ekathimerini -The Greek Letter - 17 December 2023 : The ugly side of the beautiful game and more...

 

The ugly side of the beautiful game[InTime News] Constantine CapsaskisNewsletter Editor Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. The government unveiled its latest measures aimed at confronting fan violence this week, which include a two-month ban on all fan attendance at Greece’s top flight soccer games, the installation of high-definition cameras in the stadiums of the country’s top league and the criminalization of all cases of sport violence. The announcement was made in response to the serious injury of a police officer last week during a volleyball match between rivals Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. The officer, who faced life-threatening injuries, had his leg amputated by doctors after it was struck by a naval flare during the unrest. An 18-year-old has been remanded in police custody on suspicion of firing the flare. The government also submitted a list of approximately 200 known hooligans to the Supreme Court Prosecutor’s Office, encapsulating incidents of both fan and non-fan violence over the past year. This is the third time in two years that the government has sought to find a way to stem the continued incidents of violence at Greek sporting events, with the government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stating that there would by “dynamic interventions” to control the situation. Yet, in an opinion poll, the majority of respondents were doubtful that the current slew of measures would alter the situation. Within the Hellenic Police, officers have demanded that the police should no longer be responsible for policing Greece’s sport venues. On Monday, uniformed officers held a protest rally across the country and on Thursday, several squads of riot police initially refused to take their positions outside the stadium of Panathinaikos for the latter’s European game against Maccabi Haifa. Given the importance of the game, the police officers did eventually move to assume their duty. Spotlight The Greek parliament has been debating the annual budget of the Greek government throughout the week, with the final vote being held on Sunday which the government is expected to win even as the remaining eight parliamentary parties are set to vote against it. The debate has often been fierce, with the opposition singling out the government’s tax reforms aimed at self-employed professionals. Sunday’s session will also see the debate of the parties’ leaders, with the conversation expected to encompass a wide range of issues from Greece’s foreign relations to corruption. The session will also provide the “New Left” group, the 11 MPs who split from SYRIZA, its first opportunity to present its own positions, with Sunday’s proceedings widely seen as an opportunity for the opposition parties on the government’s left to jostle for primacy.   The Labor Ministry tabled an amendment to one of its bills on Friday that foresees the granting of a three-year stay and work permit to migrants from non-EU countries who entered Greece illegally and have been employed, albeit irregularly, for a minimum of three years. The amendment seeks to resolve labor shortages in important industries, including agriculture, and to eliminate instances of undeclared work. The bill is not without detractors however, even within the ruling New Democracy party. Former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who is seen to represent the more conservative faction of the party, criticized the amendment, stating that Greece was turning into a “beacon for attracting illegal immigrants”.

MUST READS Communicating vesselsGo to article > Tax avoidance by the state?Go to article > It is in the DNAGo to article >

OPINION Tom EllisEditor-in-Chief, Kathimerini English Edition Kathimerini English Edition and the New York Times A few days ago, Kathimerini English Edition celebrated the 25th anniversary of its partnership with the New York Times. As journalism is undergoing profound transformations, and in many cases objectivity and truth-seeking have fallen victim to ideological intransigence and the speed with which digital platforms work, many traditional print publications in Europe and the US have vanished. In these rather challenging times both Kathimerini and the NYT have not only managed to survive but remain on the forefront of journalistic excellence as badly needed independent voices of covering all the news that is fit to print. Their rather natural collaboration has flourished and has been widely praised. The reporting, as well as the analyses and commentaries, in Kathimerini English Edition aim at offering readers a reliable fair-minded assessment about political, economic, and cultural developments and trends in Greece, Cyprus and the region. As the late Kathimerini owner Aristides Alafouzos had envisioned it in 1998 (when the joint project was launched), Kathimerini English Edition – and in the same spirit this weekly ‘GreeK Letter’ – serves with a sense of cosmopolitanism as Greece’s window to the world. With the same commitment to robust and quality journalism that aspires to be open and objective, the effort continues into its second quarter of a century.

CHART OF THE WEEK

While the vast majority of Greek hotels are between one and three stars (74% of hotels, and 47% of available rooms), the latter two categories in particular are increasingly becoming a rarity. Between 2013 and 2023, the number of one-star hotels decreased by approximately 20% while the number of two-star hotels declined by 28%. These hotels either closed down completely, were sold to be upgraded by new ownership, or were upgraded by the existing owners (primarily using their own resources, as securing financing for small businesses is a difficult prospect).

ESCAPADE The Wine of Kings: The Xinomavro Variety of Northern Greece Famed for its rich, fruity flavors and deep red color, we explore the remarkable journey of Xinomavro wine from the Macedonian foothills to worldwide fame. Go to article >

ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL

“The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,290.70 points, up 1.23% from last week. Friday saw significantly higher turnover at 177.3 million euros, an exception to a quiet December.”

“Greece completed the early repayment of two instalments of its bilateral loans, totalling 5.29 billion euros. In this way, the financing needs for the next two years are almost halved while also deflating Greece’s cushion of cash reserves, which was designed to decrease following the attainment of investment grade.”

“A Bank of Greece report warned that the annual cost of climate change for Greece by the end of the century could reach 2.2 billion euros, approximately 1% of the country’s current GDP. It also warned that the country risks mass desertification, at a magnitude of 40%, if no action is taken to limit carbon dioxide emissions.”

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA

18/12/2023Regional governments: Several regional and municipal governments will be sworn in this week, ahead of the official transition on January 1. 20/12/2023Informal meeting of EU finance ministers: European Union finance ministers will meet on Wednesday for an informal video conference to discuss economic governance within the union. 20/12/2023Athens celebrations: A series of musical events will be held in Syntagma Square in the days leading up to the culmination of the festive season.

Editor's PickThe recurring acknowledgment that our country consistently ranks below average among OECD country scores in all three assessed sections of the competition is increasingly being accepted as the norm.Dora AntoniouRead the article

PODCAST

16/12/2023 • 11:44Berlin, Athens, and the Beleri caseAs EU leaders meet in Brussels this week, their focus is largely on Ukraine and its ties to the EU. In the buildup to the summit, however, the Western Balkans also caught their attention. This includes the case of Albania and the imprisoned mayor-elect of Himare Fredi Beleri, which has not only caused a rift in Greek-Albanian relations, but also between Athens and Berlin this week. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis with the latest analysis.

We’d like to hear from youShare your feedback at newsletters@ekathimerini.com

Did you receive this email from a friend?Subscribe to our newsletters here