in private creditor debt.

Neither Samaras nor Barroso directly referred to the strikes in Greece.

All of Greece’s other public sector unions will embark on a two-day strike on Wednesday and Thursday, called by the main union, ADEDY.

They will also be joined by unions representing workers in the private sector.

Assistant treasurer-elect Arthur Sinodinos will take responsibility for Australia’s $1.6 trillion superannuation industry

Source: SMH

Super industry welcomes appointment

Assistant treasurer-elect Arthur Sinodinos will take responsibility for Australia’s $1.6 trillion superannuation industry, but the title will go.

The industry was unsure on Monday when a minister for superannuation was not listed in Tony Abbott’s ministry.

But returning the sector to Treasury is not new; Labor introduced the country’s first superannuation minister, Nick Sherry, in 2007.

The Coalition’s former spokesman for superannuation, Mathias Cormann, has been promoted to finance minister. As expected, Joe Hockey will be treasurer, Steven Ciobo will be parliamentary secretary to the treasurer and Arthur Sinodinos will serve as assistant treasurer.

Alex Dunnin, director of research at super research firm Rainmaker, said putting super into the hands of Senator Sinodinos was ”probably a real stroke of luck for the sector as Sinodinos seems one of the most level-headed players in the whole cabinet, at least among the heavyweights”.

He added that Senator Sinodinos might ”also signal that the government doesn’t really have much interest in more superannuation or financial services reform, or even fussing too much with rolling things back.

”The industry will welcome the appointment … but I suggest the smarter players in the retail side of the trade will not be overly rapt, at least if they were expecting more restructuring.”

John Brogden, chief executive of the Financial Services Council, said ”as a former Treasury economist and chief of staff to John Howard, Arthur Sinodinos has unparalleled experienced for the role as assistant treasurer”.

David Whiteley, head of the industry super lobbying group Industry Super Network, said Senator Sinodinos had ”considerable experience in financial services”.

The announcement comes as the corporate regulator said it was scrutinising the aggressive marketing of property to self-managed superannuation funds, which account for almost one-third of the enormous industry’s total assets. ”ASIC [Australian Securities and Investments Commission] is also experiencing an increase in reports of misconduct about aggressive marketing of investments, notably direct property, through SMSFs,” it said in a consultation paper released on Monday.

And ASIC weighed into the debate over the minimum size for a fund, noting many industry participants question whether $200,000 is enough to establish a SMSF.

ASIC wants Australian financial services licensees to warn clients that SMSF investors are not entitled to compensation due to fraud or theft, after a parliamentary inquiry found SMSF investors in the collapsed Trio Capital were not aware they were ineligible or to other risks associated with SMSFs.

ASIC said financial planners and accountants should disclose the ”potentially significant” costs associated with managing a SMSF.

Sophie Mirabella surrenders seat of Indi after conceding victory to Cathy McGowan

Source: TheAustralian

FORMER Coalition frontbencher Sophie Mirabella has surrendered her seat and will not demand a recount.

She revealed in a statement that she had conceded the Victorian seat of Indi to independent Cathy McGowan.

Ms Mirabella has taken full responsibility for the loss after suffering a two-party-preferred swing of more than 9 per cent.

“Today I have contacted Cathy McGowan to congratulate her on her win in Indi and concede defeat,” she said.

“Representing the people of Indi in the Federal Parliament has been a high honour and a very special privilege.

“I want to thank the electors of Indi for their support over the last decade. They have enriched my life and that of my family and, together, we have achieved so much for our community.

“I also thank those who voted for the Liberal Party in this election and in the previous four elections in Indi.

“This election is over and the responsibility for the outcome is mine.

“Despite the closeness of the count I have decided not to seek a recount. I unreservedly accept the decision of the democratic process.”

The decision came as she trailed by 387 votes with little more than 1000 to be counted.

Ms Mirabella’s concession is both a personal blow to her as well as a blow to Liberal leader Tony Abbott.

She was considered an automatic selection in any Abbott Cabinet and had been a strident supporter of his leadership.

At the same time, the loss of the seat is a bitter blow to the Liberal Party and will spark further soul-searching about what went wrong.

Ms McGowan was backed by senior Nationals members in the north-east Victorian electorate amid anger over three cornered contests being waged in Victoria.

The dispute was linked to the Liberal decision to run in nearby Mallee against the Nationals despite the Nationals having held Mallee for many years.

However, senior Liberals have rejected this claim, arguing that Ms Mirabella had already been facing a contest from Ms McGowan.

Ms McGowan said she’ll have to “grow in the job” and thanked Ms Mirabella for her 12 years of service.

“My intention would be to be a really good local member and be able to represent the diversity of voices in Indi,” she said.

Critical praise for Royal Academy of Arts’ Australia exhibition

Source: News

A visitor looks at Ned Kelly 1946 by Sidney Nolan, which is part of the Australia exhibition, at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. (Photo by Bethany Clarke/Getty Images)

IT’S taken 200 years but Britons will finally get a chance to appreciate Australian art with the largest exhibition of its kind ever held opening in the British capital today.

After three years of negotiations, the Royal Academy of Arts has transported some of Australia’s most important works from indigenous artists Albert Namatjira and Emily Kame Kngwarreye to Colonial artists like John Glover and Frederick McCubbin to more contemporary Jeffrey Smart, Brett Whitely and Sidney Nolan, whose Ned Kelly is featured as the centre piece of the exhibition.

There are more than 180 paintings, photographs and prints on display taken from galleries across Australia.

Many of the artists may be household names in their hometown but Kathleen Soriano, director of the simply named “Australia” exhibition said it was a travesty they were not known to English audiences.

A visitor looks at Sidney Nolan’s series in London. Picture: Getty Images

She said since a visit to Australia in the 1980s she couldn’t understand why it was she had never knew the stories about the fabulous artists.”I sort of made it a mission of mine from that point to bring them to the attention of the British public,” she said yesterday as the doors to the exhibition were opened.

“I had been making the exhibition in my head for probably 23 years but we’ve been working hard on it for three years. I think we have got the best of the best here under the theme of land and landscape to underline the selection to tell the story not only of Australian art history but Australian history.”

Ms Soriano said it was a great moment for Australia and its art, the exhibition of which has never been seen before and opens the way for future single artist exhibitions coming to the British capital.

She said there had been a contemporary Australian art exhibition in the 1960s and another in 1923 but not for 200 years and colonialisation had such a mass exhibition of Australian art been displayed.

“Lets hope it doesn’t take a century or more before we have the next one,” she said.

British art critics at The Times and The Telegraph have given the exhibition four stars out of five with only the left-wing Guardian newspaper slamming it as too diverse, problematic and in parts the works as ghastly concluding: “I thought the days of shows like these were over. They ought to be”.

Sydney mansion set to smash Australian property price records

Source: News

John B Fairfax waterfront mansion Elaine located at 550 New South Head Rd, Double Bay. Picture: Carlos Furtado

A GRAND waterfront mansion owned by the Fairfax family for 102 years is set to smash Australian property price records if it sells for an expected $100 million.

Agents say the Sydney house is the most significant listing ever to hit the market in Australia and are predicting a nine-figure sale for the Double Bay estate.

Selling agent Ken Jacobs of Christie’s International Real Estate told The Australian it was impossible to give a price for the heritage-listed mansion, known as Elaine, as there are no points of reference.

However, Sydney valuers estimate that it could fetch $100 million on the back of recent top-end sales, and say an Asian buyer is a distinct possibility.

Elaine will certainly surpass the Sydney record of$53 million paid by Xiuzhen Ding’s Chaimovitch Investments for nearby Altona which sold earlier this year, as the estate is three times the size. What’s more, Altona sold when the market was more subdued, and the block is already subdivided into six lots each of which could be sold separately.

Aerial view of ‘Elaine’

Elaine will also beat the record national price, of $57.5 million paid by Mineral Resources founder Chris Ellison for iron ore heiress Angela Bennett’s Swan River front residence in Perth’s Mosman Parkin 2009.

The seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion with accompanying tennis court has some of the best views across Sydney Harbour.

The residence itself is a grand Victorian mansion, built in 1863.

The Double Bay mansion. Picture: Supplied

Businessman John B Fairfax put Elaine, the home of four generations of the Fairfax family of publishing fame, on the market this week.

Elaine, just 4 kilometres from the city centre, sits on 7000 square metres of land dropping down to the private Seven Shillings Beach.

The property was purchased by Geoffrey Fairfax in 1911 for pound stg. 2100.

His descendants subsequently secured the property for the family through a series of purchases, including by John B Fairfax’s father, Sir Vincent, in 1936.

John B Fairfax is a cousin of Warwick Fairfax, who privatised the family media and publishing businesss in 1987. He returned with a merger of Rural Press in 2007 only to sell out at a loss in 2011.

Google Earth images of the waterfront mansions of 'Elaine'

Google Earth image of waterfront estate ‘Elaine’

The Fairfax family have not lived at Elaine in more than 20 years and it is now effectively a redundant asset.

It is currently tenanted but the lease is due to expire shortly, according to the Australian Financial Review.

Tenants have included venture capitalist and media player Cameron O’Reilly, son of media mogul Tony O’Reilly. Rent was $6300 a week when rented by Mr O’Reilly in 2000.

It is understood the 1870s building requires substantial renovation.

A Fairfax family spokesman told The Australian that the home held a special place in the family’s history and Mr Fairfax, 71, believed it was now time for a new family to enjoy it.

Once occupied by Lady Nancy Fairfax, who moved out in 1994, it includes a ballroom and stables.

John B Fairfax

Mr Faifax’s family’s private company, Marinya, severed ties with Fairfax Media in November 2011 when it sold its 9.7 per cent stake for $200m. Four years earlier, the family’s 14 per cent stake in the media group had been valued at $1.1 billion.

A source close to Mr Fairfax dismissed any suggestion the sale of Elaine was forced because of the family’s financial position.

The family has been rationalising its investments in property, shares, debt and other financial instruments since the Fairfax media share sale.

The estate will be marketed extensively offshore.

And for the rare few with $100 million to spare, here’s what else your money could buy:

With tropical Queensland islands priced from $2 million, you could have many of these of these.

Queensland islands

At $800,000, more than 100 Lamborghini Aventadors.

Lamborghini Aventador. Picture: Supplied

She’s not for sale, but at an estimated worth of at least $10 million, about 10 Black Caviars.

Black Caviar

Φόρος τιμής στη Μαρία Κάλλας, 36 χρόνια μετά τον θάνατό της

Τη Μαρία Κάλλας τιμά απόψε η Εθνική Λυρική Σκηνή με σειρά μουσικών δρώμενων στο κέντρο της Αθήνας, από τις 18:00 το απόγευμα έως τις 22:00 το βράδυ και με αφορμή τη συμπλήρωση 36 χρόνων από την επέτειο του θανάτου της (16 Σεπτεμβρίου 1977).

Στους δρόμους Αθήνας, της πόλης που μεγάλωσε η Μαρία Καλογεροπούλου, πριν γίνει η μεγάλη Κάλλας, θα ακουστούν οι διάσημες άριες, οι οποίες σημαδεύτηκαν για πάντα από τις μοναδικές ερμηνείες της, από τους καλλιτέχνες του Λυρικού θεάτρου, στο οποίο έκανε τα πρώτα βήματα της καριέρας της.

Οι σολίστ Δήμητρα Θεοδοσίου, Αντωνία Καλογήρου, Βασιλική Καραγιάννη, Ειρήνη Καράγιαννη, Έλενα Κελεσίδη, Τσέλια Κοστέα, Μυρσίνη Μαργαρίτη, Μαρία Μητσοπούλου και Τζούλια Σουγλάκου, οι πιανίστες και η Ορχήστρα της ΕΛΣ, σε μουσική διεύθυνση του Καλλιτεχνικού Διευθυντή της Μύρωνα Μιχαηλίδη θα ερμηνεύσουν αποσπάσματα από τις όπερες Τραβιάτα, Μποέμ, Τόσκα, Μαντάμα Μπαττερφλάι, Μάκμπεθ, Ριγολέττος, Ο κουρέας της Σεβίλλης, Τροβατόρε, Ο σικελικός εσπερινός κ.α.

Ο μουσικός περίπατος σε πέντε πράξεις-στάσεις, έχει σχεδιαστεί με τέτοιο τρόπο ώστε να δίνει τη δυνατότητα στο κοινό να παρακολουθήσει και τις πέντε συναυλίες, μετακινούμενο με τα πόδια από τη μία στην άλλη.

Η Λυρική προσκαλεί τους θαυμαστές της ντίβας της όπερας –και όχι μόνον– να περιδιαβούν τους δρόμους της πόλης, με συνοδοιπόρους τις όπερες των Βέρντι, Πουτσίνι, Ροσσίνι, Ντονιτσέττι κ.α. να σταθούν σε περισσότερο ή λιγότερο δημοφιλή σημεία της, για να δουν με μια νέα ματιά τόσο την πόλη, όσο και την τέχνη της όπερας.

Τη Δευτέρα συμπληρώνονται 36 χρόνια από την ημέρα που η φωνή της μεγάλης Ελληνίδα σοπράνο, Μαρίας Κάλλας σίγησε για πάντα. Προδομένη από την καρδιά της «έφυγε» σε ηλικία μόλις 53 ετών στις 16 Σεπτεμβρίου 1977. Το όνομα της γράφτηκε με χρυσά γράμματα στην ιστορία της όπερας και μετατράπηκε σε έναν παγκόσμιο μύθο.

Η Μαρία, Άννα, Σοφία, Κεκιλία Καλογερόπουλος, όπως ήταν το πλήρες όνομα της Κάλλας, γεννήθηκε στις 3 Δεκεμβρίου του 1923 σε νοσοκομείο του Μανχάταν από Έλληνες γονείς. Η παιδική ηλικία της ήταν μάλλον δύσκολη εξαιτίας της ταραχώδους σχέσης των γονιών της που έληξε όταν η μητέρα της Ευαγγελία πήρε την Μαρία Κάλλας και την μεγαλύτερη αδελφή της πίσω στην Ελλάδα λίγο πριν από τον Β’ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο. Η ίδια η σοπράνο θυμόταν με πικρία τα παιδικά χρόνια της και κατηγορούσε την μητέρα της ότι την υποχρέωνε να εργάζεται και να τραγουδά από πολύ μικρή. «Η αδελφή μου ήταν αδύνατη, όμορφη και φιλική και η μητέρα μου πάντα την προτιμούσε. Ήμουν το ασχημόπαπο. Άσχημο, ατσούμπαλο και μη δημοφιλές. Είναι σκληρό να κάνεις ένα παιδί να αισθάνεται άσχημο και ανεπιθύμητο. Δεν θα την συγχωρήσω ποτέ που μου στέρησε την παιδική ηλικία μου» είχε πει η ίδια σε συνέντευξη της στο περιοδικό Time το 1956.

Η πορεία της Κάλλας προς την δόξα και την διεθνή αναγνώριση ξεκίνησε τον Φεβρουάριο του 1941 από την Εθνική Όπερα της Ελλάδας. Μετά το τέλος του Β’ Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου η δασκάλα της την παρακινεί να μετακομίσει στην Ιταλία και να κυνηγήσει το όνειρο της για μία θέση στην Σκάλα του Μιλάνου. Το ντεμπούτο της έγινε στην La Gioconda στο θέατρο της Βερόνα όπου και γνώρισε τον μετέπειτα σύζυγο της, Τζιοβάνι Μπατίστα Μενεγκίνι.

Παντρεύτηκαν το 1949 και ο πλούσιος επιχειρηματίας Μενεγκίνι που ήταν κατά πολύ μεγαλύτερος της ανέλαβε να καθοδηγήσει την καριέρα της Κάλλας. Εκείνο το διάστημα η σοπράνο άρχιζε να καταλαβαίνει ότι το μεγάλο βάρος της αποτελεί πρόβλημα στην απόδοση της στην σκηνή. Φίλοι της εξομολογούνταν ότι τα πικρόχολα σχόλια δημοσιογράφων για την εικόνα της την έκαναν έξαλλη. Τον Μάιο του 1953 κατάλαβε ότι χρειαζόταν μία πιο λεπτή σιλουέτα προκειμένου να ερμηνεύσει με μεγαλύτερη επιτυχία τους δραματικούς ρόλους. Μέσα σε ένα χρόνο έχασε σχεδόν 36 κιλά, άλλαξε την γκαρνταρόμπα της. Η μεταμόρφωση της δεν έμεινε απαρατήρητη από τον διεθνή Τύπο που σχολίαζε με ιδιαιτέρως κολακευτικά κείμενα τις φωνητικές ικανότητες αλλά και την σκηνική παρουσία της.

Το 1957 η Κάλλας γνώρισε τον εφοπλιστή, Αριστοτέλη Ωνάση σε ένα πάρτι που δινόταν προς τιμήν της. Η σχέση τους θυελλώδης και δυνατή, όπως και οι χαρακτήρες τους. Άλλωστε η Κάλλας είχε ήδη κερδίσει το παρατσούκλι «Τίγρης» εξαιτίας μίας σκληρής έκφρασης του προσώπου της όταν θύμωσε μπροστά σε φωτογράφους και κέρδισε τον τίτλο της καλλιτέχνιδας με έντονο ταπεραμέντο.

Η Κάλλας χώρισε με τον Μενεγκίνι το 1959 και άφησε στην άκρη την καριέρα της προκειμένου να μείνει πλάι στον Ωνάση. Εκείνη περιμένει μετά από 9 χρόνια τον Σμυρνιό εφοπλιστή να την ζητήσει σε γάμο. Εκείνος το 1968 αποφασίζει ξαφνικά να παντρευτεί την χήρα του Αμερικανού προέδρου, Τζον Κένεντι, Τζάκι. Η Μαρία Κάλλας έχασε την γη κάτω από τα πόδια της και σύμφωνα με μαρτυρίες φιλικών προσώπων της έπεσε σε κατάθλιψη.

Η τελευταία της εμφάνιση έγινε στην Ιαπωνία τον Δεκέμβριο του 1974. Σχεδόν 2 χρόνια μετά τον θάνατο του Ωνάση η Μαρία Κάλλας πέρασε στην αιωνιότητα την 16η Σεπτεμβρίου 1997 στο Παρίσι.

Κλεμμένο το «My number one» της Παπαρίζου

Source: gossip-tv.gr

Κλεμμένο το «My number one» της Παπαρίζου

Οκτώ χρόνια μετά την επιτυχία της Ελλάδας στον μουσικό διαγωνισμό της Eurovision με την Έλενα Παπαρίζου, φαίνεται πως συνθέτης του τραγουδιού «My number one» δεν ήταν ο Χρήστος Δάντης, αλλά ο Μάνος Ψαλτάκης.

Η διαμάχη των δύο συνθετών κρατάει αρκετά χρόνια. Μέχρι και το 2005 ο Μάνος Ψαλτάκης ήταν ένας από τους πιο στενούς συνεργάτες αλλά και φίλους του Χρήστου Δάντη. Η σχέση των δύο καλλιτεχνών όμως έληξε απότομα όταν το 2005, ξέσπασε έντονη διαμάχη την «πατρότητα» του «Μy number one», που ερμηνεύτηκε από την Ελενα Παπαρίζου στην Eurovision και έφερε την Ελλάδα στην πρώτη θέση.

Ο Μάνος Ψαλτάκης υποστήριζε πως το τραγούδι ήταν δικό του και πως ο Χρήστος Δάντης έκλεψε την πνευματική του ιδιοκτησία. Η υπόθεση λοιπόν κατέληξε στα δικαστήρια και η πρωτόδικη απόφαση ήταν καταδικαστική για τον Χρήστο Δάντη ο οποίος στη συνέχεια άσκησε έφεση. Σήμερα όμως βγήκε η απόφαση του εφετείου και σύμφωνα με αυτήν, η σύνθεση του τραγουδιού δεν ανήκει στον Χρήστο Δάντη, αλλά στον Μάνο Ψαλτάκη!

Ο ίδιος έγραψε στην προσωπική του σελίδα στο facebook: «Σας λέω ότι και Θεός υπάρχει και δικαιοσύνη υπάρχει. Σήμερα ο Δαυίδ, κέρδισε τον Γολιάθ για δεύτερη φορά. Αυτό να γίνει μάθημα στις φίρμες που ενώ υπάρχουν συνθέτες με εκπληκτικά τραγούδια, αυτοί και τα χώνουν και παίρνουν αηδίες. Το κλικάτο σύστημα το πολέμησα και το νίκησα, κάντε κι εσείς το ίδιο, στη μουσική δεν χωράει σύστημα και η κλίκα ως εδώ. Θέλω να πω σε όλους καλλιτέχνες φίρμες και μη στον κόσμο σε όλους που πιστέψτε με είναι πάρα πολλοί. Ένα πολύ μεγάλο ευχαριστώ που από την πρώτη στιγμή ήταν δίπλα μου και πιο πολύ στους πιο αγαπημένους μου φίλους, Σταμάτη Γονίδη, Θέμη Αδαμαντίδη, Στέλιο Ρόκκο! Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ. Θυμίζω ότι σήμερα βγήκε η απόφαση ότι το «My Number One» είναι του Μάνου Ψαλτάκη!»