Athens sees ‘misinterpretation’ in the case of Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch June 27, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Politics, Religion.add a comment
Athens has described a ruling by a Turkish court yesterday that the Constantinopole, today’s Istanbul, based Orthodox Patriarch is not the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians as a “misinterpretation” of international law.
“The Ecumenical status of the Patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul) is in the foundations of international treaties, the holy rules of Orthodoxy, history and Church tradition,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos. “These things do not change and are not altered with judicial decisions based on misinterpretations of the Lausanne Treaty,” he added.
Koumoutsakos was reacting to the decision that was announced earlier in the day that Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios I is only the Head of the local Greek Orthodox community in Ankara. The court’s decision, however, has no impact on his status outside Turkey. Vartholomaios is the internationally recognized spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians.
The court’s verdict could help to strengthen the Turkish government’s position in disputing the Ecumenical Patriarch’s global role. The Turkish government has long sought to contain Vartholomaios’s influence and objects to the use of the title “Ecumenical” or Universal.
The ruling was included in an appeals court verdict that upheld a lower court’s decision acquitting Vartholomaios of charges of illegally barring a Bulgarian priest from conducting religious services. The court also upheld the acquittals of other top church leaders on the same charges.
Turkish officials reject any Vatican-like status for the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch and say he is the religious Head of the Greek community of around 3,000. “The Patriarchate, which was allowed to remain on Turkish soil, is subject to Turkish laws,” the appeals court argued. “There is no legal basis for the claims that the Patriarchate is Ecumenical,” the court added.
Pipeline to raise Greece’s energy profile June 27, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Energy.add a comment
Greece’s decision to take part in the construction of a natural gas pipeline to run under the Black Sea, linking Russia with Europe, will further upgrade the country’s role as an energy hub, Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas said yesterday.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said in Istanbul late on Monday that Greece will be part of the South Stream pipeline after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Italian energy company Eni SpA and Russia’s state-controlled OAO Gazprom have signed a memorandum of understanding on the possibility of supplying Russian gas to European Union countries through the South Stream pipeline.
Under the plan announced on Saturday, more than 900 kilometers of pipeline could be laid under the sea and across Bulgaria before splitting off into two directions, north through Hungary to reach Austria and south through Greece and on to Otranto, a port near the southeastern tip of Italy.
Questioned on concerns by Turkish officials that they are being left out of the region’s energy development, Sioufas said that Greece continues to work closely with the neighboring country on this front. «Besides, you must not forget that we have a close energy cooperation with Turkey that will not be affected by the new plan for the southern stretch announced on Saturday in Rome» the Minister added.
The construction of a natural gas pipeline that will run beneath the Black Sea linking Russia with Bulgaria, Greece and Italy has far-reaching implications. The construction of the new oil pipeline connecting the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Bourgas with the Greek port of Alexandroupolis as well as of the Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline has turned Greece into a key player in energy issues. The new pipeline will make Greece an energy hub in the southern European region.
The main advantage of the new pipeline is that it will allow Greece to diversify its natural gas sources. The end of Greece’s dependence on Turkey has obvious political ramifications. This is after all one of the reasons behind Moscow’s willingness to advance the specific pipeline project. When it comes to supplying southern Europe, the Russians would not like to put all their eggs into that one Turkish basket.
Energy conference in Thessaloniki begins tomorrow June 27, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Energy, Shows & Conferences.add a comment
The first SE Europe Energy Dialogue begins tomorrow in Thessaloniki, organized by the Institute for Energy in Southeastern Europe.
The two-day event will focus on efforts to establish an Energy Community in Southeast Europe, with the presentation by Italian company Edison of the natural gas pipeline linking Turkey, Greece and Italy, and by Swiss firm EGL of the Transadriatic pipeline through Turkey, Greece, Albania and Italy.
Speakers will include Narsi Ghorban of the International Institute for Caspian Studies in Tehran, Helge Billington of Statoil, and Slav Slavov from the World Energy Council.
Blue buses forced to drop gear June 27, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Transport AirSeaLand.add a comment
The Athens Public Bus Company (ETHEL) shifted to its slower summer program a few weeks earlier this year after a large number of its buses were pulled off the road due to technical problems.
Sources said that between 25 and 30 percent of ETHEL buses have been withdrawn from circulation mostly due to problems with air-conditioning systems. Of the 146 buses at the bus depot in Votanikos, central Athens, 80 vehicles have a problem with the air conditioning, the source said.
The ETHEL summer timetable, which normally runs from the start of July to the end of August, involves a reduction in the frequency of bus routes by about 25 percent. Workers say that they cannot fix the buses at a faster rate as they do not have the necessary parts.
New procedures to order spare parts have been adopted by the company in a move that has increased delays and costs since they can no longer be ordered in large quantities, employees added.
Heat wave kills five more in Greece June 27, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Greece News.add a comment
Searing temperatures provoke record power consumption, blackouts, fires
In central Thessaloniki yesterday temperatures reached 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Temperatures soared to 46C (115) in some parts of the country yesterday, making this Greece’s hottest June on record. Authorities warned citizens to avoid overexposure to the sun for another two days as the heat wave is forecast to continue. The heat provoked record power consumption as millions of air-conditioners operated in unison. Several fires were contained before they could cause injuries or major damage.
Searing temperatures reached 46 Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country yesterday as power consumption reached record levels and the toll of heat-related deaths rose to eight. The majority of the five deaths reported yesterday were elderly citizens but also included a 17-year-old girl on Crete.
The blazing heat provoked several fires in Attica and other parts of the country but no injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Service (EMY) warned that the heat wave would continue for at least another two days and advised citizens, especially the old and frail, to avoid exposure to the sun. Temperatures are expected to drop slightly today, reaching an anticipated high of 44C (111F) on the mainland. Air-conditioned halls will remain open and access to beaches in Vouliagmeni and Aghia Triada will be free. Public services, apart from hospitals, will close at noon.
Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas yesterday insisted that the country’s power network could cope with the increased demand after power consumption reached record levels. But most of Attica, and many other parts of the country, were hit by brief power cuts. Blackouts lasting as long as eight hours were recorded in some parts of Attica, such as Halandri. Moreover, the fire service received dozens of calls from citizens trapped in elevators.
Authorities appealed to citizens to curb their use of electrical appliances to avoid overstraining the power network. They also asked citizens to reduce their use of cars to curb the pollution that has made the atmosphere in central Athens asphyxiating.
The heat provoked at least six fires yesterday. The largest blaze broke out in Nafplion, close to the monastery of Aghios Theodosios, but was extinguished before it reached the building. Fires also broke out in Elefsina, Larissa, Lamia, Viotia and Mandra, Attica. Most of the fires were under control by late yesterday. Small blazes in Thessaloniki’s Seikh Sou Forest and Attica’s Mount Parnitha were extinguished before they could spread.
The General Secretariat for Civil Protection warned that the fire risk would be equally high today in many parts of the country.
Motorists’ safety helmet checks June 27, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Transport AirSeaLand.add a comment
Prefectural officals warned motorcyclists yesterday to check the quality of their helmets after market inspections found a number of the protective head equipment to fail local safety standards.
Authorities said helmets must have instructions in Greek language and bear the “E” mark, certifying its quality. In a check of 137 different types of helmets across Greece, authorities found that seven did not meet safety standards.
New Metro line extention to Piraeus tender June 27, 2007
Posted by grhomeboy in Transport AirSeaLand.add a comment
The first stage of the tender for the expansion of the metro line to Piraeus has been completed with six joint ventures invited to submit a financial bid for the 730-million-euro project, the Environment Ministry said yesterday.
The next stage of the tender is expected to take place in the fall and is expected to end in early 2008. Once completed, the new line will link Piraeus with the Athens International Airport.
grhomeboy
