 |
Dramatic developments on the Sinai Peninsula [Shutterstock]
Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. Developments in Saint Catherine’s Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula, a source of tension between Greece and Egypt, took a dramatic turn this week with the monks on the verge of a “civil war”. Things came to a head on Tuesday upon the return of the monastery’s abbot Archbishop Damianos to Saint Catherine’s, where he was met by a group of monks who demanded his removal. According to Damianos, these monks convened an unauthorized assembly to follow through with this goal. The dissident monks would later release a confidential document justifying their calls for his dismissal. Among the accusations are Damianos’ support for legislation recognizing the legal status of the monastery in Greece, cohabitation with a woman alleged to be involved in monastery affairs, and prolonged absences. The ‘rebel’ monks claim that Damianos used hired guards to remove them from the monastery, something his supporters have denied. “The rebel monks attacked and insulted me, just as they had during my last visit. The monks who did not participate in the coup defended my person and the monastery with self-sacrifice, driving the unlawful insurgents outside the monastery walls”, said Damianos following the incident. However, the expelled monks remained outside the monastery gates and made attempts to re-enter Saint Catherine’s, with Damianos calling on the Egyptian police to intervene. His supporters claim that the police declined to remove the monks from outside the monastery, perhaps deliberately. They argue that the Egyptian authorities are benefitting from the strife in the monastery as it slows the finalization of any pending agreement on its legal status. The archbishop would also release a video appealing to both the Greek and Egyptian governments for protection, stating that his life is in danger. On Friday, Damianos released a second appeal calling for the Egyptian government to allow the delivery of medicine, food, and other essential supplies to the monastery. “I appeal to the esteemed government of Egypt to secure the unimpeded entry of medicines, food, clothing and other necessities for our survival. We are free but besieged inside the monastery to which we have dedicated our lives, fighting the ultimate battle for its future,” he said. It is worth adding that The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, chaired by Patriarch Bartholomew, has expressed its full support for Damianos, stating that he is the “legitimate and canonical Archbishop and Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Sinai”.
Spotlight
|
MUST READS
|
OPINION
 [Shutterstock]The relevant data point to a steadily worsening situation with respect to Greece’s demographics, a worrisome development that is weakening the country in many ways. In this context, the so-called brain gain, the return of all those, who in most cases were among the “best and the brightest”, should be a national strategic priority. As the country’s demographic decline continues, it is becoming more and more evident that the return of thousands of Greeks who have left to work in foreign countries would act as a badly needed boost, both economically and socially. The brain drain, along with low birth rates, constitute a clear threat to the future of the country and demand immediate actions and well-planned measures. Generous incentives for larger families are welcome, but this is obviously not enough; let alone being a very long-term approach. On the other hand, wooing back as many as possible of the tens of thousands of accomplished Greeks who were sought after for their qualifications and ended up going abroad, is doable and could benefit the country in the short and medium term. There have been several incentives put forward, but the present situation makes clear that more needs to be done. The policy must be multifaceted aiming not only at convincing those who have left to come back, but also at preventing others who are still in Greece but not satisfied with the working environment, from leaving. This is not the Greece of the debt crisis, but rather an economy that is turning around. If it operates on merit and healthy competition, and if real forward-looking reforms are implemented, then wages will become more competitive. Maybe not at the level of major western economies, but enough to lure many Greeks, and foreigners for that matter, to come to Greece, and be able to enjoy the numerous other dimensions of wellbeing, from the weather to the way of life. Tax incentives are obviously a critical part of the equation to lure the right people, boosting investment, and create the conditions for innovation to flourish. It will obviously take more than that: from a more modern education environment and a better public health system to greatly improved infrastructure, among other things. But let’s start with more immediate incentives. |
| CHART OF THE WEEK |
 Average asking prices for holiday homes in Greece increased by up to 50% between 2019 and 2025, with foreign buyers being the prime driving force. The strongest buying interest was recorded, in descending order, by buyers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. The largest jump in asking prices was on the islands of the Ionian Sea, with the average asking price rising from 1,600 euros per square meter in 2019 to 2,390 euros this year. According to market experts, Greece still remains very competitively priced when compared to other European markets. Additionally, both the income potential of these properties through short-term letting as well as the continued uptick in prices, which offers an expectation of greater future capital gains, further increase their attractiveness to investors. |
|
| ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL |
| “The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 2,021.69 points, down 3.91% on a weekly basis.” |
| “The Labor Ministry presented new legislation that includes provisions for a yearlong 10-hour workday for four days a week, as well as a 13-hour daily schedule under voluntary agreement.” |
| “Most Greeks will say pay raises will be lower than inflation in 2026, even as the government is expected to place a low bar on the year’s average inflation at 2.5%. Yet civil servants with gross monthly wages over €1,500 and hundreds of thousands of pensioners, as well as private sector employees who do not sign a new contract, will not see a change to their nominal income.” |
| WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA |
|
Editor's Pick We live in the passage towards a world shaped by our carelessness, by our failure to make the country attractive and welcoming to our young and to creative immigrants.Nikos KonstandarasRead the article |
| PODCAST |
| We’d like to hear from youShare your feedback at newsletters@ekathimerini.com |
No comments:
Post a Comment