Cretanvista Site News & Reviews - July 2010  Issue 89

No links to sites with adult content accepted. 

JULY WEATHER .....  Temperatures of 30+ degrees during the day and down to about 24 at night. Many days had a nice breeze which kept things to a tolerable level. Quite humid, with misty low cloud some early mornings (although I can't say I saw it myself, not being an early riser!) There was heavy rain one day on the mainland - see news story - but not a drop fell on us here.
Current Chania Webcam          Current Cretan Weather Link  
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Greece - Apocalypse now?
           
Unless you have recently arrived from Mars, you will be aware that there have been many problems in Greece this year. TV channels now provide 24 hour news and it seems that every unfortunate event in the world is covered by a pack of salivating newshounds desperate to dig up every last detail of pain and drama. So you would be forgiven for thinking that Greece is riot-torn, and that the government is fiddling from the Acropolis while Athens burns.

But let’s take a few moments to regain some kind of perspective.

When the current PASOK government under George Papandreou took power in October 2009, they inherited a huge can of worms left by two terms of government by the New Democracy Party under Kostas Karamanlis and earlier governments who were more interested in power than change for the better. Staggering national debt, a crippled economy, widespread public and private corruption and archaic business systems were rife. Tax evasion was the norm, bribery of minor officials a way of life and a cheerful but widespread belief that the law applied only to other people, made navigation through any kind of bureaucracy or officialdom a total nightmare – even for the Greeks!

Demonstrating in the streets is something the Greeks do well. Greece, after all, is the cradle of democracy. Sometimes this translates as farmers blocking the road with their tractors or dumping their tomatoes on the steps of the town hall/tax office – all very telegenic stuff. But throughout the world, wherever there are demonstrations there now seem to be fringe groups more interested in anarchy and violence – and anarchy and violence make 'good' television news.

The government is introducing much stricter new legislation, which is proving unpopular among a proportion of the population who seem to have had things all their own way for too long. For instance:

Many public officials have been used to fourteen salary payments a year instead of twelve, and retiring on a pension equivalent to their final salary, sometimes as early as 50. Public officials have always had a ‘job for life’ – even if they don’t even turn up for work! This is now under review by the government, but has led to strikes by doctors, air traffic controllers, harbour officials, and workers in many other disciplines.  

As receipts were not always issued in shops, petrol stations or by professionals, there was no paper record of many transactions. As a result, tax returns were a work of complete fiction. This has all changed. Receipts must now be issued and a number of highly placed doctors, lawyers and other professionals are being pursued for vast amounts of under-paid tax. The government has actually seized properties in some cases. Protest strikes have been carried out by lawyers, taxi drivers and other aggrieved parties.

The government decided it was time to open the closed shop which has existed in the transport industry for forty years. No new commercial licenses have been issued in this period – they had to be handed down or sold as they become available. This has led in the last week to a strike of truck and tanker drivers, causing a shortage of petrol country-wide and gaps on some supermarket shelves.  But a new month dawns, and the drivers have returned to work so there will be fuel available for all the mainlanders to move en masse to the islands for their traditional August holidays!

Yes, some of the strikes have been inconvenient. The petrol shortage in particular has impacted badly on the beleaguered tourist industry as visitors have had hire cars they cannot fill up, and hotels have had bookings for guests who have not turned up because they cannot get to their destinations. It would be unsurprising if those visitors decided not to return to Greece.

But up here in our village, just back from the coast, all this fuss and bother is a complete mystery to the locals. Very few of them have cars anyway, so a petrol shortage has no relevance whatever when the usual mode of transport is an elderly mule. Any shortage of food in the shops is unlikely to impact when you have a garden full of fruit and vegetables, and a plentiful supply of chickens, rabbits and goats. This is still the old way – the old Crete which remains untouched by events occurring on the other side of the world, or even the other side of the road. Time is measured in eons, not days, and if you have a roof over your head, food on your plate, a change of clothes, a plate, a glass and a sharp knife, you have enough.

And who is to say that they are not absolutely right?

The sun still shines from dawn until dusk, the sea is as clear and inviting as ever, the beaches are beautiful, the food is good, the crime rate is miniscule and the hoteliers will be unbelievably pleased to see you. So if you have any holiday days or money left – come to Crete - you'll be quite safe and very welcome.

See you soon!  

Get This....
If you would like access to the news from Greece on a daily basis, click here: http://www.ekathimerini.com/

In the news in July:
New Draft Pensions Bill: The Government submitted its new plans for reforming the civil service pension scheme....           Link to Story.
                                                
Downpours cause flooding: Sudden heavy rain caused problems in Athens and other parts of the mainland...                                  Link to Story.
                                                
Going nowhere:  Another 24 hour strike by transport workers, journalists, tax offices.....(shame!)..                                   Link to Story.
                                   
Policeman's day in court:  The trial of the police officer who shot dead a teenager in Athens in December 2008 has finally begun.....
                                                   Link to Story.
                                                 
Wages strike closes Acropolis:  A half-day strike by Culture Ministry workers closed the Acropolis for half a day...                            Link to Story.
                                   
Fall in tourism has an up side:   The formerly rowdy resort of Malia here on Crete has been quieter this year ...                      Link to Story.

Hospital doctors walk out:  Five days of strikes by hospital doctors meant it was a good time to be healthy....                               Link to Story.

Dirt-digging journalist murdered: The Greek police were quick to find a terrorist connection to a brutal shooting of an investigative journalist. Strangely enough, he was currently investigating corruption...                                Link to Story.

First Forestry maps to be put on display: What a good idea- let's make a record of all our forest areas!...                                      Link to Story.
                                   
There may be trouble ahead:  A EU expert seems to think Greece's financial problems may get worse over the next year...     Link to Story.

Car repair shop explosion: One fatality and several injuries resulted from an early morning explosion in Heraklion....
                                     Link to Story  (item 2).

Gun shots after argument: A family argument in Heraklion resulted in one man shooting up a relative's car....              
                                      Link to Story  (item 4).

That's a lot of people: The first-ever census of public sector workers showed that the state employs nearly 1 in every 5 workers.....
                                                   Link to Story.

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FREE...
Cretanvista is a free site.  We accept neither cash nor gratuities and sell nothing.  We don't carry paid-for advertising.  But we do try to give you information which you might want to know about.


Accommodation in Astratigos - For rent/Sale again....
The first house on the left as you enter Astratigos from Afrata - a large cream and green affair sporting two apartments two balconies and a small pool at the front .  Live in Astratigos maybe? 

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HOLIDAY VILLAS...
Another local owner has carried out some superb traditional renovations in Astratigos and has  renovated what was once his own accommodation - maybe for your holidays! Book and check availability at:-
Crete-escapes.com


In Kolimbari - right on the beach near the tavernas, is:-

The Grand Bay Beach Hotel

Visit  Interdynamic's website.

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http://www.provencebeyond.com/ Well worth a visit if you are interested in France, especially the southern parts.

FERRY SERVICES.
SOUDA BAY - PIRAEUS (Chania-Athens).

ANEK LINES operate daily return sailings.
Souda     -    Piraeus 
Piraeus     -    Souda 

BLUE STAR LINES operate daily sailings 
Souda     -    Piraeus 
Piraeus     -    Souda 


WEBSITE LINKS

Moving to Crete? Get Sound Practical Advice for free..

'Notes on Greece' is a British Embassy publication which gives information on matters relating to Greece.  Obtaining a copy first hand from the British Consulate in Iraklion (Heraklion) will ensure that you have the most recent edition - and professional contacts with up-to-date and wide ranging knowledge on matters relating to Crete. Contact the consulate via:-

:crete@british-consulate.gr

An e-mail copy is available as a Microsoft word file - a very fast email of very useful information

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