Bagis - Greeks Must Only Focus On Economy While Turks Focus On Greek Nat. Issues

Talk about audacity! It just never ends with this country and some of its officials. Turkish Minister Egemen Bagis expressed the hope today that Greek politicians begin occupying themselves with the issue of the economy, rather than be concerned with other minor things such as the issue of FYROM or "problems" with some of the Greek islands, or even setting up some barbed wire in the northern area of Greece to keep illegal immigrants out. In other words, Mr. Bagis wants Greek people to only focus on the economy and not bother with everything else... while his country goes about its business plotting against our country in the Aegean, in Evros as well as the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago.

He made this statement following his meeting with FYROM Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki when asked to comment on the upcoming elections in Greece Bagis even had the audacity to call on Greece (and its people) to act more European-ly responsible because as he said then they will be more supportive.

Editor's Note: Correct us if we are wrong... but setting up a barbed wire to keep out the thousands of illegal immigrants you bring into our country everyday by supporting slave traders in your country Mr. Bagis is not democratic and it certainly is not  a "European" thing to do. And the reason I say this is because you had the audacity to try and teach us how to act "European-ly" responsible when up until a couple of years ago you would beat women for losing their virginity before marriage. Also, ignoring our national issues is certainly something that your nation would wish for us to do... but you underestimate the will of the people as well as the 17 million other Greeks living abroad who only fume at the mouth every time one of your officials provokes our national pride. No Sir... we will not ignore the issues or problems surrounding our islands, and we will certainly not ignore the expansionist designs of FYROM because that would mean we support them and WE DO NOT. WE invented democracy Sir... and the name Europe is Greek. If you cannot accept this... then you should come to Greece and we will give you a couple of seminars on how to be more "European-ly" correct when you address other nations.

translated from an article on protothema

Council of State President Appointed As Caretaker Premier (VIDEOS)

New general elections are now scheduled to take place in Greece on June 17, with Council of State president Panagiotis Pikramenos as the caretaker prime minister. It will be the second time in just over a month that Greeks head to the polls after the inconclusive elections of May 6 and following the failure of a series of exploratory mandates to the top three parties and subsequent efforts by the President to iron out agreement on a coalition government. Political party leaders convened by President Karolos Papoulias on Wednesday and failed to reach agreement on the composition of a caretaker government to lead Greece to new elections next month. Under the provisions of the Constitution (Article 37), in such an instance the President appoints a caretaker prime minister from among the president's of the country's three supreme courts: the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court, or the Court of Auditors. (AMNA)

DOCUMENTARY: "GOLFLAND" - New Chapter In Greek Tourism

GOLFLAND is a new documentary that sets out to investigate this new type of tourism and recreational industry in Greece. Specifically, it looks into the attempts being made to upgrade tourism through a variety of speculations involving the creation of golf courses, hotels and housing, and includes the opposition to these projects by citizens and various "eco" organizations, while it also includes the opinions of various experts and other such officials.

The film-makers traveled to five areas of Greece in order to show, through the examination of a varied sample, the attempts that are being made to develop golf resorts in Greece. These areas are: Atalanti (pending approval), Volos (where opposition by local organizations seem to have brought the project to a halt), Cassandra in Chalkidiki (also halted after a decision by the High Administrative Court in Athens), Hersonissos in Crete (where a golf course was built with no extra dwellings– as is usually the case.), Pylos ( the first mammoth golfing development to be realized in Greece).

In order to ensure the reliability of the film a whole range of organizations and individuals were consulted, including ecologists, scientists (both for and against), the developers themselves and their representatives and political factors taken into consideration. Closely linked to the subject and keynotes to the film is an investigation into the objectives of "strategic investment" and the role of the state in the "fast-track"/omvest in Greece scheme.

The documentary is the product of research carried out by author and former academic, Nelly Psarrou, in association with few collaborators, all of whom freely offered their services to this project aimed at giving independent information not just to those involved locally but to the wider community. The main motive for this was the lack of public awareness of such vital and pressing issues – especially in the light of recent political and economic developments which have brought to the forefront the burning issue of the "exploitation of public property."

"Golfland?" is an independent production, depending entirely on voluntary, unpaid contributions and aimed at providing public information

Source - golfland

New Evidence in Tsohatzopoulos' Case Makes Some Journalists Uneasy

Examining magistrate Gabriel Mallis is reportedly examining crucial documents in the money-laundering case of former PASOK minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos. The case files on the purchase of German-made submarines and Russian-designed TOR M1 anti-aircraft systems -- when Tsohatzopoulos was the minister of defence during the PASOK Simitis gov't-- as well as seized documents from the defendants' residences, have been forwarded to the prosecutor's office. Among the seized documents are detailed notes allegedly kept by Tsohatzopoulos in the form of a journal which some press reports in Athens said include names of journalists and military analysts who Akis had on a "payroll" and were more or less accepting kickbacks for being pro-government with funds from several offshore companies. (This should be interesting!)

Citizens Take Action And Organize Propaganda Protest Outside of MEGA Tv

Citizens are taking action against propaganda television. That is why they have organized a protest on Wednesday May 16, 2012 at 20:00 outside the offices of MEGA Channel on Messoghion Avenue. The demostration called "oloimega" (meaning everyone to MEGA) was organized by simple citizens who are frustrated with "controlled journalism" and the position the television channel has maintained on the issue of the Memorandum which clearly is pro-Troika and pro-banks and has never been objective. Also, citizens are very angry at MEGA channel's news department because they claim the station was too pro-government (or more specifically too pro-PASOK) during this crisis and therefore has never allowed alternative voices to be heard but rather supported propaganda or "controlled journalism". Incidentally, even Al Jazeera recently ran a similar video report on this very issue featuring both MEGA Channel and SKAI Tv. (To read that story, click here)

VIDEO REPORT - Brawl Breaks Out On MEGA Channel Between Reporter And SYRIZA MP

A brawl broke out on MEGA channel this morning, between reporter George Economou and SYRIZA MP Dimitris Papadimoulis. At some point, Economou, known for speaking without thinking to many of his guests up to the point of being extremely rude, interrupted the SYRIZA MP demanding that he be allowed to ask a question instead of being "terrorized" into listening to his monologue. This provoked Papadimoulis who answered back by characterizing him a "Goat/Sheep Herder" or (gesemia) of public opinion and  so Economou... now frantic... said that SYRIZA might have only received 16% at the elections but they are displaying 100% of arrogance. With Papadimoulis insisting that the media has the "power" to play with public opinion in one corner, and Economou pretending to be an objective reporter on the other a second shouting match followed with both of them asking that they retract their statements, but of course they both refused to. Papadimoulis refused because he played the part of the victim, and Economou refused because he really believes that he has a right to shoot his mouth off to whomever is non-PASOK.

Editor's Note: Our opinion on all of this: Well, they were both wrong, and it was obvious that Economou was "working it" to discredit SYRIZA in hopes of scoring some points for his PASOK comrades. SYRIZA on the other hand is indeed arrogant, but all these tactics are nothing new to us  since most of the left-wing parties that operate in Greece have had this sort of attitude for decades. You know the kind of attitude we are referring to... "I have a leftist ideology but I like Grand Mariner, yachts and Rolex" but I fight for the little guy. -In other words... lots of B***ll Sh***t- After suffering an instant migraine when watching this, we here at hellasfrappe did what we have always done in such situations... turned the television off to both of them!

Turks ... To Become "Keepers" Of Greek Forests!

The decision by the Public Order Ministry to select a "Turkish company" to supply Greece with a large number of firefighting helicopters necessary to extinguish forest fires during the summer season is raising many questions. The helicopters will be leased through a NATO-led service called NAMSA. Officials in Athens said that the proposal by the Turkish company was a "good choice" because most of its helicopters will be flown by pilots from the former Eastern bloc so there is no fear of "espionage against our country or other such suspicious actions." We can't help but be a little weary with this decision. We as citizens cannot forget that Turks attempted to burn half of the Peloponnese in 2007, and have over the years set many fires to our islands as well as other places across the country, as admitted by their own former prime minister. Who guarantees us the people that this company will be on the up and up? (prionokordela)