Daily Archives: November 21, 2014

Και κυβερνητικές βολές κατά των δικτύων αν περικόψουν προγράμματά τους μετά απ’ αυτές.

Η επισήμανση ότι θα είναι «άνανδρο» εκ μέρους της διοίκησης των κρατικών δικτύων ABC και SBS να περικόψουν κάποια από τα προγράμματά τους και να διώξουν προσωπικό, συνόδευε την ανακοίνωση του υπ. Τηλεπικοινωνιών, Malcolm Turnbull, ότι η κυβέρνηση Abbott αποφάσισε να «αφαιρέσει» από τα ταμεία τους για τα επόμενα 5 χρόνια το συνολικό ποσόν των $307,7 εκατ.

Οι περικοπές στη χρηματοδότηση του ABC θα είναι $254 εκατ., ποσόν που αναλογεί στο 4,6% της παρούσας χρηματοδότησης του κρατικού δικτύου, ενώ για το SBS ο κ. Turnbull ανακοίνωσε περικοπές $53,7 εκατ. ποσόν που αναλογεί στο 1,7% της συνολικής του χρηματοδότησης. Όσον αφορά το κρατικό δίκτυο SBS ο κ. Turnbull έδωσε το δικαίωμα αύξησης των διαφημίσεών του και είπε ότι αυτό θα αναπληρώσει κάποιους από τους πόρους που του αφαιρούν οι κυβερνητικές περικοπές. Αν το νομοσχέδιο που προβλέπει την αύξηση των διαφημίσεων στο SBS περάσει από την βουλή την επόμενη χρονιά, το κρατικό δίκτυο θα έχει το δικαίωμα εκπομπής διαφημιστικών μηνυμάτων συνολικής διάρκειας 10 λεπτών την ώρα, αρκεί ο μέσος όρος της ώρας που θα διατίθεται για διαφημίσεις να μην ξεπερνά τα 5 λεπτά την ώρα ανά 24ωρο.
Ο υπουργός κατά την ανακοίνωση των περικοπών, απέφυγε ακόμα και να χρησιμοποιήσει τη συγκεκριμένη λέξη καθώς τις ονόμασε μέρισμα αποδοτικότητας και δήλωσε ότι, όπως όλοι οι άλλοι κρατικοί φορείς πρέπει να κάνουν θυσίες για το καλό της οικονομίας της χώρας, έτσι και τα κρατικά δίκτυα θα υποστούν τη συγκεκριμένη πολιτική.
Εκείνο, όμως, που δεν είπε ο υπουργός, αλλά το είπε η αντιπολίτευση λίγο μετά την ανακοίνωση της απόφασης, ήταν το γεγονός ότι η κυβέρνηση αθέτησε μία ακόμα προεκλογική της υπόσχεση, προχωρώντας στις συγκεκριμένες περικοπές.

Εν τω μεταξύ, τα πυρά Turnbull προς τα δύο κρατικά δίκτυα για «ανανδρία» αν διώξουν προσωπικό και κόψουν κάποια προγράμματα τους λόγω της επιβολής του… «μερίσματος αποδοτικότητας» δεν φαίνεται να αλλάζουν τις συνήθεις συνέπειες παρομοίων αποφάσεων.

Πριν από κάμποσο καιρό και ενώ από πολλά κυβερνητικά και μη χείλη ακουγόταν ότι η κυβέρνηση Abbott ετοίμαζε «την λυπητερή» για το ABC και οι περικοπές θα κυμαίνονταν γύρω στο 5%, ο διευθύνων σύμβουλος του ABC, Mark Scott, είχε αναφέρει ότι αν αυτό συμβεί, τότε το κρατικό δίκτυο θα αναγκαστεί να απολύσει τουλάχιστον 500 εργαζομένους τους. Μπορεί μέχρι στιγμής να έγινε γνωστό αν αυτό θα συμβεί, εκείνο όμως που έγινε γνωστό μέσω της εκπομπής του κρατικού καναλιού, Media Watch, είναι ότι ήδη μελετάται η διακοπή της αφιερωμένης σε κάθε πολιτεία τηλεοπτικής εκπομπής 7.30 Report, η οποία μεταδίδονταν κάθε Παρασκευή σε όλες τις Πολιτείες της χώρας με περιεχόμενο σχετικό ανά Πολιτεία και η συρρίκνωση της «ειδησεογραφικής ναυαρχίδας» του κρατικού δικτύου Lateline.

Πηγή: Νέος Κόσμος

Dancers joined by festival-goers for some Greek dancing on the streets of Oakleigh. Photos: Kosta Deves

Last Sunday saw both young and old Greek Australians gathered for the 36th Dimitria Festival in Oakleigh.

Organised by the Pan Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria, the annual Macedonian Glendi showcased the best of the region’s food and dancing, giving festival-goers the chance to celebrate and learn about the region.

Both sides of politics took part, with Labor candidates Jennifer Yang and Steve Dimopoulos and Liberal candidate Theo Zographos mingling with voters. They were also joined by Labour MP Jenny Mikakos, the president of the Greek community of Melbourne and Victoria, Bill Papastergiadis and the Greek consul general in Melbourne Christina Simantirakis.

In a show of true Hellenism, the dancing wasn’t just restricted to the stage, but hundreds joined in on the street to show their Greek dancing chops.

source: Neos Kosmos

Thessaloniki’s mayor will visit the Jewish Holocaust Centre and speak on the expulsion of the Jews of Thessaloniki.

In Melbourne for sister city celebration, Thessaloniki’s mayor Yiannis Boutaris will make a bee line towards the Jewish Holocaust Centre and continue his work on formally recognizing the contribution of the Jewish community of Thessaloniki.

The mayor famously offered an official apology this month and recognised the eradication of the Jewish community and legacy, something he called the “darkest moment in its history”.

Alongside the Ambassador of Greece, Haris Dafaranos, Mr Boutaris will tour the museum and speak to a crowd full of holocaust survivors and members of the Jewish and Greek Australian communities.

The connection will also be analysed by genocide studies scholar Dr Donna-Lee Frieze, who will present testimony footage from a Greek survivor of the Thessaloniki Ghetto.

56,000 Jews were handed to the Germans by Greek officials in Thessaloniki, eradicating 500 years of history of a community group embedded in the second largest Greek city.

“The City of Thessaloniki took an unjustifiably long time to break its silence,” Boutaris said during a ceremony recognising the genocide of the Jews of Thessaloniki.

“Today it can say that it is ashamed of those in Thessaloniki who collaborated with the Germans, those who embezzled their fortunes and those who betrayed Jews who tried to escape.”

Only 2,000 Thessaloniki Jews survived. 90 per cent of the Jews from Thessaloniki that were taken by the Germans were killed after being taken to concentration camps.

On top of the exodus, in 1942, Thessaloniki’s municipal workers destroyed the Jewish cemetery established in 1493 to pave roads, build swimming pools, mansions for the rich and even pave part of the Church of Agios Dimitrios with the marble headstones.

Mr Boutaris wore a yellow Star of David at his most recent mayoral swearing-in ceremony recognise the loss and the failure for Greek authorities to intervene.

While Melbourne marks the 30 year anniversary of the sister city relationship with the Greek city, the Jewish Holocaust Centre also marks its 30 year anniversary since its establishment.

The event at the Jewish Holocaust Centre, 13-15 Selwyn Street, Elsternwick will start at 11:30am on Sunday and is open to all.

source: Neos Kosmos

Dancers from all regions of Greece will take part.

Melbourne will turn Greek on Sunday as the city celebrates it 30 year sister city connection with Thessaloniki.

While celebrations have been going on since the start of the year, festivities will come to their peak at the annual Glendi Festival at Federation Square.
Guest of honour will be Thessaloniki’s mayor, Yiannis Boutaris who will join the Ambassador for Greece, Haris Dafaranos and the Consul General of Greece in Victoria Christina Simantiraki.

While he was booked for an appearance, the minister for Macedonia and Thrace, Giorgos Orfanos cancelled his trip on Tuesday without sighting a reason.

He did leave a message for the Greeks of Australia and promoted the two cities’ unity.

“The fact that 300,000 Greeks live in Australia highlights the important role which Melbourne plays in promoting the Greek culture and where Greece stands in the world,” Mr Orfanos said in his message.

‘The spirit of unity which the Greeks of the diaspora have shown should set an example for all of us,”

Festivities will start with a parade of musicians and dancers from City Square, who will make their way to Federation Square.

The musical and dance program will begin at 2pm, while the official launch and address from local and international dignitaries will begin from 4pm.

Dancing won’t be constricted to the region of Thessaloniki, with lots of dancing groups from all over the country making appearances.

The Anagenisi band will close proceedings, as it will play neo-classical Greek music, rebetika and laika to get everyone dancing and remembering the motherland.

Audience members will be asked to participate in Jospeh Tsobanopoulos’ gaida performance at 2pm while Greek band Ravaisi will entertain the crowd with traditional

Greek music featuring the Thracian lyra, kaval, lute, clarinet and percussion at 5pm.

The festival is free, and will include an array of stalls showcasing the best of Thessaloniki culturally and gastronomically.

The sister city relationship between Thessaloniki and Melbourne was created and signed on March 19, 1984 when the then mayor of Thessaloniki, Theodore Manavis visited Melbourne. The occasion was marked by a celebratory concert at the Melbourne Concert Hall.

The then lord mayor of Melbourne, Kevin Chamberlin said he hoped the relationship would give Greeks living in Australia a feeling that their homeland was close.

“The Council hopes that through the formal links now established between our two cities, Melbourne’s Greek community can develop an even closer involvement in their adopted city, whilst still maintaining ties with their homeland an traditional heritage,” Cr Chamberlin said.

Full program:
1.30 pm Procession of musicians and dancers in costume dancing their way from the Melbourne Town Hall to Federation Square
2.00 pm Joseph Tsobanopoulos playing Gaida (Greek Bagpipes) in front of stage with dancers and audience participation
2.15 pm LEXI Interactive Learning – Junior Dance Group
2.30 pm AKRITES – Pontian Dance Group
2.45 pm OPA School of Greek Folk Dance
3.00 pm Pan Cretan Association Dance Group
3.15 pm OPA School of Hellenic Dance – Junior Dance Group
3.25 pm Pan Cretan Association Junior Dance Group
3.30 pm Arrival of Official Party
3.35 pm Live Music
3.45 pm Pallaconian Brotherhood Dance Group
4.00 pm Official Speeches
4.45 pm Cretan Brotherhood Dance Group
5.00 pm RAVAISI traditional Greek music from all regions of Greece featuring Gaida, Thracian Lyra, Kaval, Lute, Clarinet and percussion
6.05 pm Cyprus Community of Melbourne Dance Group
6.20 pm Cretan Brotherhood Junior Dance Group
6.35 pm ANAGENNISI Band playing Laika, Dimotika, Rebetika and Neo-Classical Greek music.

source: Neos Kosmos

The Australian War Memorial has officially apologised for the mistake.

This year’s Remembrance Day ceremony and parade, was as usual accompanied by a wreath laying for Australia’s fallen soldiers, attended by many high-level dignitaries, international diplomats, and students.

Sadly, during wreath laying, the announcer made a mistake that raised an issue of protocol. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) was announced as “Macedonia” over the loudspeaker to lay a wreath.

The incident deeply disappointed the Greek Australian community, since the naming dispute has been an ongoing bilateral as well as international relations issue. FYROM is still the official name used by both the UN and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Considering there has been no resolution to the matter, and with lack of geographical and historical qualifiers, FYROM continues to appropriate ancient Greek Macedonian historical symbols and figures, calling the specific diplomatic delegate to represent “Macedonia” was seen as an insult.

The Ambassador for Greece in Australia, Haris Dafaranos, sent a letter to the director of the Australian War Memorial Dr. Brendan Nelson, highlighting the national importance of the formal appellation used in accordance with UN and DFAT.

The protocol department of the AWM, reassured the ambassador that the matter was brought to the attention of the Memorial’s management and will not occur again. The AWM, apologised for the misnaming of the Republic’s representative, perfectly sustaining the fact that the name “Macedonia” is historically associated with Greek culture. Mr Nelson referred to the predicament as an “oversight” in checking the details of the ceremony. It was an unintended error not bound to be repeated in the future, as the long lasting friendship between Greece and Australia is highly valued.

source: Neos Kosmos

Ο πρόεδρος Ερντογάν βιώνει πλέον την πολιτική απομόνωση, όντας ένας ηγέτης δίχως φίλους και συμμάχους (Φωτογραφία: ΑΠΕ )

Σε απομόνωση στη διεθνή πολιτική σκηνή οδηγεί τη χώρα του ο νεοεκλεγείς πρόεδρος της Τουρκίας, Ρετζέπ Ταγίπ Ερντογάν, σύμφωνα με το BBC.

O ανταποκριτής του βρετανικού δικτύου στην Κωνσταντινούπολη, Μαρκ Λόουεν, σε εκτενές  άρθρο, σημειώνει πως «κατά τη διάρκεια της 11χρονης θητείας του ως πρωθυπουργός, η Τουρκία ήρθε επιτέλους στο διεθνές προσκήνιο. Ξεκίνησε διαπραγματεύσεις για ένταξη στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και αύξησε τη διπλωματική παρουσία της, ιδιαίτερα στην Αφρική.

»Η μεγαλύτερη της πόλη, η Κωνσταντινούπολη, έχει σήμερα ένα απο τα μεγαλύτερα αεροδρόμια του κόσμου με μια αεροπορική εταιρεία [σ.σ: την Turkish Airlines] που πετάει σε περισσότερους προορισμούς από οποιαδήποτε άλλη.

»Αλλά τους τελευταίους μήνες, ίσως τα τελευταία δύο χρόνια περίπου, τα πράγματα έχουν πάρει αρνητική τροχιά. Οι διάφοροι πολιτικοί ανά τον κόσμο εξακολουθούν να κάνουν στάση στην Τουρκία, με τελευταίο τον αντιπρόεδρο των ΗΠΑ, Τζο Μπάιντεν, να φτάνει αυτή την βδομάδα. Ωστόσο σήμερα της Τουρκίας της λείπουν οι φίλοι».

Όπως επισημαίνει ο αρθρογράφος, «όλα ξεκίνησαν με την Αραβική Άνοιξη. Τότε που η Τουρκία έπαιξε λάθος τα “χαρτιά” της, υποστηρίζοντας την Μουσουλμανική Αδελφότητα στην Αίγυπτο και υπολογίζοντας στην ανατροπή του προέδρου Μπασάρ αλ Ασαντ στη Συρία.

»Πλέον, η Τουρκία δεν έχει πρεσβευτή στο Κάιρο και ο Ερντογάν έχει καταγγείλει τον Αιγύπτιο ομόλογό του, Αμπντούλ Φατάχ αλ-Σίσι, ως έναν “μη δημοκρατικά εκλεγμένο τύραννο”.

»Την ίδια στιγμή, οι σχέσεις της με το Ιράκ, το Ιράν και τη Σαουδική Αραβία έχουν αποδυναμωθεί, ενώ και η πάλαι ποτέ στρατηγική της σχέση με το Ισραήλ είναι υπό κατάρρευση, καθώς ο πρέσβης στο Τελ Αβίβ έχει αποσυρθεί, και ο Ερντογάν έχει στο πρόσφατο παρελθόν συγκρίνει τον βομβαρδισμό της Γάζας με το Ολοκαύτωμα.

»Αλλά ακόμη και οι σχέσεις με παλιούς συμμάχους, όπως οι ΗΠΑ, βρίσκονται σε τέλμα. Όταν η Ουάσιγκτον συγκροτούσε μια συμμαχία για την καταπολέμηση του Ισλαμικού Κράτους, η Τουρκία προτίμησε να περιθωριοποιηθεί, αρνούμενη να αφήσει τις ΗΠΑ να χρησιμοποιήσουν τις αεροπορικές βάσεις της για αεροπορικές επιδρομές εάν αυτές δεν στόχευαν επίσης τον πρόεδρο Ασαντ και δεν υποστήριζαν τη δημιουργία ζώνης απαγόρευσης πτήσεων πάνω από τη Συρία.

»Τον περασμένο μήνα, λίγες ώρες αφού ο Ερντογάν προειδοποίησε τον αμερικανό πρόεδρο Μπαράκ Ομπάμα να μην εξοπλίσει τους Κούρδους μαχητές στη Συρία, οι ΗΠΑ τους παρέδωσαν όπλα. Δεν θα μπορούσε να γίνει πιο ξεκάθαρη η στάση των ΗΠΑ απέναντι τον Ερντογάν».

«Η τουρκική κυβέρνηση κατανοεί ότι έχει χαθεί έδαφος, αλλά η Άγκυρα το δικαιολογεί θεωρώντας ότι η απομόνωση της Τουρκίας είναι επειδή είναι η μόνη χώρα που έχει την γενναιότητα να σταθεί ηθικά στο ύψος της και να υιοθετήσει μια εξωτερική πολιτική αρχών» υποστηρίζει στο βρετανικό δίκτυο ο πολιτικός αναλυτής Σινάν Ουλγκέν, προσθέτοντας πως «το επιχείρημα αυτό αρέσει στους οπαδούς του Ερντογάν -και για αυτόν αυτό μετράει».

«Οι διαδηλώσεις του Γκεζί και η αμήχανη αντίδρασή του απέναντι στις κατηγορίες για διαφθορά που τον βαραίνουν, ήταν η στιγμή που άλλαξε ριζικά η διεθνής κοινή γνώμη ενάντια στον Ερντογάν» συνοψίζει ο Ουλγκέν, καταλήγοντας πως «η απομόνωση της Τουρκίας είναι πρόβλημα για την ίδια, αλλά και για τη Δύση».

Πηγή:in.gr

She has been in the vanguard of the German business world for several years now and is a paradigm for the Greek diaspora. Dr Virginia Green (nee Virginia Giovanoudi), founder and managing director of ENCOS, was named Manager of the Year for 2014 by TUV Nord, a group of multinationals with 10,000 workers in 70 countries which provides security and certification services.

Green emigrated to Germany from the northern Greek border town of Didymoteicho at the age of 18 and studied chemical technology at the University of Dortmund. She took her first professional steps at the Esso petroleum company before embarking on a PhD while a mother of two. After years of working as a top-flight executive at various firms, Green decided to go it alone.

She founded Green Engineering in 1990, a company that carried out technical studies for chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical firms, and in 2000 created ENCOS (Engineering Constructions Service), a consortium between Green Engineering and Kohling & Partner. ENCOS specializes in the design and construction of factories and facilities for the chemicals industry and is considered among the best in its field worldwide thanks to its committment to health and safety standards.

Based in Hamburg, ENCOS has branches in Frankfurt, Greifswald and Thessaloniki, as well as a smaller office in Athens. It has more than 150 employees of various nationalities, 25 of whom are Greek. Green has nothing but praise for her compatriots.

“They are excellent scientists, flexible, smart and hardworking – they are in no way beneath other Europeans, something that I insisted on stressing to the Germans even before the crisis,” the award-winning businesswoman told Deutsche Welle.

In her interview with the German paper, Green advised young Greeks not to leave the country because this seems the easiest solution, telling them instead to fight their sense of pessimism, to take risks, to create new businesses and to be innovative in the sciences. The entrepreneur stresses the benefits of organic farming, saying that it does not require a large industrial base or large capital to get started.

Green is not one to blow her own trumpet, but the German business community has not been indifferent to her achievements over the course of her career. She has served for several years on the general council of the powerful Hamburg Chamber of Commerce as well as on its committee for new technologies. She is also a member of the German Hellenic Business Association.

All about hard work

Hard work is the key to achieving success, stresses Green.

“Whether you are a man or a woman, in the professional sector what counts is the work we do, what we produce, and not our gender or appearance,” the head of ENCOS told Deutsche Welle. “As women we rarely seek high-profile positions because we tend to avoid the limelight. We also need to start doing the things that men do, like networking with other sectors. Women do a lot of this in their private lives but we need to develop it more in our professional lives.”

Numerous international studies have in fact shown that companies with boards that have an equal representation of men and women tend to do better, as do their stocks. Asked by Kathimerini about what special qualities women can bring to business, Green said: “Women do not lack any skills when it comes to business and this is proven by their constantly increasing presence in the business arena. I would also venture to add that we also have the advantage of a better understanding of problems and of the particularities of our associates by our very nature. Furthermore, as a rule, women manage operating costs in a more frugal manner and they generally avoid showing off.”

Irrespective of gender, what makes a successful business person and how does he or she respond to challenges, be they of a personal or professional nature?

“You must be willing to take risks and not to become complacent like an employee who is only concerned with the next paycheck,” said Green. “You have to keep a clear head and be calm and collected, avoiding passionate reactions to the ups and downs of business but also to the upsets of life more generally. You need to have a good knowledge of the market in which you’re interested to keep abreast of developments. You have to be strict and in control, but also objective and open to recognizing the qualities of your associates as much as those of your competitors.”

source: ekathimerini.com

Benchmark iron-ore prices are now $70 a metric ton, off nearly 50% this year. Ships wait to be loaded with iron ore in Western Australia. Reuters

The iron ore price crunch could force Mineral Resources to put its mines on care and maintenance, managing director Chris Ellison says.

The trigger price for such action was not far away, Mr Ellison said.

The iron ore producer and mining services company would “turn off the tonnes” if the price plummeted further, he said, but he was unwilling to say by how much.

“If it gets to a point where it is below our cash costs we would turn off,” he said. “That is not too far away from where we are now.”

Mineral Resources owns and operates the Carina mine in West Australia’s Yilgarn region and is seeking approval to expand the 1.4 million tonnes a year operation and develop surrounding mines.

Phil’s Creek and Spinifex Ridge, two of the company’s older mines, are already being wound up this quarter.

Mineral Resources also runs the recently operational Iron Valley mine, which is now under the ownership of BC Iron, after the company’s takeover of Iron Ore Holdings earlier this year.

Mr Ellison conceded that the move to care and maintenance could extend to the Iron Valley mine and that he had discussed that with BC Iron.

“Everyone is very cognisant of where we are at the moment and we are working, not just with BC Iron but all the mid-tier guys. We are all working together, talking together, sharing ideas and we are all going at certain parties to try to make sure they recognise that costs have got to come off,” he said.

“Not just costs that we directly control but those imposed by us on different parties. We are touching everything. They get a choice – you can have some of the money or none of the money.”

The iron ore price has plummeted almost 50 per cent this year, to a five-and-a-half-year low of $US70.20 a tonne.

The crashing price has put considerable pressure on the Pilbara’s junior and mid-tier iron ore miners, with only the biggest and most cost-efficient miners seemingly profitable at these levels.

Mining services companies have been battered even harder by miners cutting back on spending and negotiating contract terms but Mr Ellison said Mineral Resources’ contracting business was largely buffered by the fact its key contracts were with the large miners.

Mr Ellison said there was no doubt the price was lower than it should be and he expected it to settle at about $US75 to $US85 a tonne over the next few years.

Mineral Resources is estimated to be receiving about $US66 a tonne for its discounted product, which is a thin margin when viewed alongside estimated costs.

Analysts suggest the miner’s all-in sustaining costs, including sustaining capex, would be $US70 to $US75 a tonne for Carina and $US75 to $US79 for Iron Valley.

Asked whether the company’s operations were profitable at a price of $US70 a tonne, Mineral Resources chairman Peter Wade said “at the moment we are cash positive on all of our sites but at some sites we are balance sheet positive and on others we are balance sheet negative”.

The good news for the company is that it has other divisions making a profit and is well positioned comparably to other junior miners to switch to care and maintenance because, as a mining services company, it owns all of its equipment.

Mr Wade said that gave the company a serious advantage over its peers in being able switch on and off quickly and potentially at a lower cost.

Mineral Resources is in talks with other parties to try to clinch a deal to help it realise its ambitious infrastructure plans, including developing rail and port.

Mr Ellison said the company regarded the current pricing environment as the perfect opportunity to have its day in the sun and build the business further through mergers, acquisitions and deals.

source: smh.com.au