Feb-Mar 2015

the CHANIA POST

February - March 2015, Issue No. 22 www.chaniapost.gr

Reach thousands of readers every month

your monthly independent free newspaper of Chania

your local FREE newspaper Offering a selection of local interest articles, interviews, news and ther views from around the region of Chania and Western Crete

With a local services section, a range of advertisers and pages of free classfieds, Chania Post is an essential resource for anyone living in or just visiting this area

Crete as main exhibitor of Grekland Panorama Norway and Finland Warm Up to Greek -and Especially Cretan- Tourism Potential >p.12

>p.4

“The Greek Recovery”

3rd Pancretan Exhibition “CRETE: The Great Meeting” Products - Tourism Flavors - Services

>p.14

Latest tax amendments in Greece All you want to know, but... you are afraid to ask > p.4

Five new top cruise companies are coming to Chania 68 arrivals in 2015 >p.15

Apokoronas welfare group gets a big helping hand from European volunteers >p.13

• • • •

Food & Wine >p.18-19 Culture >p.20-21 Home improvement/DIY >p.22-23 Sports >p.30-31

The substantive progress that Greece has made during 2013 and 2014 has been evident with the return of the Greek state and systemic banks to the international markets in 2014, as well as the successful completion of stress tests conducted by the ECB revealing that the Greek banking system has practically no capital shortfall. >p.8-9

Analogue TV switch off in Crete from February 6

Public Bus Service is the Best Affordable Way to Travel to...

Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and to all Southwestern Crete

> p.3

is often mentioned in politics and was used extensively by the political parties

by Elpida “Hope” Katsarakis in the recent greek NEA TV Journalist national elections.

But how as a society, do we move from the politics of despair to the politics of hope?

To make it easier for people, frustrated by the status quo, to dare to hope and believe in their ideals again is perhaps a “verbally easy” task .

The hard part is to achieve and maintain that belief.

The austerity crisis has provoked interesting questions for a lot of people .

Greece is a society that has been progressively dismantled by the dictated austerity.

Sports radio on the web... www.sportfmxania.gr

www.gelamou.gr... only the good news !!!

Hope

Greeks fix it bet-

ter, greeks plan it better, greeks fool it better and… finally they always do it better!

by Pandelis Spiridakis It’s such a mystery gelamou.gr or Jesus Christ could it be a Destiny or just a DNA? The point is that all the years all the countries gave Greece the best lover reward…

And the story goes on… Lately we got the tourism award!

My man, BASTA… take a break, give us the origininal award to get over.

The brains, it’s that crazy dude style... adored to the whole planet.

To be accurate, three examples justify the “Greeks do it better” syndrome No 1 Facebook grande HIT “Μadame Merkel you will never annoy Greeks… they will always have 1 hour away the sea” - ΒΙΝGO !

No 2 New generation guts – New Greeks do it even better !

Hope is...

The politics of despair mean you are supposed to regard injustices as inevitable, irresistible, impossible to overcome.

On the other hand , the politics of hope at least offer the possibility of a different sort of society – represent a substantial punch in the face to an economic order that has prevailed.

It is still hard to see a world free of its economic bounderies. But it is no longer impossible”,is the general idea.

The troubles and the hopes of any nation citizens should be under serious

consideration from evereyone and far most from their political representatives.

Is there something to be done to change the reality of resignation, disillusionment, and hopelessness?

Is it possible to deliver promises and inspire hope in the midst of recession?

The answer to that question lies within each and everyone one of us.

We have created a society where public debate is often characterised by aggression and a deep unwillingness to listen.

We cannot face in opposite directions at the same time.

So the choice is perhaps hard but simple.

Families, neighbourhoods, communities, voluntary organisations have all part to play, a politics not of interest, but of involvement.

Live @ Love @ Laugh

Core the Band is a rock band from Chania that was nade at 2012.

Search in the youtube : Core! The Band – Hate These guys won Global Battle Of The Bands 2015: Knock Out GiG And the next step is Oslo, Norway at the World Final…

No 3 Greek women are tough players.

Mandy Papadaki from Heraklion is this stubborn Greek survivor: www.howoldareyou.gr & www.facebook.com/howoldareyoucrafts!

She had a good work and salary to the tourism. At 2011 she got fired… No, she didn’t have depression at all. She locked the casual suits in her closet and grabbed her shewing machine. The work had just started, her childhood’s hobby.

Pin up girls clothes, hats and accessories. The 1950 fashion style had a brilliant come back! Phone calls from television and media from Athens , interviews and the greek mind had it all arranged!

So Greeks think it better from now on,

they didn’t have the secret. But they had that crazy dude style and the freshness of a new reloading! And why not?

And if they can’t do it better… now they fool it better!!!

Just be inspired… Cheers Wish you all great moments, Pandelis (waiting for your messages: spiridakisp@gmail.com)

CHANIA POST

Your local free paper by FTP Publications 73, El. Venizelou str., Chania, 73100 Tel. +30 6977 295075 Owner/Publisher: FTP Publlications Web: http://www.chaniapost.eu E-mail: info@chaniapost.eu FB: http://www.facebook.com/chaniapost Twitter: @chaniapost Editors: Pandelis Giaitsis, Elpida “Hope” Katsarakis, Pandelis Spiridakis, Petros Chatzistavros, Giannis Kriaras, Nicos Lazakis, Miltiades Markatos, Giannis Venetakis, Giannis Xamonakis, Petros Marinakis, Niki Voulgarakis, Antonia Tsakirakis, Costas Nitse, Christos Panagopoulos.

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Chania... monthly shot

p. 2

editorial

(by Pavlos Mpouzis)

Athens, Crete and Kalamata Lead the Way as Popular Greek Destinations

Athens, the island of Crete and Kalamata, in the central Peloponnese, were the three Greek destinations that drew the crowds in 2014, according to a SETE (Greek Tourism Confederation) Intelligence report released last week.

According to SETE Intelligence, Crete proved to be the most popular tourist destination in 2014, attracting a total of 3,556,788 tourists to its two airports in Heraklion and Chania, compared to 3,321,749 last year, recording a 7.07

percent increase.

The Greek capital performed well as a city break destination, attracting a total of 3,388,322 holidaymakers, a 29.4 percent increase, compared to 2014.

Arrivals at Kalamata airport surged, recording the highest increase by 88.3 percent with 109,107 travellers passing through its gates in 2014 compared to 57,943 in 2013.

The report attributes the positive performance to the importance of wellplanned tourist investments, such as

the luxury coastal resort Costa Navarino, which can contribute to the local economy and evolve into major international tourist destinations.

Bearing this out is the decision of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) to host its annual travel convention on 12-14 October at the Costa Navarino.

Overall international arrivals to Greece increased by 15 percent to 14.6 million in 2014.

According to SETE Intelligence find-

ings, travellers from Germany, the UK and Poland contributed to the overall increase by 26 percent, 19 percent and 11 percent respectively. news.gtp.gr

Analogue TV switch off in Crete from February 6

Vita Hotels Takes Crete by Storm with New Investments

Hotel group Vita Hotels has added

two new accommodation investments on the island of Crete to its portfolio, striking a deal, in the meantime, with UK travel providers Thomas Cook for exclusive services.

With the addition of the two new units, the hotel management company now owns a total of five hotels in Malia, Hersonissos and Elounda.

Vita Hotels president and CEO Michael Vamiedakis told Greek daily Kathimerini that plans for 2015 include entering a 15-year leasing deal for the fourstar Elounda Aqua Sol, which will be renamed Elounda Breeze Resort, renovating the hotel and expanding it by 70 rooms. Elounda Breeze Resort will then operate as a five-star hotel with a 250-room capacity.

Renovation works and further acquisitions are expected to amount to 45 million euros.

Vamiedakis is also chairman and CEO of leisure services provider DeltaNet Travel, serving incoming tourists for over a decade through its network of branches and affiliated offices in major Greek destinations and in Cyprus.

The Iraklio-based agency employs over 150 people and handles over 350,000 visitors annually from the UK, Russia, Italy and Poland, among others. Last year, DeltaNet Travel entered the German market with the takeover of Greco Services, which handles more than 70,000 German tourists annually.

for more news click on http://chaniapost.gr

Barely

New government popular among Greek people

a month in power, Greece’s new left-wing government is winning over an increasingly enthusiastic domestic audience by moving boldly on populist campaign pledges at home even as it strikes a more moderate note abroad.

Ministers, many sporting Tsipras’s notie look, drove up in their own cars on their first day at work last week, some complaining about traffic to waiting cameras. Barricades outside parliament to hold back protesters were taken down. Riot police were notably absent at a demonstration over the weekend, leaving protesters with no one to vent their anger against.

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has become a celebrity in the local press with his sporty casual look and Yamaha motorbike and his sporty choice of clothing has drawn both positive and negative reviews in the international

lifestyle press, during his recent trips to Paris and London.

A poll for the Parapolitika newspaper conducted last week showed that 68% of Greeks felt positively about Tsipras as Prime Minister. About half of the 1,000 respondents felt hope for the future, outnumbering the 45% who felt anxious.

A second poll, by Public Issue for the SYRIZA mouthpiece Avgi, showed 50% of Greeks felt relieved that SYRIZA won compared to 26% who were indifferent.

Nearly 70 percent said that Tsipras’s SYRIZA party -in power for the first time on a national level- was ready to govern.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests a changing public mood in a country that three years ago topped a Gallup poll of most pessimistic nations in the world.

Modern water management model in the Municipality of Apokoronas The

creation of a modern water management model that will check the quality of water, including full electronic mapping of water supply and water pumping sources (pumping stations, wells, springs, etc.) and gives traceability of leaks is the goal of the Municipality of Apokoronas through the program contract to be signed whithin the next two months with TEI Crete.

Meanwhile, the crews of the Municipality began the cleaning and maintenance of the 87 drinking water reservoirs, and securing the facilities to stop them being accessible to the public.

The Mayor, Mr Koukianakis spoke about the new model for water resources management “Can not Th Municipality of Apokoronas cannot say on one hand that it wants the exclusive management of water in Apokoronas and the other to declare inability to manage serious issues such as water quality issues. For this reason we have been working on a contract with the TEI Crete that will have at least 3 years duration, “he said.

In this context, he pointed out, the TEI

will have the equipment and scientific staff to examine the existing quality status of the ground and surface water of the Municipality and make immediate intervention in any sources of pollution can be identified. Indeed, as Mr Koukianakis explained. from 80-100 quality control measurements of water made annually will increase from 80-100, to about 1,000 per year.

It will map electronically through a geographic information system (GIS) all the springs, wells, boreholes and pumping stations that exist within the administrative boundaries of the municipality, the ownership and the uses they have, and also rivers, tributaries and streams that run though areas of Apokoronas will be mapped accurately.

Equally important the conduits will be recorded accurately (major and minor) of the municipality water network, with the result that the water leaks will be easily detected. A complete survey will be done in the existing wastewater networks and biological treatment units.

As Mr Koukianakis explained, the details of the program contract with the

TEI Crete will be be finalized in the next few days, while the costs will be covered entirely by Apokoronas own resources.

Cleaning tanks Meanwhile, Apokoronas has started cleaning and maintenance of the 87 municipal water tanks. Many of the tanks had not been cleaned for years and it is characteristic that at the bottom sediment often reached up to 20 cms!

“The work being done is the cleaning of the mud that has accumulated in the bottom of the tanks, whitewashing the outside, and the rooms and cleaning wild vegetation from around the reservoirs, which in some cases were almost inaccessible,” said Mr. Koukianakis adding that particular emphasis will be placed on securing the tanks to stop them being accessible to the public. “Unfortunately we found that only some places had caps, elsewhere there

were no padlocks etc. It is really an unacceptable situation which it will be at an end.”

p. 3

sequence of regions where the digital signal will be activated have been defined by the corresponding Ministries: - Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport & Networks and - Ministry of State According to the Joint Ministerial Decision, the digital switchover timetable was determined.

In essence, this defines the grouping of areas, in which order and when they will gain digital terrestrial tele-

vision signal coverage.

After the conclusion of the third switch-off, further timetable changes were announced with Joint Ministerial Decision.

The new dates for the remainder of the switchover were determined: February 6th, 2015 – W. Crete, C. Crete, E. Crete Transmission from: Malaxa, Plakalona, Vigla, Kotsifiana, Ahedrias, Rogdia, Pombia, Amari, Livadia, Faneromeni, Lithines, Peristeras, Sitia, Stavros-Neapolis.

news & articles

The switch-off dates as well as the

Latest tax amendments in Greece

All you want to know, but... you are afraid to ask

A) Capital gain tax Capital gain tax from the transfer of real estate has taken place from 1.1.2014 onwards.

The Capital gain tax from the transfer of real estate is not applied for the period of 01/01/2015 until 31/12/2016. So for this year and the next year there is no capital gain tax when you sell your property in Greece.

8/2/2016.

D) Legal letting of a home in Greece B1. In case that you intent to rent your home to the holiday makers, according the tax treatment, there are two types of EOT-ESL licenses that you have to obtain: a) Not registered in Business according paragraph 5 of article 46 of law No 4179/2013 b) Registered in Business according article 46 of law No 4179/2013 In any case that you intent to rent your home on daily or weekly base, to the holiday makers you must obtain an EOT-ESL license. According the type of EOT license the tax treatment is deferent.

If your home is a villa more than 80 sq.m. (net space –no balconies no stores) and meet the ESL- EOT law specifications of a villa, according paragraph 5 of article 46 of law No 4179/2013 you can avoid to be registered in rental business.

In this case you will pay income tax as a civil rent for renting the home to individuals and you have the right to rent your home only up to 13 weeks (not continually) per year (only on weekly base). The income tax is 11% for a gross income up to 12,000€ and 33% for a gross income more than 12,000€. It is taxed the gross income. You don’t have the right to offset the expenses.

In all other cases you have to registered in business in order to rent your home to the holiday makers (like in case that you home is less than 80 sq.m. or

B) ENFIA property tax of 2015 on for more news click The tax office has not yet http://chaniapost.eu announced when is going to send the property tax (ENFIA) bills of 2015. Due to the general elections of 25/01/2015 and possible repeat of the elections, there will be a delay.

The tax office does not send property bills in your home address. The bills must downloaded. Your accountant can inform you about.

A possible date that may the property bills are available, is on March or April of 2015.

news & articles

C) Legalization of home The property owners that own a house before 2011 must legalize their property in case that there are alternations on the building specifications. In Greece most properties often had some illegal areas etc. There is an amnesty legalization law that can be applied with a low legalization cost.

The dead line was the 8/2/2015. Now the dead line is postponed until

your home is more than 80 sq.m., but it doesn’t meet the EOT law specifications of a villa or your home meets the specifications of villa but you intent to rent it more than 13 weeks per year, or you rent the villa to a tour operator).

The net income is taxed 26% for a net income from 0 up to 50,000€ and 33% for a net income more than 50,000€. In this case you have the right to offset the business expenses.

Once you have obtained the licence you must display the MHTE number (αριθμός μητρώου της επιχείρησης) on any website and print media advertising your property to let (law 4070 ΦΕΚ 82Α 10-4-2012). Failure to do so can result in a 1,000 euro fine. On newer EOT licences the MHTE number is written across the top of the licence, those with older licences need to contact their local EOT office or rent rooms association to obtain their MHTE number.

Any one that let a home to the holidaymakers without an EOT license will phase an EOT fines plus the tax implications and further EOT implications.

According a new law, after 1st April of 2014 the holders of EOT license must be provided a special sticker that must be stick outside of each room. We contact later, the current EOT holders for more info about this procedure.

B2. In case that you intent to rent your home to someone tenant to live for a long time (at least more than one month), a lease contract between the two parties must be signed and must be

submitted in the Greek Tax office. In this case is not needed to obtain EOT or ESL license. In this case the income tax is consider civil rental income. It is 11% for a gross income up to 12,000€ and 33% for a gross income more than 12,000€. You don’t have the right to offset the expenses.

In all the above cases the income must be declared in the Greek tax office despite where you are tax resident and despite where do you receive the money.

Now the tax office has access to the electricity company (DEH) files. The tax office may check the electricity consume of your home, many years back and it can find out possible rent income that has not been declared.

Normally, the tax office may audit your tax returns during a period of six or seven years. So if you have tax problems in the current year, may they will arise after seven years. Also you should bear in mind that the Greek tax office may, under the Exchange of Information Article, report to the authorities in your country the chargeable Greek taxes and vice versa. So Greek taxes can be collected from other EU countries.

In case that someone has not been submitted his past tax declarations (tax returns) he must do it immediately. The tax office has the right to ask you to submit your tax declarations (tax returns) of fifteen (15) years back.

In this case tax delay fines 100-200€ per year are incurred plus 1% per month delay interest of the income tax plus some other fines according the case.

Crete as main exhibitor of Grekland Panorama

Association of Businesses in Platanias “Iardanos” will present the traditional Cretan Wedding

p. 4

Crete

participates once more in GREKLAND PANORAMA 2015 in Sweden. The Association of Businesses in Platanias, “Iardanos”, prepared a stunning event for all visitors, with the representation of a traditional “Cretan Wedding”, along with Cretan Dancing Group “Viglatores”.

GREKLAND PANORAMA is the only dedicated travel & taste fair for Greece in the heart of Stockholm, the buzzing capital of Scandinavia.

• Exhibition Dates for the public: 1415.02.2015, • Venue: ERICSSON GLOBE. • Business Day: 13.02.2015.

The exhibition features a number of hotels, travel agencies, destinations, services, traditional Greek gastronomy, tastings and more.

The exhibition features a great number of hotels, tour operators & travel agencies, airlines, popular and yet some still undiscovered destinations, chambers of commerce, eco & alternative tourism, traditional products, arts and culture.

Big travel offers to Greece and product tastings only available during the fair’s dates are the main attraction.

The first GREKLAND PANORAMA fair took place in Feb 2014, at the Globe Arenas Annexet, and immediately became a huge success, counting over

7.000 visitors and 115 exhibitors!

GREKLAND PANORAMA is organized by North Events, a company specializing in promoting Greek tourism, gastronomy and culture in the Scandinavian market since 2009. Main sectors include the organization of tourism exhibitions, publishing magazines, websites, “Sustainable Greece” project, and several special promotions & campaigns.

Grekland Panorama supports and promotes Greek Culture The second exhibition GREKLAND PANORAMA which will be taking place in Stockholm Sweden, in Feb 2015, will be hosting several parallel

cultural activities designed to support and promote Greek Culture in Sweden.

After 350 performances, over 200,000 participants in 17 countries, five unique performances with the Apology of Socrates – “SOCRATES NOW” will be performing on the 13-17th of February 2015 in English, with Swedish subtitles for the public in Stockholm.

For the first time the Swedish public will have the opportunity to attend the internationally recognized classic Plato trial of Socrates, a monologue by the renowned and award-winning performer – Professor Yannis Simonides.

The show is an educational, creative and fun way of entertainment that gives a unique opportunity to the public

(children and adults) to participate in the “court” of ancient Athens, as Socrates on trial for his life in the process of midwifery.

The interpreter will listen and will face the “accusers” with wit, humor, common sense and the courage of his convictions.

We will discuss with arguments for virtue, justice, politics, civic duty, love of life and hope in death so that the public can send in the end his own conclusions.

GREKLAND PANORAMA exhibition is proud to bring to Sweden for the first time the classic performance of “APOLOGIAS Socrates’ to the Swedish public.

years together 35 weeks of celebration!

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Together, we stand by our society and support our economy!

Some thoughts on elections past and stability In

news & articles

times like this, interesting times political commentators have labelled the ‘most crucial for the future of

by Giannis Xamonakis apokoronasnews.gr Greece’, I, as an observer of unfolding history, could not resist the temptation to look back at the short but troubled political history of this country.

This is not the first time Greece has gone through an election because parliament failed to elect a president. Admittedly, the first time it happened was around 26 years ago, in 1989, and the memory of the events has faded in the minds of most people.

In 1989 there were two general elections in Greece. The first one, in April, failed to return a majority government, as did the second seven months later, in November of the same year. Adding to that particular political crisis was the failure of parliament to elect a president after three ballots, on ck which led to the dissolucli ws ne e for mor r .g st tion of parliament with po ia an http://ch a general election called for April 1990.

Evidently, political stability was not considered so important at that time. In fact, Greece has never been a politically stable country in the sense of having elections at the intervals defined by the constitution. In the 42 years since the return to democracy, there have been 16 general elections, averaging 2.6 years between elections, with only three governments serving a full four-year term.

And yet Greece went through a very prosperous period in the 1990s, when it spent more and borrowed more, with the full blessing of the money markets and Europe.

But while gathering interesting facts about Greek elections and political stability, I came across an old interview of one Xenofon Zolotas, who served only a few months, between November ’89 and April ’90, as a caretaker Prime Minister the last time a failure to elect a President of the Republic had led to a general election.

While talking about his contribution to public life, Xenofon Zolotas said, “I am 86 years old and have written 40 books, but just now have I started to understand the inherent dysfunction of this country. It is a miracle that this country can survive at all…”

Politics aside, those of us who struggle to understand Greece should find Zolotas’ statement both comforting and

disheartening. Comforting because we are not alone in finding it difficult to understand Greece; the disappointment comes from the implication that it would take more than a lifetime’s observation to understand it.

But let’s start with what I think is easier to explain. I understand that the fatalistic resignation implied in the expression ‘But what can we do?’, uttered by many Greeks in a tone of helplessness, is probably a remnant of many centuries of subjugation and a reliance on a benevolent feudal lord for protection and the administration of justice. (Sociologists out there take note).

So if you regularly get ripped off by a multinational service provider or a financial institution, if your government makes unjust and unreasonable laws that make your life hell, if you have to wait for hours in a queue to get a necessary document of doubtful significance, if you are troubled by civil servants who interpret the rules as they see fit, your response is ‘Of course we don’t like it.

But what can we do? Who is going to help us?’

But then, that same sentiment is expressed, and with increased frequency, by powerful people, and more specifically members of the government: ‘We did not want to take the measures we took, but we were forced into it by our creditors.’ ‘They are not going to listen to us, we are a small country.’ ‘Where are we going to find the money if we don’t do what we’re told?’ they say.

Airlines Announce New Routes to/from Athens

In view of the summer 2015 schedule of Athens

International Airport, airlines have announced a series of new routes to/from the Greek capital.

Greek carrier Aegean Airlines will increase its number of operated international routes by adding new destinations. The airline will also enhance its frequencies on 29 existing routes.

AIA_For the upcoming summer season, Aegean will add the following routes out of Athens to Paphos (seven weekly flights); to Cairo (four weekly flights); to Naples, Malta, Tehran, Dubrovnik and Preveza (three weekly flights); to Toulouse, Bordeaux, Helsinki, Oslo, Pisa, Riyadh and Yerevan (two weekly flights); and to Tallinn (one weekly service).

Niki Airlines, the Austrian subsidiary of Air Berlin, is entering Athens market as of the summer sea-

p. 6

And while the sort of questions they pose are somewhat rhetorical, I don’t know if politicians actually believe in their own helplessness or they are playing on the fatalism of the voters.

But mostly, it is the helplessness expressed by the voters when it comes to their politicians, that is hard to understand. For the public is aware of the problems with the political system, and with corruption. People can tell you all about it in the kafeneion, and in far greater detail than investigative reporters are allowed to publish.

And yet, they carry on electing the same politicians, knowing full well that they are going to continue behaving as they always have, even if they have changed political parties a few times in an effort to demonstrate their willingness to change.

But what are the poor voters to do? Voting behaviour in contemporary western democracies is governed by a certain amount of self-interest, and predominantly the impact of each party’s policies on the small things in life, such as the individual’s bank account balance.

It would appear that in Greece voting has so far been influenced by tradition and ideological affiliations, the bigger picture the political parties represent. “Salvation or catastrophe”.

“The survival of the centre left” or “the centre right”, whatever that

son with six weekly flights between Vienna and the Greek capital.

As of January 19, Romanian airline Blue Air is offering daily flights to travelers on the Athens-Larnaca route.

Lufthansa-owned airline Germanwings will increase its presence in Athens with the addition of three weekly frequencies to/from Dusseldorf.

Irish low cost carrier Ryanair has announced the addition of three new routes out of Athens as of next summer to/from Budapest, Bratislava and Santorini. The carrier will also launch new services between Athens and Warsaw as of next summer as well. In addition, the already operated routes of Paphos and Chania will be enriched with additional flights. To carry out the enhanced schedule, Ryanair will base a fourth aircraft at Athens Airport.

means.

The reality is that direct personal interest has a more significant role than political campaigns would indicate.

The ‘obligation’ motive, for favours bestowed upon the voters and their families by the local MPs in the past, or in anticipation of future favours to come, the patronage system politicians universally condemn, is still alive and well.

It remains to be seen, however, whether voters will once again vote using the same criteria or not.

In any case, the result of the 25 January election is promising to change the political map of the country. With some old parties going out and some new parties coming in, the political scene is facing new pressures to change, from both within and from the rest of Europe.

But the country has lived through other periods of political instability and pressure and survived intact, not caring whether it is understood or not.

I’m afraid that some more time will be needed to assess if this, the latest period of political instability will actually bring about any change. Twenty six more years and a few dozen books might just about be enough.

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4/2/2015 2:05:45 μμ

“The Greek Recovery” The substantive progress that Greece

has made during 2013 and 2014 has been evident with the return of the Greek state and systemic banks to the

by George Atsalakis Economist- Lecturer international markets in 2014, as well of Technical University of Crete as the successful completion of stress tests conducted by the ECB revealing that the Greek banking system has practically no capital shortfall.

The recapitalisation of the banks during the first half 2014 was preceded by a fundamental restructuring of the country’s banking system and has laid the solid foundation needed for the stabilisation of the economy and for establishing the conditions on ck cli ws ne e or for the re-enactment of m r fo r .g st po ia an ch proper bank financing :// tp ht to support economic recovery.

1) Primary budget surplus and current account balance According the above diagram, in the field of fiscal adjustment, Greece implemented successfully the 2013 budget with a notable general government primary surplus instead of a budgeted zero deficit. This achievement, in combination with low domestic demand by the private sector and drastic improvement of the international competitiveness of the country led also to a substantial surplus in the current account (including capital transfers) of the country’s balance of payments.

p. 8

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The improved economic conditions continue to be supported by better than expected primary budget surpluses, a sine qua non condition for the confidence-driven recovery of the Greek economy and its sustainability. Widely-expected small-scale official debt relief will further support the overall adjustment process, helping to mitigate political risk in view of uncertainties in the run-up to presidential elections by early 2015. More specifically, regarding the fiscal sector, the General Government (GG) primary balance recorded a surplus of 0.8% of GDP in 2013, well ahead of schedule, against a targeted zero balance, from a deficit of -0.9% in 2012. Moreover fiscal consolidation continues unabated in the nine months of 2014 which indicates an over-performance of 2014 fiscal primary surplus target. According to the Economic Policy Program, the target set for 2014 is for a primary surplus of 1.5% of GDP However, as mentioned in the Preliminary Draft Budget, Greece will record a bigger primary surplus of 2.0% of GDP. Also, current account balance (including net capital transfers) recorded a surplus of 1.44% of GDP in 2013. Moreover, in January-August 2014 a current account surplus of 2.2% of GDP has been recorded, compared to a surplus of 1.5% of GDP in the same period of 2013. This was made possible through the implementation of the adjustment program which also led to a significant improvement in the international competitiveness of the economy. Greece has now recouped in full the competitiveness losses in the period 2000-2009, through internal devaluation since 2010, while the restoration of labour

market flexibility and the expected strong economic performance in terms of GDP and productivity growth may imply further gains in competitiveness in the following years.

2) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) The below diagram depicts the evolution of GDP. Growth dynamics, after six years of deep recession (with a 25% cumulative decline in economic activity since the onset of the crisis) Greece is clearly on the road to recovery. This was evident since 2013 (and specifically the last quarter of 2013) when real GDP showed a marked slowdown in the rate of output decline. In fact, the recession was milder than was first anticipated, as according to the new revised data, real GDP fell by -3.3% in 2013, from -6.6% in 2012.

The recovery has gathered speed in Q1 2014 and further in Q2 2014, when GDP contracted at a decelerated pace, from -6.0% yoy in Q1 2013 to -2.3% yoy in Q4 2013 and then to -1.1% in Q1 2014. In Q2 2014, official figures showed that GDP shrank by -0.3% on a yearly basis, the smallest contraction since 2008, while GDP is expected to grow by 1.5%-2% in H2 2014. On the basis of quarter-on-quarter unofficial seasonally adjusted estimates, the turnaround of economic activity has already begun with a growth rate of about 0.4% in Q2 2014.

The stronger economic recovery in the months ahead is expected to prop up NPL decompression from Q1 2015 and, as the releveraging of the economy picks up, to gradually bring ECB-supervised and capital-enriched Greek systemic banks back to profitability, especially after the outcome of the stress tests.

The key drivers on the resurgence of the economy are: a) Greece’s valuable comparative advantage in important sectors of the economy, mainly tourism, which contributed to the recovery of the economy after 6 years of deep recession. b) The drastic improvement of the country’s international competitiveness and its institutional and organisational structure, which led to the attraction of the much needed business investments and in particular of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). c) Private consumption will be supported by low inflation expectations, increase in disposable income and use of precautionary savings held outside the banking system during the crisis.

With employment increasing, private consumption is also poised for a recovery towards the end of the year. d) The expected bottoming out of recovery in housing investment in 2014 and the recovery from 2015 onwards.

The implementation of the new EU co-financed development program of Greece, under the new programming period for cohesion policy 2014-2020 and the provision for EU structural funds financing amounting to more than € 26 bn for the following 7- year period.

3) Tourism sector Tourism sector has shown a remarkable strength in 2013, which has been widely surpassed in 2014. Greece’s unique geographical characteristics, in combination with its highly developed and still fast developing transportation infrastructure as well as further modernisation of tourist facilities, are expected to contribute to its development as a major tourist destination in Europe and international transportation hub.

In fact, tourism arrivals through air travel in the main Greek airports exceeded expectations in Jan-Sept 2014 and increased by 14.3%, reaching 13.01 mn arrivals, compared to an increase by 9.9% in Jan-Sept 2013. According to the Bank of Greece data, total tourism arrivals increased by 22.1% yoy in January-August 2014, reaching 15.34 mn.

As a result, tourism receipts were also increased remarkably by 11.1% in January-August 2014, compared to 14.5% in January-August 2013.

The positive results in January-August 2014, together with the upturn in tourism indicator turnover (Q2 2014: 89.8, Q1 2014: 46.5) set the scene for another record year in tourism in 2014, fuelling growth and job creation. According to the estimates of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), in 2014 tourist arrivals are expected to increase by 13.1% reaching 22.5 mn (including cruise travelers) from 19.9 mn in 2013. An increase in those traditionally visiting Greece, such as the British and the Germans, will offset any fall in arrivals from Russia and Ukraine. The good prospects in the tourism sector in 2014 are attributed to the improvement in services provided, such as accommodation establishment and the decline in expenditure for accommodation.

The average expenditure per night decreased by -4.7% on an annual basis in H1 2014, while in July and August-traditionally the peak tourism seasonprices registered a moderate increase by 0.8% and 2.5% respectively.

4) Real Estate Market The real estate market has been hit severely by the economic crisis in Greece.

The market’s main characteristics are the subdued demand, the low level of transactions and the price slippage.

Nevertheless, the cumulative property price decrease, during recession, combined with the gradual increasing confidence for the Greek economy may trigger investors’ interest towards the Greek real estate market. However, the most controversial issue and destabilising factor for housing investment is the implementation of the new unified property tax. Although few revisions have been made by the government, such as the extended period of payment instalments and the exemption procedure for vulnerable social groups, it is widely assessed that it still represents a huge burden for households and may discourage foreigners to invest in the Greek housing market.

Despite the tax reduction on property transactions, the overall tax burden on property in Greece is high and in fact

among the highest (7th) in EU28. This is mainly due to the high recurrent taxes on property which are the 5th highest in Europe (or 1.4% of GDP). The heavy tax burden on property during the contracting phase of economic cycle caused a distortionary effect on growth and real estate sector recovery.

This effect is magnified when i) applied on objective property values which are higher than the market values and ii) imposed on property offering no yields for taxes to be paid or cannot even be easily liquidated. These two characteristics should rationalise.

Real estate market is expected to stabilise but at a different pace along market segments. More specifically: Residential Property Sector: Activity in the sector remains subdued, as residential investment fell drastically by -41.4% yoy in Q2 2014, from -42.3% yoy in Q1 2014 and had a negative contribution to GDP by 1.0 pps. It is expected for residential investment to gradually recover from early 2015 in line with easing lending conditions for mortgages. In general, it is believed that the housing market will bottom out in 2014 and has the potential to enter into a recovery path, helping to reinforce the recovery of the economy as a whole from 2015.

During the six years of recession, several supply and demand factors caused the collapse of the housing market. On the demand side, the dramatic shrinking of household incomes together with the deterioration of economic sentiment-especially consumer sentimentthe delays on new property tax and the wide spread perception for even lower prices, contributed to a drastic fall for housing demand at abnormally low levels. On the supply side, the tightening of credit standards by banks on mortgages, following the upward surge of their NPLs, has deprived the housing market with vital liquidity. The combination of the above factors resulted in a decline in mortgage lending by -3.3% in the end of 2013 and by -2.9% in Sept. 2014.

As mentioned earlier, it is noteworthy that property taxation took a heavy toll on households. During the period 2010-2011 property taxes (collected through the electricity bill) stood at 1.5% of GDP. These property tax revenues increased to 2.2% of GDP in 2013 when the government imposed cumulatively the property taxes for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. The fall in domestic demand for housing and, on the other hand, the substantial fall of housing investment are also attributed to high unemployment and the abnormally high losses in disposable income.

Therefore, apart from the substantial fall in residential investment, the number of transactions in new houses declined drastically to 3.0 thousand in Q2 2014 from 5.1 thousand in Q2 2013 and 34.9 thousand in Q2 2008. House prices also fell cumulatively by -31.2% from 2008 to 2013, while the pace of decline has been decreased to -7.3% yoy in Q2 2014, down from -8.5% yoy in Q4 2013 and -12% yoy in Q2 2013.

Housing market is expected to gradually stabilise in 2015-2016, as housing

low-income families and pensioners, as well as the restoration of past wage and pension cuts to judges and military servants.

5) 2000-2009 Competitiveness Losses Recouped Propping a Current Account Surplus Based on data from the European Commission (Price & Cost Competitiveness and European Economic Forecast, Spring 2014), the internal devaluation, measured as the devaluation of the relative Unit Labour Cost based Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) for Greece (against 35 trading partner countries), reached 19.8% in Q2 2014 versus Q4 2009, leading to a complete reversal of losses in competitiveness from 2000 until 2009. Comparing to other Euro Area countries in the periphery that also experienced prolonged period of recessions, Spain’s internal devaluation reached 12.1% and Italy’s internal devaluation reached a mere 0.8% during the same period.

The Euro REER for Greece decreased by 5.8% in 2013, while an additional fall by 2.2% and 1.8% is expected for 2014 and 2015 respectively. This is a huge adjustment, which could not easily be achieved even if Greece had its own currency and the ability to apply its own independent monetary and exchange rate policies. This spectacular improvement in Greece’s international competitiveness and its upgrading as a place of establishment of internationally tradable industries is expected to continue in the near future through the maturing of already implemented structural reforms.

Fiscal performance continues at an unabated pace in 2014, as GG primary budget registered a surplus of €2.45 bn (1.3% of GDP) in Jan-Aug 2014, versus a surplus of €1.17 bn (0.6% of GDP) in the same period 2013 (excluding oneoff transfers from the Securities Market Program of €1.5 bn). This outperformance is the result of better tax administration, improving tax collection and expenditure control. This is a remarkable outcome taking into consideration that tax refunds amounted to extremely high levels (9-month 2013: €1.5 bn, 9-month 2014: €2.6 bn). According to the Medium- Term Fiscal Strategy 2014-2018, tax refunds are projected to amount to € 3.14 bn in 2014 versus € 3.1bn in 2013.

According to the central government budget execution in the nine months of 2014, a central government primary surplus of €2.53 bn was recorded, against the nine month target set for a surplus of €1.55 bn and a surplus of €1.13 bn in the same period 2013.

6) Fiscal Discipline is Being Maintained and Extended Greece had exceeded its fiscal target in 2013 and recorded a primary surplus of 0.8% of GDP. This surplus achieved one year ahead of schedule. Overall, Greece accomplished a significant improvement in its fiscal position compared to 2009, as it managed to eliminate the primary general government (GG) budget deficit of € 24 bn in 2009 to a record surplus of € 1.5 bn in 2013. This constitutes a fiscal adjustment of 11.3 pps of GDP, allowing the Greek authorities to proceed with the distribution of €525 mn as a one-off payment to the most vulnerable social groups such as the long term unemployed and the

“Success story” for Crete in tourist exhibition of Vienna

Another successful

presence of Crete in the international tourist exhibition “Ferien Messe” in Vienna.

Greece is a top destination for Austrian tourists (12,7%), ahead of Spain (10,2%) and Turkey (9,9%).

According to Mr. Martin Bachlechner, CEO of Ruefa – Verkehrsbüro Group, “Austrians are interested in Crete and they keep going on and on for their vacations.

Bookings from Austria for 2015 are

37% more than last year and according to a research of «Ruefa Reisekompass» from «Karmasin – Institut für Motivforschung», Austrians 9 out of 10 Austrians would like

to go on vacations.

35% of tourists from Austria will stay longer in a destination (from 8 to 14 days) and 20% of them from 15 to 21 days.

It has to be mentioned that airliners have increased their flights to Greece (22 domestic destinations).

7) Greek Stock market and bonds In mid-October 2014 there was a severe turbulence in the bond and stock markets causing a sell-off of Greek securities as a result of the increasing skepticism on whether Greece can partially cover its financing needs from markets in case of an early bail-out exit, and the elevating political thermometer related to the forthcoming presidential election which may trigger early parliamentary elections.

Additionally, the ASE index experienced its biggest slump of the last two years and registered a 13.6% decline between 13-16.10.2014 or a 25.3% decline in 16.10.2014 since the beginning of the year 2014. Nevertheless after Greece has announced that an EU precautionary credit line will be agreed before the current adjustment program is completed at the end of this year, the markets calmed down a bit but the 10year Greek bond yield continued to hover close to 8%.

Source of data: ALPHA BANK Economic Research Division No 86.

Dijsselbloem: “You just killed the troika”!

Varoufakis retorts: “Wow!”

“You just killed the troika” were Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem’s departing words to Greek FinMin Giannis Varoufakis after the latter said Athens will cease negotiations with the team of IMF-ECECB inspectors known collectively by that name.

“Wow” was the one-word response of the flamboyant new Greek minister, or so his aides told reporters hours afterwards.

Television newscasts made the disclosure after a mini media frenzy to learn exactly what was said by the two men after they stood up to leave in the process of exchanging an ackward handshake.

Earlier, in terms of the “hard news” from the meeting, Dijsselbloem ruled out an international conference to deal with Greece’s ballooning external debt, telling his radical left government interlocutors in person that such a venue already exists: “it’s called the Eurogroup, as you know.”

Dijessbloeam made the for more news click on statement during a tele- http://chaniapost.gr vised press briefing and after meeting with new Greek PM Alexis Tsipras and FinMin Giannis Varoufakis, who has emerged front and center as the SYRIZA government’s “point man” in looming deliberations with international creditors.

“With Greece nearing the end of the (bailout) program I had an important reach to come (to Athens),” the Dutch official said, while emphasizing that he arrived to hear the Greek side’s positions but at the same time to “explain” the conditions of signed agreements between Athens and its creditors.

Varoufakis repeated that the “state has continuity, but we will not accept a continuity of a self-fed crisis of deflation and a non-viable debt.”

The point where heads turned, however, came when the globe-trotting Greek - Australian economist said his government would not cooperate with a “structurally rotten committee (the troika)…”

A dispatch, sent by the Guardian’s long-time correspondent in Athens, Helena Smith, described the very moment.

Dijssembloem was accompanied by the chief of the Euro Working Group, Thomas Wieser.

Chania Hotels Association in EMITT 2015

Chania Hotels Asso-

ciation participated in the International Tourist Exhibition EMITT in Istanbul, in an effort to raise the number of visitors from Turkey to Chania.

In 2012, 602.306 tourists from Turkey visited Greece, while in 2013, more than 830.000 visitors came to Greece and in 2014 the number raised to more than 1 mil.

According to the organisers of EMITT exhibition, more than 137.000 people are visiting EMITT every year.

“We had many discussions with Tour Operators and journalists. They are interested in Crete. We are also trying to find a solution for direct flights from Chania to Istanbul and Smyrna. We had some meetings with the Commercial Chamber “Tugiad” and representatives from the Greek Consulate. We also gave a few interviews in five TV stations and three newspapers.

We have to thank the Region of Crete for its help in our presence in EMITT”, mentioned Mr. Giannoulis.

p. 9

The most severely hit market segment of the real estate sector was the retail commercial outlet. Consumer spending was extremely weak, due to the high unemployment rate and the lower household disposable income, thus affected negatively the demand for commercial property. On top of that, the extensive restructuring of the retailers, with some of the big businesses ceasing operations, increased vacancies substantially.

As consumer spending has been stabilising since Q1 2014 and consumer confidence improves, no further increase of the vacancy rate is expected.

In 2014 there has been focus back on

the main retail arteries, at the expense of local markets and shopping centers in the suburbs.

Finally, the main characteristics of the logistics and industrial segment of the real estate sector are the high vacancy rates that still increase for facilities of 1,000-3,000 sq.meters, the stable yields and the subdued demand. Furthermore, rental prices are expected to stabilise in 2014 while lease contracts to become more flexible and for shorter periods of time.

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taxation is expected to rationalise and house prices have become particularly attractive following their 5–year falling trend. The expected recovery of the economy from 2014 onwards, supported by a booming tourism season and a substantial increase of the capital inflow for investment in housing, is expected to support housing price stability. These developments are compatible with the expected GDP growth of 2.9% in 2015 and 3.7% in 2016. Moreover, it is also expected that fixed investment in housing will stabilise in 2014 and will have a positive contribution to GDP growth from 2015 onwards.

The above projections are taking into account the fact that the volume (in cubic meters) of building permits fell by 4.3% yoy in Jan-July 2014, against a big fall by 41.1% in Jan-July 2013.

Since the beginning of 2014, there is a pickup in rental activity due to increasing demand for medium to good quality houses for rent. This is the combined effect of decreasing rental prices, increasing property taxes and tighter credit standards for a house purchase.

During the last years the number of vacant office spaces increased substantially, due to the increase of companies’ insolvency rate and the mergers of banks’ branch networks.

Nevertheless, the office sector had stabilised as depicted in rental prices, in prime office locations. Demand starts to emerge as a lot of businesses seek to exploit historical low prices. Prices stabilised and fluctuated between 8-14 Euro/sq. meters depending on the business district and quality of the buildings. In any case, prices do not reflect fair values due to market inefficiency and low transaction volume.

Welcome to my country…

Let’s take a closer look to what is really happening…

In 2009 the national debt was 129%

by Katerina Polizou NEA TV Journalist

of GDP and in absolute terms 298 billion euros. Today (Budget 2014, Table 4.2, p 139) after five years of uninterrupted austerity, after two Memoranda, plus hike and “haircuts”, debt soared to 175% of GDP and in absolute terms over 320 billion.

Samaras and Venizelos firmly claim they get loans to strengthen the state and, therefore, to support the people.

So far the first and second Memorandum of total loans dison for more news click .eu st po ia an http://ch

In the history of mankind there

is always a certain process by which democracy (Republic) gives way to dictatorship or the Empire (Imperium). It is the time when the military forces deployed in the country which have vowed to protect against external enemies.

In Europe, the first such move was the night of 10 before January 11, 49 BC, when the legions of Julius Caesar deviant the river Rubicon and moved to Rome. Thus violated the principle saying that only the praetors, performing

bursed amounted to 225 billion Euro.

At the same time according to the data of both Staikoura tabled in the Parlianment the banks in the form of aid packages have received more than 250 billion. Euro.

They say that Greece gets loans because we have debts.

In Greece we have had debts before even the creation of the state.

The debts were nothing but a result of the so-called “loans of independence” money never spent for the needs of the

Greek people.

According to the book “Foreign capital in Greece” the period from the Revolution against the Turkish occupation of 1821 until the bankruptcy of 1932, Greece had borrowed 2 billion francs, had paid back 2.4 billion Francs and yet we owed them another 2 billion!

From 1992 until today, the Greek people have paid for loan repayments (Introductory Report Budget 2015, p. 178) the astronomical figure of 1.027 trillion euros!

The amount is unthinkable. Even more incomprehensible is the fact that both in Greece and overseas, there is a claim of 320 billion euros, while by 2020 we shall have to deal with 300 billion euros.

The taxes Greek people would pay in 2015 amounted to 50.3 billion. Euros (Budget 2015, Table 3.6, p 106).

Salaries and pensions barely reach the 18 billion. Euro (Table 3.10, p. 113).

Overall, no, the people have to pay taxes from 2005 to 2015 EUR 563.7 billion euro (Table 3.6, p. 106).

Internal use Army after Charlie Hebdo

police duties, had the right to approach the capital carrying weapons.

On the occasion of the terrorist attack on Charles Empnto, history repeats itself, as military forces across Europe

crossing the Rubicon by performing a silent coup. Following the example of the terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon in 2013, which allowed the US federal government to implement a gi-

gantic project for easier use of military forces in urban centers but also faster militarization of police, Europe is experiencing its own Boston in Paris.

The development of 10,000 soldiers in the French capital, ordered the president Hollande, is a focal point in the course of bourgeois democracy throughout the continent. The image of fully armed French soldiers from the overnight stopped guarding buildings French interests in its former African colonies and grown around the Eiffel Tower, is indicative of what is to follow.

CRETI.CO... Look, Book, Enjoy Cretico represents a new villa mar-

news & articles

ketplace which includes villa rentals from all over Crete. After a thorough investigation the Cretico team provides you a large amount of high quality villas in Crete, that could offer a dreamy accommodation and were worth to be listed and promoted as holiday rentals.

That’s why Cretico platform was founded in November 2014. Cretico’s advantage is that you contact directly the owners and that you book directly from them.

Cretico is not only a villa rentals platform, but also a trusted community marketplace which will provide its visitors with all the relevant information and recommendations about the villa of their choice and the place in which the villa is located. Cretico blog is the mean to become a member of this community and meet the beauty of Crete even before visiting it.

Cretico’s website purpose is to present a great variety of holiday villas with private pool to choose from. Cretico’s high standards make it the best choice when searching for villas in Crete.

Cretico’s vision is to meet all requirements regarding villa rentals: mountain or sea view villas, luxurious or traditional or even a combination of all these. What makes Cretico a trusty leader in your journey in Crete, is that our team verifies that what you see is what you actually get.

As Cretico is based in Crete, there was

the ability to have a personal contact with the owners, visit their villas and photograph most of them. So it was possible to know first hand, whether their characteristics, facilities and hospitality respond to Cretico’s high standards.

In addition to the verifications, communication is the central axis around which the structure of Cretico has been developed. Both, the owner and the guest, create their own profile in Cretico. The owner is able to list his villa in the platform and be the manager of his property.

British -living in Chania- was arrested for sexual abuse on his adopted children

Two from five adopted

p. 10

“This is Cretico from Crete!”

young men -aged 19 and 20- by a 55 year old Briton -living in Chaniacomplaint to the Police that their “father” was abusing sexually two other adopted children of the family, aged 16.

Both young men went to the local Po-

lice Dpt. a few weeks ago.

The 55 year old man -living in the Municipality of Platanias- was abusing the children in order to take a specific allowance, given by the British Government.

After the complaint, policemen arrested the 55 year old man.

Once a guest chooses a villa, he has the ability to contact directly with the owner by making an inquiry or a booking pending. The owner may answer, accept the booking or make a special offer to his potential guest. It is also possible for a user to create his profile in Cretico through his facebook account.

By connecting his facebook account with Cretico, he makes his registration more easily and he becomes a member of the community along with his facebook friends who are already members of Cretico.

Reviews are another important part of

this website. After the end of the guest’s stay, Cretico asks from the guest as well as from the host to write a review one for each other. Reviews are very important, especially for the host. These are just some of the benefits of the platform.

The vision of Cretico team finally has been fulfilled: a selection of high quality villas around Crete that can offer everything that a traveler needs in our days. Now, full of pride, we are ready to introduce world Crete’s best villa marketplace and say with one voice: “This is Cretico from Crete!”

Businessman was interested in the small island of Kargas, between Kalyves and Almyrida?

According

to “Haniotika Nea” newspaper, a businessman expressed his interest in buying the small island of “Karga” between Almyrida and Kalyves, a few months ago.

He also informed the former Municipal Authority, but there was no answer.

“As the new Mayor of Apokoronas, I am surprised. I will try to find out what was going on and why the City Council was not informed. In any case, we do not agree in any sell of our land“, said the Mayor of Apokoronas, Mr. Charalambos Koukianakis.

The island is uninhabited and hardly reachable for large vessels.

Carnival Cruise Lines Includes Crete in its Return to Europe

Carnival

Cruise Lines is making a comeback to Europe with its most innovative ship ever, Carnival Vista, debuting in spring 2016.

The new vessel will debut May 1, 2016, with a 13-day cruise departing from Trieste, Italy — the first European voyage for Carnival in three years. A variety of Mediterranean itineraries will be offered with port calls throughout Italy, France, Spain, Croatia and Turkey, as well as several new destinations for Carnival such as Crete (Heraklion), and Corfu, Greece; Valletta, Malta; Palermo, Sicily; Cagliari, Sardinia; and Gibraltar.

On October 21, 2016, on ck cli for more news Carnival Vista will .eu st po http://chania embark on a special 13-

day transatlantic crossing and arrive in New York November 3, 2016, then operate a series of voyages from the Big Apple.

The largest ship in the fleet, Carnival

Vista will measure 133,500 tons, 1,055 feet long and have a guest capacity of 3,936 (based on two per cabin).

Designed to connect guests to the ocean with sweeping views and plenty

to do both outdoors and in, Carnival Vista aims to take cruising to new heights and introduce an exciting array of groundbreaking new features including: SkyRide, a breakthrough suspended open-air cycling experience; the world’s first IMAX Theatre on a ship; an expanded water park featuring the colorful Kaleid-O-Slide, the line’s first raft-riding water tube slide; Seafood Shack, a delectable New England-inspired eatery; RedFrog Pub, including the line’s first onboard brewery, and other enhanced dining, bar and entertainment options; as well as new scenic and family-friendly accommodation types. news.gtp.gr

Norway and Finland Warm Up to Greek -and Especially Cretan- Tourism Potential

Greece travelled to Norway and Fin-

land this week with an active presence in the Reiselivsmessen Oslo Travel Exhibition and the Matka Expo, currently running in Helsinki.

Initiated by North Events and its exclusive culinary partner Gaea, with the participation of Greek municipalities including Rhodes, Sifnos, Chios and Crete, Greece destinations and tourism offerings took center stage with

thousands of Scandinavian visitors getting a chance to learn more about destinations, accommodation, food and activities.

In the meantime, Gaea promoted Greek cuisine with a presentation of its latest product line through on-thespot tastings and samples.

Crete participants included Giannoulis Hotels & Resorts, SeaCrete Hotels, Kalyves Beach Hotel, Kiani Beach

Resort, Almyrida Beach Resort, Bio Suites Hotel, Rethymno Mare Resort, The Peninsula, BlueGR Hotels & Resorts, Atlantis Beach Hotel, Kriti Beach Hotel, Kyma Beach Hotel, Rethymnotels: Minos Mare, Minos Mare Royal, Theartemis Palace, Hotel Ideon, Sentido Aegean Pearl, Sentido Pearl Beach, and Aquila Hotels & Resorts.

The Scandinavian public was also introduced to the new certification stan-

dard “We Do Local”, which aims to promote Cretan culture and cuisine, support local producers and human resources and respect the environment.

North Events is a specialized communication and consulting agency for the Greek tourism industry active in the greater Scandinavian region. news.gtp.gr

Water supply improvement work starts in Apokoronas

Apokoronas council has approved a

p. 12

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programme of works to improve the supply of drinking water, a project long awaited for by many residents.

The work will include servicing existing storage tanks and pumping stations and adding new ones thus extendin the woter mains network.

Some of these storage tanks according to a council source have never been cleaned or serviced and they do not meet ‘even the basic hygiene standards’.

The council intends to fence off the tanks restricting access to unauthorised persons (and live stock).

The contractor is going to start work in the next few days the mayor Mr Kouki-

anakis said to Haniotika Nea newspaper.

Kokkino Horio, Tsivaras, Embrosneros and Fournes will be the first areas to

benefit from the € 1.4 million investment The upgrade plans include the extension of the mains network in Kokkino

Horio, with a new pumping station, new steel storage tank and 1100m network extension.

Replacing the pumping equipment in Tsivaras, and a network extension of 1100m In Embrosneros 1100m of network extension In Fournes Maza a new 1050 m3 steel tank and 6800 m of new network pipe.

‘This work is going to solve some of the problems of water shortages during the summer months and ensure better quality drinking water for many residents, said Mr Koukianakis, adding that the second phase of the project will include the wider Georgioupolis area.

Ryanair reports Q3 profit of €49m - Guidance to €840m-€850m

Ryanair, Europe’s favourite low fares

airline today (2 Feb) announced a Q3 net profit of €49m (compared to p.y.

Q3 loss of €35m). Traffic grew 14% to 21m customers as ave fare rose 2% to €40. Revenues grew 17% to €1,132m while unit costs fell 6% (ex-fuel flat).

Load Factors rose 6% points from 82% to 88% thanks to the continuing success of Ryanair’s “Always Getting Better” customer programme and its significantly expanded winter schedule.

Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, said: “As 2015 will be Ryanair’s 30th year of bringing low fares to Europe, we are pleased to report a Q3 profit of €49m.

These strong results confirm that our “Always Getting Better” customer programme and our expanded business schedules, coupled with our substantial fare and cost advantage over competi-

tor airlines is drawing millions of new customers to Ryanair.

Key milestones in the 3rd quarter include: • Net profit €49m, (up €84m from p.y.

Q3 loss of €35m) • Traffic up 14%, load factor up 6% points to 88% • More primary airports and city pairs in expanded winter schedule • Summer 2015 schedule loaded 2 months earlier • US web site launched under our AGB programme.

• First 5 of 380 new B737-800 aircraft delivered Our balance sheet remains one of the strongest in the industry with gross cash of €4.1bn and a net cash balance of €447m.

Our new winter routes and bases are

performing well. Our significantly expanded winter schedule, which includes more primary airports, city pairs and business friendly frequencies has converted millions of new customers to flying Ryanair. 3 new bases in Bratislava, Copenhagen and Ponta Delgada (Azores) will open in March/April with the benefit of stronger than expected forward bookings as the Ryanair low fare brand is already well known in these countries.

As our new aircraft delivery programme gathers pace, we are now able to capitalise on significant growth opportunities that are available to Ryanair’s low fares across Europe. Our New Routes team are meeting with existing and new airports to finalise allocations of our growing fleet for the winter 2015 schedule.

As many primary airports suffer capac-

ity and traffic cuts from Europe’s flag carriers, the growth incentives being offered to Ryanair continue to improve.

May 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of Ryanair’s first flight from Waterford to London Gatwick. Over this 30 year period Ryanair has revolutionised air travel for European consumers/visitors by carrying over 750m customers at our very low fares while encouraging a number of other imitators in Europe (although none of these have been able to match Ryanair’s unique low prices).

We are Europe’s original, and still its lowest fare airline.

Ryanair has grown to become Europe’s largest international passenger airline and we now expect to carry 100m customers in 2015/16 becoming the first EU airline to ever carry over 100m customers in one year.

for more news click on http://chaniapost.gr

Apokoronas welfare group gets a big helping hand from European volunteers

few months.

The AWA volunteers will be helping with fund raising events, collections of donations from supermarkets, the

sorting of donated clothing and the packing of foodbags distributed to families in need on a regular basis.

A number of useful suggestions of

how volunteers could contribute to the work of the association were made at the meeting.

The Chair of the association made it clear everyone in need in Apokoronas is eligible for support.

The AWA foodbank/social supermarket opened at Nippos on 27 January with packing of foodbags on 28 January.

A second foodbank is planned for Kalyves in the near future and the Learning Support sessions are now in place offering extra tuition to around 50 pupils whose families cannot afford private frondistirio lessons.

The AWA is also receiving donations from the region and a further EU grant of over €10000 is expected.

p. 13

Welfare association held a meeting with volunteers from the European community at Vryses town hall.

The volunteers were keen to help make sure that the Welfare association continues to support individuals and families in need throughout Apokoronas.

Most of the 22 people attending were former volunteers with Helping Hand, who have recently stopped working with the Council and is looking for different ways to make a contribution to the welfare of the residents.

The AWA will continue to support more than 350 households in Apokoronas, and as referals keep coming in, it is expected that more households will be in need of support in the next

news & articles

Apokoronas

3rd Pancretan Exhibition “CRETE: The Great Meeting” The

preparations for the third Pan-Cretan exhibition “CRETE: The Great Meeting” have begun.

From 1 to 4 May, the heart of Crete will be beating strong at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Co-organizer is the Region of Crete.

After the success of the two previous events, which were held at Tae Kwon Do stadium and at Technopolis in Gazi, Municipality of Athens, and which attracted thousands of visitors, the organizers are making the new appointment with the public and trade visitors at the venues of Peace and Friendship stadium.

Through the annual exhibition “Crete, the great meeting”, the organizers aim at : Placing the Cretan products in more points on for more news click of sale in Greece and http://chaniapost.eu abroad Bringing together Cretan producers and processing professionals with distribution networks located in the Attica region, entering new partnerships that will boost the local economy and production Better familiarizing the consumers with Cretan products and highlight their potential Promoting the modern face of the island , informing the thousands of visitors of the Exhibition about the excellent hotel and tourist infrastructure of Crete and strengthen it as an ideal tourist destination all year round The venue chosen for the third event is the Peace and Friendship Stadium, which is situated in a significant transportation hub in Neo Faliro. It is excel-

“Donkey Walks” is a program that aims support the Peace Farm project.

Peace Farm is located adjacent to a traditional, working village in the Apokoronas region of the Greek island of Crete. Founded in 2012 by artists Brent Scheneman and Eliza Monet, the project is a Data A art work-in-progress in the second year of a five-year plan.

The project explores ways to help foster a culture of world peace working from a traditional Greek farm setting. Its aims are to examine and to model ideas that create conditions conducive for the life of all existing natural systems as well as for the gardens, livestock and participants.

Currently Peace Farm’s man-made features include a donkey breeding program, the daily care of organic gardens, pastures, fruit and nut trees, six sheep, five donkeys, three horses, two pigs, two goats, three farm dogs, five geese and many rabbits. Peace Farm’s ‘Philosopher’s Walk with Donkeys’ is a new public outreach program.

pects of culture, gastronomy and tourism.

The organizers are in contact with the Ministries, Chambers, municipalities and dozens of other bodies of Crete and Greece which have stated that this year as well, they will support this major event.

We wish to remind that the previous events were under the auspices of the Ministry of Development and Competitiveness, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food and the Ministry of Shipping and of the Aegean, the NTO, the Chambers of Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno and Lassithi, the Central Union of Chambers of Greece, the World Council of Cretans, the Panhellenic Association of Cretan Cultural Societies, the Pancretan Union, the Pancretan Journalists Union, the Student Union of the Cretans of Attica, the Heraklion Port Authority, the Organization of Export Promotion, the Exporters’ Association of Crete, the Greek Association of Importers of For-

eign Food and Drink (S.EL.E.TRO.P.E), the National Confederation of Greek Commerce, the Association of Olive Producing Municipalities of Crete, the Municipality of Athens, the Municipalities of Heraklion, Chania, Rethymnon, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra, Phaistos, Minoa Pediados, Apokoronas , Sitia, Viannos, Amari, Malevizi Platanias, Gortyn, Sfakia Mylopotamou, Ag. Vassilios, Hersonissos, Archanes-Asteroussia, the Network of Cretan Olive Oil, the Pancretan Federation of Europe, the National Chamber Network of Women Entrepreneurs (E.E. D.E.G.E.), the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Greece, the bilateral Chambers: Arab-Hellenic, the Hellenic – Brazilian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Hellenic - French, the Hellenic - German, the Hellenic-Italian Chamber of Athens, the Hellenic - Dutch Commerce and Industry Association, the Hellenic - Canadian , Hellenic - Chinese, Hellenic-Russian, Hellenic-Turkish Chambers, the Hellenic-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Hellenic – Serbian Commercial and Industrial Union.

We invite the businesses who wish to discover new opportunities and give the prospect their activities deserve, to participate in this great event with an exhibition stand by directly expressing their interest in 2810-213318.

Participations will be registered on a priority basis.

The exhibition is organized and supported by the companies Cretan Communications Ltd and Ekdotiki Kritis Nektarios Sermakis.

For more information, please contact us by e-mail at: info@pagritiaekthesi. gr or visit the Exhibition website www. pagritiaekthesi.gr

Cretan-Argentinian Awarded As Distinguished Cultural Figure Cretan-Argentinian

Greece has recently joined the Worldwide Peace Marker Project (WPMP Collective). Peace Marker Greece is to be installed in Crete. This initiative is beginning to manifest a culture of world peace on a global scale. In this sense, Peace Farm has become an early adopter of this new worldview.

Peace Farm, strives to become a microcosm of the philosophy of the WPMP Collective in support of Peace Marker Greece and in the development of new data from Greece regarding the reunification of human nature with Natureat-large.

The Peace farm project has been largely self-funded by the founding artists.

It benefits from supplemental support and resources from volunteers and patrons.

choreographer and dance instructor Jorge Dermitzakis received a Distinguished Personality of Culture Award by the Argentinian government.

The 82-year-old Greek Diaspora member is the first Greek-Argentinian to ever receive such a distinction and he is extremely happy about it.

Jorge Dermitzakis was born in Buenos Aires, after his parents emigrated from Chania. Dance has been his passion for many years and he always dances to Greek music.

Despite his age, he continues to work and his dance team performs in Argentina, Peru, Uruguay and Brazil.

At the moment he is working on a choreography based on the poems by Cavafy.

Mr. Dermitzakis has visited Greece many times and believes that his country of origin is an amazing place.

He speaks Greek while his partner in life and dance, Angeliki Sideraki, is also

a Greek Diaspora member, originating from Chios and Cappadocia.

As Dermitzakis has stated he represents the union between Greek and Argentina and feels that he is Greek as much as he is Argentinian.

Keeping it a secret from his parents, at the age of 14, Dermitzakis started dancing although his regular training began after completing his university studies and working as a civil engineer.

From then on, his passion flourished leading him to choreograph his own dances.

During the ‘70s he staged his own version of Zorba the Greek which was very successful in Argentina. greekreporter.com

Adult education programs “Lifelong Learning” in Apokoronas

Apokoronas

p. 14

lently covered by all means of transport, public and private (Electric Railway, N. Faliro Station, Buses, free parking, etc.), which will facilitate access and increase the Exhibition attendance.

The Exhibition will be mixed, commercial and public and covering an area of several thousand square meters.

This Exhibition will feature companies operating in all three areas of the production process: units for the production and manufacturing of agricultural and livestock products, cooperative organizations, public and private bodies engaging in the development field, companies from the wider tourism sector, as well as companies engaged in industrial production.

Also, the Municipalities of Crete will have a special presence, since through their participation they will highlight their local production and the comparative advantages of their regions.

This large trade event will be accompanied by parallel events that will give off the scent and culture of Crete and which will highlight its exceptional as-

Walk with donkeys in Crete

The

news & articles

Products - Tourism - Flavors - Services

has announced the starting up of four adult education programs “Lifelong Learning” in cooperation with MAICH and Mediterranean HPC-MAICH. The program contract signed on 12.23.2014 between the Apokoronas of

MAICh and the Mediterranean HPC MAICH foresees the implementation of nine (9) total programs “Lifelong Learning” with variety of themes that appeal to adults seeking personal development, vocational rehabilitation, social integration and active participation

of trainees in the knowledge of society.

The Mayor Mr.Koukianakis stressed that “Lifelong Learning”: promotes personal development of trainees, supports the improvement of working life, generates competitive professionals in the labour arena, opens new avenues for

continuous learning, improves the population’s levels of knowledge and skills for economic, technological, cultural and social development and also whilst enhancing active participation in all activities of life, fosters the idea of democracy and respect for human rights.

another Christmas and New Year have passed by. It is normal as we progress from one year to another to reflect on the past year and think about hopes for the new year.

For me, personally, 2014 was a difficult year, especially with the passing of close family and friends. For most here on Crete it has also been difficult with the austerity measures that have really hurt many. But, within local communities there has been help provided for the hardest hit with money and essential goods raised via donations and charity events. A sign that the ‘better off ’ (relatively speaking) do acknowledge the plight of many and assist them and importantly that there is strong community togetherness.

The year for me also had good times.

I was proud of Chania in September when after a day exhibiting at the Mosque we were walking back to return to our homes. There was a cruise ship moored off the harbour. At 7pm there was a function, alongside the Mosque, for the passengers of the ship with food and wine, singing and dancing.

We kept leaving the hall in the Mosque to see what was happening and were glad to see so many in local costume providing traditional entertainment. As we closed for the day it was nearly time for the passengers to finish their drinks and board the tenders to return to the ship.

The music was over but suddenly from near the lighthouse there was a fantastic fireworks display. This end to a special evening must have moved the visitors.

‘Cruising’ is not for me but I wonder if any other city in the world would provide such a warm welcome and such a memorable goodbye. I am certain most would have left Chania with such happy memories.

Although my Greek is not good I do try and read a lot. I purchased two books in 2014 that I felt gave a fascinating insight into the rich history of the city of Chania. Unfortunately for many, these

•

books are only printed in Greek: but for readers who do read Greek they are both highly recommended by me.

The first is “Χανιά 1252-1940” by Γιάννης Δημ. Τσίβας. I now know the history of many buildings, and other interesting facts, such as the size of fezzes worn by the Turkish community and those worn by the Greeks, the colors of belts and the initial political committees set up after the Turks were ousted as well as a great deal of history. The account of the Turkish invasion is fascinating. I also understand the etymology of the word Janissaries; especially interesting as I usually have an exhibition in the Mosque of the Janissaries on Chania harbor every year. The book is enriched by many interesting photographs.

The second book is “Τζαμιά, Τεκέδες και Τουρμπέδες στο Νομό Χανίων” by Μανώλης Μανούσακας, who provides the wonderful articles in Διαδρομές (part of the Saturday issue of the Χανιώτικα νέα) about Old Chania.

This book concentrates on the religious buildings of the Turkish occupation throughout the prefecture. Again there is a wealth of information about the buildings and their history as well as many photos. I think one of the most interesting photos is one of the twodomed building at Koumbes, taken, I suspect, about a century ago. (This is

the building that is on the corner of a busy junction, opposite the filling station, on the right hand side of the road into Chania from Souda – part of it is now a men’s barbers and another part a small café). The photo shows the then small track leading towards Chania bounded by stone walls with this mausoleum on the right and in the far distance is one other building! How things have changed.

I think we ought to be very proud of our city and its history, which as I said above is abundant and rich. Not only is Chania the hub of local life but a major attraction for tourists and the city (and island) is dependent upon our visitors.

People enter the city with anticipation and many, if not most, aim directly for or are directed to the harbor and the Old Town.

In the UK the history of areas similar to the Old Town and the architecture of the old buildings have been sanitized.

What makes our area so attractive are the narrow alleyways that still ooze charm and antiquity, the flaking paint of doorways, shutters and walls that portray antiquity and buildings that have not been modernized so greatly that they lose their history. There are shops that would not seem out of place in a film set for a Dickens’ novel. The tourist can move off the main routes in

Happy New Year to all.

Five new top cruise companies are coming to Chania. 68 arrivals in 2015

Five new top cruise companies will come for first time in Chania at the port of Souda in 2015 and 2016 • 68 arrivals and 90.000 tourists are expected in 2015 MSC Cruises (May 2015), Crystal Cruises (September 2015), Costa Cruises (November 2015), Princess Cruises (April 2016) and Aida Cruises (November 2016) are coming to Chania, as announced by the general manager of the Local Port Authority of Chania, Mr. Costas Brokalakis.

All companies have modern and luxury

cruise ships, offering top services to all passengers.

Especially, Princess Cruises has two new cruise ship, constructed in 2013 (Royal Princess) and 2014 (Regal Princess).

The company is well known for its “World Cruises”, reaching almost every port, in a trip lasting 4 months.

Chania and Rhodes will be the only ports in Greece, participating in a “World Cruise”.

The presence of all five companies at the port of Souda is a result of a continuous effort and contacts in the USA and Eu-

rope, and also the participation of Chania in Cruise Exhibitions around the world.

It has to be mentioned that cruise ships of Royal Caribbean International will come 31 times in Chania (9 times in 2014), meaning a raise of 300%.

21 ships with a capacity over 2.000 passengers will dock in Chania in 2015 (5 in 2014).

“Local Port Authority of Chania will try its best for 2016 and 2017, in order to continue promoting the tourist

product of Chania and showing everyone that we are a high quality cruise destination”, said Mr. Brokalakis.

Greek Dairy Company Expands in USA Greek dairy product company FAGE

has been trying to increase its production capacity in foreign markets. A few days ago, the company announced that work on its new U.S. production facility was completed.

The facility, which cost a total of 120 million dollars, is expected to be fully operational by spring 2015, creating 150 jobs in Johnstown Industrial Park, NY. The company currently employs 240 people at its existing factory.

FAGE aims to double the factory’s production capacity. Meanwhile, the company’s investment that reached 200 million dollars, is expected to aid

in promoting the products across the United States and increase public demand.

According to a company representa-

tive, this move indicates that FAGE has decided to focus on the US market but also create opportunities in new markets.

Furthermore, the company is also exploring its growth options in the UK, even though it has been well established in that market for over 30 years.

FAGE’s UK marketing director, Alison While, noted that the total yoghurt sales in the country have dropped by 0.9%, while Greek yoghurt sales are showing an increase of 29%.

Aiming at a higher market share, FAGE launched a new advertising campaign on British television, focusing on the difference of Greek strained yogurt, in an attempt to educate UK consumers. greekreporter.com

p. 15

Yet

by David Capon safety - but what hits him?

As a bus, carrying cruise ship visitors from Souda, enters the city, our visitors can see the grandeur of many buildings even if some are not in the best state of upkeep. But I am sure they empathize with that.

The one other thing that will strike our visitors are the graffiti on walls, gates, trees, road signs etc and these detract from the visual appreciation. These graffiti become very obvious on the walls and buildings of the road Nearchou as the buses approach the hub of the city and then can be seen almost everywhere.

These graffiti are also over many, many walls, doors and shutters in the Old Town. What is an area we should have 100% pride in is being visually ruined by these. As an artist I can renovate the buildings back to normal in a painting but visitors are confronted with these.

I speak to many people and many visitors about the city, especially when exhibiting in the Mosque, and they often mention the scourge of the graffiti.

My hope for Chania in 2015 is therefore that we all can have pride in our city so that all graffiti can be eradicated and that the persons who spray paint understand that people we rely on for the economic revival of Crete and Greece find no satisfaction from them.

I hope these persons who ruin the visual impact can find a new pride in Chania and see its for more new s click on historical beauty. http://chaniapost.gr I hope, like everyone, that the worst of the economic problems are over and that citizens can look forward to an improved year.

I do have a final wish (and it may be in the pipeline) and that is that Μανώλης Μανούσακας produces two or three volumes of all his articles, complete, about old Chania from the Χανιώτικα νέα. It is an ideal time as the 500th article is due.

news & articles

Chania: 2014 and 2015 wishes?

Recipes of the month

Pies from Sfakia

by Antonia Tsakirakis Cook

Ingredients • 1/2 kilo flour • 2 teaspoons olive oil • Salt • 1 small glass tsikoudià • 1 glass water • 1/2 kilo mizìthra cheese

Preparation Knead the flour with the olive oil, the salt and as much water as it takes into a soft dough.

Divide it into 10 pieces and roll them out into pastry sheets in the shape of saucers. Shape the mizithra cheese into 10 balls, each in the size of a large egg.

Place the mizithra cheese in the middle of the pastry sheet.

on for more news click .eu st po http://chania

Fold the pastry sheet around to cover the mizithra cheese.

Continue in this fashion in order to shape 10 small balls.

Flatten them out by means of a rolling pin and give them a round shape in the size of a saucer.

Fry in a pan without oil, turning them over frequently so that they do not burn.

Pour honey over each one before serving.

Traditional Cretan Taverna

Ingredients For the dough • 1 kilo hard flour • 1 cup olive oil • 1 teaspoon fresh yeast • 1 teaspoon salt • Tepid water • 1/2 cup olive oil For the filling • 1 1/2 kilos leeks • 350gr fèta cheese • 3 eggs • 150gr olive oil • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Preparation Place the olive oil, yeast (dissolved in 1 cup tepid water), salt and flour into

Drakona, Kerameia (20 km from Chania)

“Tzaneris & Archontissa”

Tel.: +30 28210 75997

Leek Pie

a bowl and work the mixture gradually adding some tepid water. Knead into a smooth and soft dough.

Allow it to stand for about 20 minutes and prepare the stuffing. Finely chop the leeks, salt them and rub them in order to obtain a deep green mass. After straining the liquids well mix them with the feta cheese, beaten eggs, olive oil and pepper.

Roll out 7 pastry sheets and brush both sides with oil. Spread out 3 of them on an oiled baking pan. Lay the 1/3 of the filling and cover with a new pastry sheet.

Continue successively and top with two oiled leaves. Fold the part of the pastry sheets that is overhanging, score the pie, oil its surface and bake in preheated oven at 170oC for about 60 minutes.

www.tzaneris-archontissa.gr

Mob.: +30 6973 210487 / +30 6973 786747

Sweet recipe of the month

Baileys cheesecake

by Marilou - Chief executive chef at Marilou Cupcakes and more. info@marilous.gr

Serves 10 Ready in 1 hour, plus chilling time 499 kcals, 35g fat, 19g sat. fat a portion Not suitable for freezing Ingredients • 11g sachet powdered gelatine, plus 1 level tsp and 1 heaped tsp extra • 175g shortcake biscuits, crushed to make crumbs • 85g butter, melted • 250g tub quark • 250g tub mascarpone • 150ml Baileys cream liqueur • 150ml tub double cream, lightly whipped • 2 eggs • 140g caster sugar • 150ml strong black coffee, sweetened with 2 tbsp caster sugar Prepare the gelatine Measure 5 tbsp cold water in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the gelatine

sachet, plus 1 level teaspoon extra, and leave to soak for 5 minutes until spongy.

Stand the bowl of gelatine in a pan of gently simmering water and leave until it turns clear.

Make the base Meanwhile, mix together the biscuit crumbs and butter, then press then onto the base of a loose-bottomed 20cm cake tin. Chill.

Make the filling Beat the quark, mascarpone and Baileys together, then stir in the gelatine mix and fold in the cream. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl until thick, pale and foamy, then fold into the cheesecake mixture and pure onto the biscuit base.

Chill for 3-4 hours, or until set.

Make the topping For the jelly topping, make the coffee in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the

remaining heaped teaspoon of gelatine.

Put the bowl in a pan of gently simmering water until dissolved.

Cool the mixture. When cold, carefully spoon (don’t pour) the coffee mixture on top of the cheesecake today make a thin layer.

Oinotika 2015, loading...

Save the date winelovers! 28 Febru-

p. 18

food & wine

ary, 01 & 02 March 2015.

For seven years the winemakers of Crete, organize “OINOTIKA”, a Cretan wine exhibition that it has become an annual event and will be held at “Kipos ton Esthiseon” Malades area in Herakleion.

The visitors will have the chance to taste more than 300 old and new vintages, meet the Cretan Winemakers and get to know the person beneath the label and

the philosophy and get informed about the activities of the Wines of Crete.

Visiting hours: • Saturday 28 February: 17.00 - 21.00 (Open for winelovers) • Sunday 01 March: 11.00 - 20.00 (Open for winelovers) • Monday 02 March: 11.00 - 15.00 (Open door for professionals)

Chill until set.

Turn out and slice To serve the cheesecake, wrap a hot tea towel round the outside of the cake tin, then gently easy out the cake.

Serve in thin slices as it’s very rich.

Terra Creta awarded in 1001 Degustations 2014 1001 Degustations tasting competition took place in France.

Terra Creta received three awards for the superb taste of it’s products: • Gold award for the “Terra Creta Estate PDO Kolymvari extra virgin olive oil” • Gold award for the “Terra Creta GRANDMA’S mixed olives • Silver award for the “Traditional PDO Kolymvari Extra Virgin olive oil” 1001degustations.com in France, was created by food lovers to respond to the information needs of gourmets and other wine lovers.

Terra Creta is located in the island of Crete, in Kolymvari area, was founded in 2001 and today operates at ultra-modern production facilities.

Being export focused, with a commitment to quality and innovation, we managed to expand sales into more than 35 countries, win many international awards within a very few years and is the first company to develop and launch an online traceability system for its olive oil.

Terra Creta produces mainly extra virgin olive oil of exceptional quality using innovative extraction methods in its advanced olive mill in Kolymvari, but offers also quality balsamic vinegar, balsamic cream and excellent selection of greek olives.

Mediterranean Diet an Ancient Greek Invention, University of Exeter Study Says

Ancient Greek doctors were the ones

who invented the infamous Mediterranean diet, as hippocratic physicians used rich flavors in food in order to treat their patients, a new study from the British University of Exeter revealed, according to the Daily Mail.

The experts at the University of Exeter studied texts of ancient Greek doctors and found that they believed rich flavors could improve the food’s nutritional potency, while one of them, Galen of Pergamon, prescribed food recipes containing garlic and onions to patients.

According to the same study, their work laid the principals of modern Mediterranean cooking, considered among the world’s healthiest.

At the same time, ancient Greek philosopher Plato wrote about the impor-

The

tance of food in health, while Hippocrates said: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

As Professor John Wilkins, an expert on Greek Culture at the University of Exeter, explained to Daily Mail, ancient Greek physicians “take flavor as a measure of nutritional potency because that property of astringency in unripe apples or pungency in onions reflects the effect that the food will have on the digested material and ultimately the impact on body humors.

Galen sees nutrition as a third of the medical art, along with pharmacology and surgery.

If people had too much thick humor, phlegm in particular, then they needed onions and garlic to thin it.

That is a sort of early idea of dealing with too much cholesterol.”

Furthermore, Wilkins described that Galen’s writings included recipes for pancakes and put under discussion the types of bread and cakes that should be eaten, while at the same time tackling the dangers of milk, which, according to him, contains whey and solids that may block the narrow channels in the liver in susceptible individuals.

His recipes included simple cooking techniques, designed to bring out the flavor of basic ingredients and he even wrote about how snails – a dish associated with French cuisine – should be boiled twice to reduce their laxative properties.

Galen even recommended – then considered – tropical spices, such as pepper, ginger and cinnamon, while other doctors recommended fruits and vegetables.

In other cases, ingredients that are no longer used, like silphium, asphodel and muscari were also used in cooking.

“The ancient diet resembled the modern Mediterranean diet but without oranges and lemons from China and tomatoes from South America of course.

The diet is largely based on regional plants, which the doctors generally preferred over imported luxuries.

Also, the ancient Mediterranean did not sustain a huge number of animals, so meat was limited, as it is in the modern Mediterranean. he soil produced flavor-rich food, making cereal palatable,” concluded Professor Wilkins, whose study is published in the Journal of for more news click on Ethnopharmacology. http://chaniapost.gr greekreporter.com

Apaki, stamnagathi and xerotigana in Berlin’s “Green Week”

participation of the Region of Crete in Berlin’s “Green Week” is an absolut success.

“Green Week” (January 16-25) is organized in Berlin for 80th time and more than 400.000 visitors have already tasted traditional products from 70 countries.

Visitors of Cretan kiosk are tasting olive oil, wine, olives, herbs, grapes, cheese, apaki, sausage, stamnagathi, rusks and xerotigana.

In January 19, chef Petros Maniadis cooked traditional Cretan recipes for more than 1.000 visitors.

Vice Governor Mrs. Theano Vrentzou was the representative of the Region of Crete, along with officials from Chania

and Heraklion, who are responsible for the operation of Crete’s kiosk.

The Greek ambassador in Germany, Mr.

Panos Kalogeropoulos visited the kiosk of Crete, along with officials of German government and lots of businessmen and importers of food and drink.

Mrs. Vrentzou gave an interview in Deutsche Welle and lots of magazines, promoting Cretan products and inviting Germans to visit Crete.

“There only positive results from the exhibition in Berlin. We did our best to show everyone that Crete is ready to welcome thousands of visitors this year.

We offered our traditional products to our visitors and they were delighted.”, said Mrs. Vrentzou.

‘National Geographic’ Casts Spotlight on Greek and Cretan Culinary Offerings

Thessaloniki, and better yet what to eat and where. Highlights include smoky aubergine dip, sweet fish “sinagrida”,

1

Secrets for the perfect beef steak

Meat must be in ambient temperature before starting to roast it.

2

oysters, and of course, the city’s trademark pastries, the “bougatsa” and the creme patisserie-filled “trigona”.

Cooking hob must be heated in 160oC before roasting the steak (pan, grill, grill pan) We put a min amount of extra virgin olive oil, we dry the steak and we place it on the cooking hob.

We grill the meat by turning it every 30 secs.

3

We roast the meat as much as we want and we check the internal temperature with a special meat thermometer.

• • • • • •

Extra rare: 46-49 oC Rare: 52-55 oC Medium rare: 55-60 oC Medium: 60-65 oC Medium well: 65-69oC Well done: 71+ oC

Quality Meat

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4

We take the meat off the stove, we cover it and leave it to “rest” for 6 to 10 minutes. By this way, we manage to keep all “juices” inside the steak.

5

We salt the meat when we serve it by cutting the steak vertically, in order to get the tastiest result. We also put some olive oil on the steak and we are ready to...

enjoy it!!!

p. 19

and eating traditions are taking center stage in a series of National Geographic food tour/travel features, bringing Greece into the international spotlight as a prime culinary tourism destination.

Thessaloniki and its goodies featured in National Geographic Traveller’s Jan/ Feb 2015 issue under the title “Eat: Thessaloniki” focusing on the northern port city’s rich, multicultural past and “passion for food”.

The story outlines the reasons to eat in

In the meantime, Crete’s dietary habits and offerings steal the show in “We Are What We Eat: Spring in Crete Means a Feast of Wild Greens”, part of the “The Evolution of Diet”, which is a segment of National Geographic’s special eightmonth “Future of Food” series.

Rummaging Crete for greens and much more, the feature describes the Greek island as “favored by the gods” and focuses on the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

food & wine

Greek food, the Mediterranean Diet

101st Rethymno Carnival... The Cretan Carnival The

101st Rethymno Carnival… the biggest and better carnival of all times.

According to an official Press Release by the organising committee…

“It’s been one century, since a group of people from Rethymno – with optimistic mood and open heart to every pleasant challenge – decides to put some colour to the everyday life of the city, during the Carnival season.

So, in 1914 the first Carnival of Rethymno was organized, bringing the original mark of the intentions of the people of Rethymno.

Through the years, these intentions turned into actions that exceeded every time the expectations of their inspirers and finally turned to be an amazing event: the Carnival of Rethymno, a live

organism, tending to reverse the natural route of life: the “older” it’s getting the better it is becoming!

This year’s carnival subject is focused on this inversion and invites whoever deeply hopes for better days, whoever sees rainbow colors beyond grey to be part of the large, emotional and fresh Team of the Carnival of Rethymno and share, create, have fun and experience things that nobody wants to miss.

We invite you to create and share this experience, having in our mind and our heart the fact that when people cooperate, every day becomes special and life itself becomes more beautiful. It is as simple as that.”

Since 1914 beautiful Renaissance Rethymnon has been celebrating the carnival with its many humoristic

events.

A carnival of another era leaving behind its nostalgic aroma of romantic balls and the Rethymnians through laughter and their comical antics paying their tribute to “His Excellence, The King of the Carnival.”

The Treasure Hunt, an old custom dating back to when the Carnival of Rethymno began about a century ago, was the reason for the creation of ‘teams’ in 1990, which would give birth once again to this age-old tradition.

In 1993, the Municipality of Rethymnon decided to help fund this popular event and requested the teams to take on the challenging task of creating and organising the Carnival of Rethymnon, which has become the most popular and famous Carnival of Crete!

Remarkable treasures under your feet Just a short journey

outside of Heraklion is perhaps the finest archeological site on the whole of Crete, drawing many thousands of visitors every year to see the splendour that is Knossos.

Knossos was undeniably the capital of Minoan Crete. It is grander, more complex, and more flamboyant than any of the other palaces known to us, and it is located about twenty minutessouth of the modern port town of Heraklion. ws for more culture ne Knossos was inhabited iapost.gr for several thousand click on http://chan years, beginning with a neolithic settlement sometime in the seventh millennium BC, and was abandoned after its destruction in 1375 BC which marked the end of Minoan civilization. The first palace on the low hill beside the Krairatos river was built around 1900 BC on the ruins of previous settlements. It was destroyed for the first time along with the other Protopalatial palaces around Crete at 1700 BC, probably by a large earthquake or foreign invaders. It was im-

- Books - Stationery - Consumables

p. 20

culture

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Knossos has so much to see and to understand

mediately rebuilt to an even more elaborate complex and until its abandonment was damaged several times during earthquakes, invasions, and in 1450 BC by the colossal volcanic eruption of Thera, and the invasion of Mycenaeans who used it as their capital as they ruled the island of Crete until 1375 BC. Arthur Evans, the British Archaeologist who excavated the site in 1900 AD restored large parts of the palace in a way that it is possible today to appreciate the grandeur and complexity of a structure that evolved over several millennia and grew to occupy about 20,000 square meters.

- Office supplies - Gis Walking through its - Photocopies complex multi-storied buildings one can comprehend why the palace of Knossos was associated with the mythological labyrinth.

According to Greek mythology, the palace was designed by famed architect Dedalos with such complexity that no one placed in it could ever find its exit. King Minos who commissioned the palace then kept the architect prisoner to ensure that he would not reveal the palace plan to anyone.

Dedalos, who was a great inventor, built two sets of wings so he and his son Ikaros could fly off the island, and so they did.

On their way out, Dedalos warned his son not to fly too close to the sun because the wax that held the wings together would melt. In a tragic turn of events, during their escape Ikaros, young and impulsive as he was, flew higher and higher until the sun rays dismantled his wings and the young boy fell to his death in the Aegean sea.

The Labyrinth was the dwelling of the Minotaur in Greek mythology, and

many associate the palace of Knossos with the legend of Theseus killing the Minotaur.

The Greek myth associated with the palace about Theseus and the Minotaur is fascinating, but walking around the ruins of Knossos today it is hard to imagine it to be a place of torment and death. Instead, the palace radiates with joyous exuberance through the elaborate architectural planes and volumes that were clustered around the central courtyard over time. The elegant wall frescoes which decorated the walls speak of a people who approached the subtleties of life and the splendour of nature with a joyousdisposition.

Crete Today Newsletter

“Between the Snow and the Sea”

and sparkles like liquid diamond.

In the citrus smell of the valley wide the stream now, a rushing, laughing tide that races on to the waiting sea, where white gulls cry.

The last of the snow on towering peaks, through fissured limestone each small drop weeps.

A trickle of water sparkling and clear, to the valley below and the gorge that’s near.

A murmur that slips through rocks in the sun, a stream that’s lost in an underground run, where the gorge is suddenly dry. ~~~~~~~~~~ A wooded gorge in dappled light, where mighty plane trees flex their might, with sinuous roots among jumbles of rounded, smooth boulders.

Hazy rays and filtered light, shafts of sunlight glinting bright, where creepers hang suspended. ~~~~~~~~~~ Brown winter floods through ages past, water worn boulders where the river ran fast, with piles of high driftwood jammed

by Anthony M. Whateley

~~~~~~~~~~

in the rocks.

Sharp sandy stretches washed dry and clean, with high craggy walls that seem to lean, where scrubby bushes cling in the sun. ~~~~~~~~~~ In the dry still gorge in summer’s June, it’s underground river plays to a tune that no one can hear, where deep roots search.

Quiet and hot without a breeze, with bird song carried among the trees, and a cloud of worrying midday gnats.

~~~~~~~~~~ When the narrow dry gorge makes the coastal plain, where rows of olives are all the same, the sky is big and blue.

On red sandy soil where fruit trees grow, yellow and orange all in a row, with green walnuts that swell in the sun. ~~~~~~~~~~ There’s a warm balmy breeze in the orchard here, where the cold spring bubbles crystal clear,

The gorge is forgotten as the river runs deep, a sandy bottom where rustling reeds weep, and black-eyed terrapins stare.

A shoal of fat mullet, silver and grey, a stationary heron watching its prey, as dragonflies dart on transparent wings. ~~~~~~~~~~

for more culture news Across the beach impa- click on http://chaniapost.gr tient waves wait, the river runs on until it’s too late, mixed and churned and lost forever.

I looked through the haze to the high mountains bare, the last of the snow, a patch here and there, as I watched the cool water rush into the sea.

Crete and its Music: ‘A Family Affair’

The festive period of the year is now

over. A sweet memory lies back in my mind and pictures of happy moments I‘ve experienced throughout this magnificent month.

What should I recall first? There are so many happy images in my mind. Images of young children who are dressed up as angels, reindeer or elves all trying to remember their part in a play.

Children who must put aside their embarrassment and fear and impress their parents who anxiously wait for them to show up while their teachers do their best to revive the Christmas spirit.

Also, children on the little train in front of the Agora market shouting with cheer while thousands of Santas go down the streets of our city to fill us all with joy.

Their mere existence, along with all the charities that remain unnoticed, proves that although we are a small city our heartbeat is really loud. In a world which is constantly changing our voice is powerful and our deeds are even greater.

Then, there is a memory of all those things that awaken your senses. All the melodies heard in the Old City which I kept whispering while wandering my

love of music,” says Aristomenopoulou, who is currently running an outreach campaign to make Cretan music known to a broader international audience.

“Since we started this project, we have seen immense interest across the world by individuals, associations, music and dance groups, schools and universities to use the film,” says Aristomenopoulou, who won the Fipresci Award for Best Documentary at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in 2010 for Wandering Soul.

In the meantime, Anemon is working with Maria Hnaraki, founding director of Greek Studies at Drexel University, to help bring the film and Cretan music

Making memories...

to classrooms worldwide, especially in communities of the Greek Diaspora. A free teacher’s guide can be used to teach Greek and help students connect with Greek music, learn to compose mantinades and dance.

A short version of the film, entitled Sounds Like Home was aired on ABC Australia in October.

The film’s soundtrack features songs and live performances recorded over a three-year filming period by George Xylouris, his three children Nikos, Antonis and Apollonia, as well as their grandfather, Psarantonis mixed and mastered by Coti K. news.gtp.gr

city. All the songs we danced. Songs sung by choirs which please both your heart and your soul. All the smells filling the neighbourhoods where each and every family prepared the traditional lambs, cakes and cookies so as to give joy to others.

and live with no stress or misery. And what do we all expect to experience this New Year? Well, it is certain that most of us have few expectations so as not to get disappointed. Elder people just pray for their health and younger ones ask for justice. I would say that no matter

faith from the way we were brought up...

We must only realize it and take advantage of it so as to achieve our goals So keep your head up, treat each day as a holiday and enjoy each and every moment as much as possible.

And finally all the flavours we tasted around a big family table. Flavours that brought us all together. And all the above in a city surrounded by a white tunic – snow covered peaks -, glowing and sparkling so as to welcome the brand new year triumphantly in its formal clothing!!!

Without any doubt, this was the right period to make memories. So many chances to escape our everyday routine

what future will hold, we must never lose our faith, our beliefs and our principles.

We have gained so much hope these last few weeks and we have created such great memories that it seems to me, we are more capable than ever of confronting what lies ahead. Our strength generates from our tight bones with each other, our hope from our children who look at us straight in the eye and our

George Moore, an American writer once said: “a man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it”. T hat being said, search for your happiness inside your home and keep making memories. These are our real treasure. And this treasure is something that no one can take from us!!

Have a Happy New Year

by Elis. Pramateftakis Teacher

p. 21

take the spotlight in the latest film

by Greek director Angeliki Aristomenopoulou, featuring the portrait of the legendary Xylouris family and their sacred bonds with the musical tradition of their homeland, released in Greece earlier this month.

Produced by Anemon Productions and Unicorn Films in collaboration with ABC Australia, the Greek Film Centre, OTE TV and national broadcaster NERIT, A Family Affair is released under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO).

The film, which will premiere in Europe at the FIPA-International Festival of Audiovisual Programs in France,

follows three generations of musicians who pass on the vibrant tradition of Cretan music performing ceaselessly to followers across the globe.

From Psarantonis – or Antonis Xylouris – to his son, lute player and singer George Xylouris – nicknamed Psarogiorgis – and his three children Nikos, Antonis and Apollonia studying in Australia, the film follows Crete’s renowned musical clan to discover the electrifying power of their music and the sacred ties that hold the family together.

“It captures how music is passed on from father to son to grandchildren, in a contemporary Greek-Australian family, brought together and apart by their

culture

The music and mountains of Crete

Home renovation

Many people renovate homes to creby Petros Chatzistavros Civil Engineer (T.E.)

ate a new appearance for their home, or so another person can live in the residence.

Most builders focus on building new homes, so renovating is typically a parttime activity for such tradespeople.

The processes and services required for renovations are quite specific and, once plans are signed off, building a new home is relatively predictable.

Renovations usually require all of the sub-trades that are needed for the construction of a new building. During renovation projects, flexibility is often required from renovation companies to respond to unexpected issues that arise.

Projects involving renovation require not just flexibility, but a plan that has previously been agreed upon by multiple parties. The planning process will involve feedback from financial investors of the project, as well as the designer. Part of planning will also entail the collection of any necessary data for the completion of the project and then the project plan will be revised and given consent before continuing with renovations.

home improvement

Six tips for avoiding renovation mistakes 1 Poor preparation A proper renovation takes preparation – lots of it. A detailed plan will help keep you on budget and on time. Set out a very specific agreement with your contractor before the work begins and get everything in writing. You should be able to see on paper how your renovation is going to play out before it even begins.

2 Buying before planning I can’t stress this enough: Don’t buy materials or appliances until your renovation is planned out and all measurements have been taken. Online sales can be tempting, but that great deal on a 24-inch dishwasher isn’t going to save

Creating a new appearance for your own place you any money if you only have room for an 18-inch model.

3 Ignoring issues When you tear down walls or rip up floors, there’s a good chance you’re going to find something you weren’t expecting, especially in an older home.

Electrical and plumbing issues need to be dealt with before you close the walls back up. It might be an unexpected renovation cost up front, but it will save you tons of money in the long run.

4 Cutting corners Don’t do it. Much like ignoring issues, cutting corners on materials or finishes is only going to cause you problems in the future. It’s always better to go the extra mile and do it right the first time than have to go back and redo everything. Hire competent people to do the job, buy quality materials and take the time to complete all the necessary steps.

5 Unlicensed trades There are projects that any reliable contractor can take on; then there are specialized projects that require a licensed professional to complete. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, asbestos removal and anything to do with gas or the structure of your home should always be completed by a licensed professional in that specific trade.

6 Too much DIY I love ambitious homeowners who want to take part in their home renovations, but there comes a time when it’s best to hand the reins over to the professionals. Projects like cabinetry installation, complicated tile work and carpentry are beyond the scope of most homeowners and can reduce the value of your home if done incorrectly. My advice? Involve yourself in the demo – it’s the most fun part, anyway!

How to manage renovation costs More than 30% of homeowners spend more than they plan to during renovations. If you aren’t prepared, the process can become a rocky road. Here’s my guide to navigating the terrain and

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ensuring yourself a smooth ride.

Stick to your limit Setting a budget is the most important part of renovating. Price everything out first. Ask friends and family what they paid for their new bathroom renovation or finished basement and try to learn from others’ experiences – both good and bad. Be wise about your investment. Experts might advise you to keep your renovation between 20 to 30 percent of your home’s market value to guarantee a return on your investment, but the real estate market has been crazy for the past decade and investing more than the typical rule of thumb can lead to greater profit if and when you sell. Buyers can spot a shoddy renovation so if you’re going to spend more money, you need to guarantee that the workmanship is impeccable and that the materials used can garner the increased list price. If not, you could be sitting on a property for months as you watch your investment disappear in carrying costs while you wait for your home to sell.

Know where your money is going After you’ve met, checked references and secured a written estimate from at least three licensed, insured and bonded contractors, be meticulous when it comes to drafting the contract. The bigger the project, the greater the chance that it may go over budget, so have your expectations clearly established from the start. Discuss an estimated time frame for the job, settle the payment terms, secure warranties and even talk about how your existing property will be protected once the work begins.

Most importantly, write it all down and watch out for the low-ball quote. If you think it’s too good to be true, it usually is. Get a detailed breakdown and scope of work and define anything that might be considered an “extra,” such as upgrading the quality of the paint used. If you’re doing the work yourself, keep a detailed account of all of your expenses

and receipts so you can stick to your set budget for your home renovations.

Set up a contingency fund A good rule of thumb is to put aside an additional 20% of your budget to accommodate costs that will inevitably pop up. The cost of renovating can vary so much and you never know what you’re going to find behind the walls.

Making changes is allowed, but know when to draw the line and try to stick to as many big-ticket decisions as possible to avoid climbing material and labour costs.

Scale it back The most common renovating complaint from homeowners was going over budget. If you’re new to the game, you might not have the expertise or the time to balance your budget effectively. Scaling back is not as hard as people make it out to be. You can still get an amazing look without forking over the big bucks. I always advise people to use an inexpensive tile, for instance, to avoid paying higher than necessary prices for materials. When your renovation is complete, don’t be shy about inviting a realtor in for an evaluation.

If you’ve managed to stay roughly on budget and on time, you might be very pleasantly surprised by the result. with info from http://www.styleathome.com

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The

true “must have” tool that all homeowners need for literally any job around the home is a toolbox. But, naturally, the toolbox by itself won’t help fix the leaking faucet or hang a picture.

It will, however, hold all the tools you need to do that job and make sure they’re right there when you start working.

Without that toolbox, your tools will end up scattered all around your basement, garage and maybe in the trunk of your car.

You’ll be so frustrated by the time you find the tools you need that you won’t have the energy to start the project.

But actually, the term “toolbox” might be slightly inappropriate.

The most versatile and handy toolbox is in reality a canvas bag designed to fit over a 5-gallon bucket.

It’s got lots of pockets to keep your tools organized, plus it’s light, inexpensive and won’t mark or scratch your floors.

So, now that we’ve figured out what the “must have” tool for any project is, what should be in that toolbox/bucket?

17 Must Have Tools for Any Project Level - A small 9 inch “torpedo” level (so named because of its curved ends) will allow you to make sure that whatever you put up is straight and of course - level.

Handsaw - Small (12 to 15 inch) handsaws will cut wood quickly and are a good choice for folks who are concerned about the safety of a power circular saw.

Pliers - Often available in sets of three needle nose, wire cutting and small slip joint. The needle noses are amazingly useful for getting into narrow spaces and a necessity for doing any wiring work. The wire cutters will not only cut wire but they can double as wire strippers.

Combination square - Allows you to measure and mark on a 90 or 45 degree angle. Can also be used as a depth gauge, marking gauge and height gauge.

Locking pliers - Often called vise grips, the jaws are adjustable and literally lock on to anything that needs to be kept stable. Can also be quite helpful in “persuading” stiff bolts to turn. You can often use locking pliers instead of an

Power drill - A 3’8” reversible power drill is essential in any toolbox. They’re not just good for drilling holes; they can also be used as a power screwdriver.

Corded drills never run out of power and they’re lighter than a cordless model. However, cordless drills are more versatile and often easier to get to a job site (like at the top of a ladder). Don’t forget to get yourself a set of various

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

What you’ll need Hammer Tape Measure Screwdrivers Level Pliers Locking pliers Pry bar Utility knife Handsaw Combination square Power drill Safety glasses Electrical tester

electrical circuit to be sure there’s no current.

Chalk line - Really helps when cutting large sheets of plywood or laying flooring.

Essential tools for a homeowner Here’s list of the basics that should be in any home toolbox.

All together these tools shouldn’t cost you more than 200 euros and if you buy good quality (many home stores sell hand tools that have lifetime guarantees) most of them will literally be with you for the rest of your life.

Hammer - A 16-ounce hammer with a curved claw for pulling nails. Wooden handles are fine, but a fiberglass handle will help to cushion the shock of driving nails. Look for “drop forged” on the hammer head. (Drop forging is a more expensive process for making steel tools, but a tool that has been drop forged rather than cast will be stronger and last longer.)

Pry bar - In most cases an 8 to 12 inch pry bar (sometimes called a “cat’s paw”) will be all you need for pulling nails or removing moldings. If you’re going to be doing any demolition work a larger pry bar will make the job go much easier.

Utility knife - with retractable and replaceable blades. Safer to use than an ordinary knife (since you ca retract the blade when it’s not I use), and the replaceable blades mean it’s always sharp.

Great for cutting flooring or plastic (or just to sharpen a pencil).

sized drill bits as well.

Safety glasses - An absolute necessity.

In addition to these essentials there are a number of “nice to haves” that you’ll need to add to your assortment, depending on the projects you’re working on.

Non essential tools for a homeowner Electrical tester - You can get a meter for around 7 euros but then you’ve got to figure out how to operate it. A good alternative is a tester with probes and a light that turns on when there is current. Use it before you work on any

Stud finder - If you’re hanging shelves, you want to be sure to mount them on studs.

Random orbital sander - If you’re going to be finishing (or refinishing) a woodworking project you’ll want to invest in a sander.

Circular saw - If you’re going to be taking on a building project of any size you’ll find a circular saw is virtually a necessity.

So, there you go. The “must have” tools for any project as well as the basic tools you need to start on your home projects.

p. 23

Screwdrivers - You can start out with a single screwdriver with interchangeable bits that will do for most jobs around the house, but if you’re going to be working on bigger projects, you likely want to get a set of screwdrivers. Inclusive sets that contain an assortment of heads (slotted, Phillips and square) are readily available.

adjustable (Crescent) wrench and minimize your investment in tools.

do it yourself

Tape measure - 25-foot tape measure is your best size choice. It’s still small enough to be easily held in one hand, but will allow you to measure almost any room from wall to wall.

Be sure the tape has clear contrasting markings and is broad and strong enough that it won’t droop when it’s extended.

What to plant and when on Crete

A letter to our column from a couple of British, living in Apokoronas, for all of you who try to create your own kitchen garden

by Petros Marinakis

Being a novice gardener, with only my childhood memories of Mam’s green fingered wizardry, I found the biggest problem I had, when trying to start my own vegetable garden in Crete, was timing.

As any good comedian will tell you, timing is… crucial.

After weeks of care and attention, I’d lovingly snuggle my little seedlings into their prepared bed and proudly admire their brave attempts to keep upright. I’d watch, as over the next few days, they’d dig their little roots into the soft bed and then, disaster. They’d either be too young to cope with a heat wave in Winter or too leggy to weather the winds of Spring. for more nature news A quick visit to my loclick on http://chaniapost.eu cal horticultural expert, Kosta’s our neighbour, and I’d find the same species of plant reaching for the skies like a troop of pirouetting ballerinas, far stronger than my own.

My timing was out.

Kosta ’s little ones had flown the nest four weeks before I’d given my little darlings their first field trip. Inevitably, his were much more prepared.

The climate here in Crete is wonderful, long hot Summers that stretch into October, mild Autumns, short Winters and Spring is here again before you’ve had the chance to dig out your hot water bottle and sow that patch on your old jumper.

Botanical Park & Gardens

But gardeners be ware, in January we enjoy the Halcyon days, when the north wind ceases and gives way to the warm air from Africa.

Resulting in a few weeks of warm, dry, glorious weather that, whilst it cradles and nurtures your bones, will devastate your unattended plants.

Halcyon comes form the Greek word for Kingfisher and according to legend the kingfisher is responsible for this warm period as she needs to calm the waters to lay her eggs in a floating nest.

In summary, Spring winds will flatten your broad beans and suck the moisture out of delicate leaves, Summer will scorch, Autumn is perfect but for the odd heatwave and Winter is welcome.

So, in the hope that my experience can help others, I’d like to share with you my planting schedule as I’ve developed it over the past 3 years.

It’s not “one size fits all” as every garden is different, but the general rule of timing applies.

The table below is basically split into 4 columns, the first is the vegetable, the second tells you what season you’ll be eating it in, the third tells you when to sow it and finally what to plant it with.

I can’t stress enough that this is my personal plan, based on my experience of gardening here in Crete.

To help you fight the battle of the pests, I strongly recommend that you plant plenty of basil and marigolds in your veg patch, plus onions and garlic which I plant around the edge of each of my planters and then my vegetable in the centre, this works as a kind of barrier or security fence around the vegetables.

I’ve also very successfully, grown carrots in a huge plastic half barrel, inter-planted with garlic.

Good luck.

World (extra virgin) olive oil consumption

p. 24

cretan nature

by Manolis Karpadakis Terra Creta Marketing Mngr

While Cretan / Mediterranean diet, with olive oil as a main ingredient, is well known around the globe for the positive effects and healthy benefits on our body, we see huge difference in olive oil consumption among the countries.

Greece and in particular the island of Crete, holds the first position in olive oil consumption with an average of 29 kgr per person / per year.

Here is a table of countries listed from high to low. The data have been acquainted from different sources and for the years between 2010-2012.

Sources: (1) www.internationaloliveoil.org 37th meeting of IOC Advisory commit-

tee – 2011, (2) http://www.terracreta.gr/pages. aspx?lang=en&id=93#.VMcYICx_ zew - http://depek.sedik.gr/content/ view/257/195/ (3) h t t p : / / w w w. f a o . o r g / d o crep/006/y4890e/y4890e0f.htm (4) http://www.oliveoiltimes. com/olive-oil-basics/greeks-leadingolive-oil-guzzlers/35304 (2011/12) (5) http://halat.com/extra-virgin-olive-oil-c.eu/

Bacterial Meningitis

On January 26, my 19-year-old son

awoke with what I thought was a stomach virus.

He had been treated for a stomach virus just 2 months earlier, so I felt comfortable taking care of him at home since we still had medicine available.

By that afternoon, he experienced some abdominal cramping and diarrhoea, which I contributed to the virus...

Soon after [I had checked on] him, my son walked into our living room and sat down.

His face was covered with bruises, and his extremities were blue. I immediately called 112 and waited for help to arrive.

My son was conscious on our arrival to the ER at the for more health news hospital where I work. click on http://chaniapost.gr Within minutes, he was in full arrest.

The ER doctor told me he suspected meningococcal meningitis, and that there had already been several cases in our area in the last month. I had no idea, since I had never come in contact with this deadly disease.

My son died within 1 hour of serious symptoms presenting. Imagine my shock only 2 days later to learn that there is a vaccine available. I have talked with many people, including doctors and nurses, who were not aware that a vaccine existed.

A Deadly but Preventable Disease

by Miltiades Markatos Pneumonologist

p.26

health & nutrition

Saturday, September 11 started the same as any other. At around 9 AM, I was on the phone when [my son] Aaron said his shoulder hurt and he had a headache.

He climbed into bed. . . . His temperature began to rise and he vomited. . . .

His temperature had risen to 39C. . . .

At the hospital, I told the admitting nurse each symptom and said I was worried that it was meningitis. . . .

We went in to see the doctor. Again, I said meningitis. He did a general examination. He ordered blood tests and a chest x-ray, for pneumonia. . . . When the results came back, he told us it was a virus and to come back in 3 days. . . .

As the evening wore on, I again started to worry. He was still vomiting occasionally but was able to drink water.

The fear started to set in when he had a bowel movement and didn’t seem to notice.

Then I noticed a bruise on his neck -not a pinprick rash, a bruise. . . . That

was it, we woke up our other son and went to the local ER. . . .

All I had to do was move the sheet and show the bruise on his neck. We were rushed through immediately. I laid Aaron gently on the bed, keeping hold of his hand. That was the last time I saw him alive. . . . I truly believe that Aaron died not just from meningitis but also from ignorance. We have to get the message out.

This is real, it is killing and maiming our children. I thought I was protected because I knew the symptoms. That only helps if the doctors know them, too.

These scenarios -- heartbreakingly similar to hundreds of thousands of other meningitis cases with fatal outcomes -are devastating. Adding to the tragedy is the fact that these deaths could have been avoided -- either through vaccination or by accurate diagnosis and rapid intervention.

According to a World Health Organization estimate, about 171,000 people worldwide die from bacterial meningitis each year. Even with antimicrobial treatment, fatality rates are as high as 5% to 10% in the developed world.

Meningitis is a viral or bacterial infection of the meninges (membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord)

that enters through the bloodstream from other parts of the body. The meninges have no host defences to fight off invading bacteria.

The classic presentations of meningitis are fever, headache, meningismus (nuchal rigidity), and signs of cerebral dysfunction such as confusion, delirium, or impaired consciousness.

However, in the vast majority of cases, only 1 or 2 of these symptoms will be present, so the diagnosis is not always so clear-cut. Additional presenting symptoms include nausea, confusion, sleepiness, stupor, visual discomfort, and seizure activity.

All of the above-mentioned characteristics are harder to detect in infants -- signs to look for in the very young include lethargy, irritability, vomiting, and poor appetite. Symptoms may have a sudden onset, whereby the patient becomes severely ill within a matter of hours, or they may develop more gradually (over the course of 1 to 2 days).

Early diagnosis of meningitis is crucial.

In many cases, a missed diagnosis can have fatal consequences. The germs that cause bacterial meningitis are very common and live naturally in the back of the nose and throat. At any given time, 10% of the population are carri-

A life changing visit to our pharmacy can make you change the way you see life and put your body and mind in harmony. Have you ever visited a pharmacy to taste health?

A different pharmacy in the centre of the old town of Chania is waiting to share with you secrets of well being and longevity. Taste the biolo gical honey, the royal jelly, tea from plants carefully chosen in therapeutic recipes, high concentration and purity juices of pomegranate, cranberry, aloe. Orthomolecular nutrition with suggestions on detox programs and a carefully selected range of supplements, vitamins an gluten free products from all over the world.

In the same premises you can find a live homeopathic lab with 6.000 homeopathic remedies in stock and the ability to produce any kind of homeopathic form i.e. pills, granules, solutions etc Evangelia Sakka is the pharmacist in charge who has created that special pharmacy and will be happy to introduce you to that fantastic world but also suggest whatever will be more settable for you.

Our philosophy doesn’t stop on food and supplements but we want you to think of your mind and body as well. That’s why we have created next to our pharmacy the Green Care SPA. A SPA that helps to uplift your mind and body with biological face an body treatments, reflexology, reiky, su jok and moxa treatment, Bach flower remedies, homeopathy sessions, bowtech as well as nail therapies.

We are waiting for you to restart your life at Daskalogianni 43 - 45, SAKKA Pharmacy www.my-pharmacy.gr / www.greencarespa.gr

ers of the disease but never actually become ill.

In fact, most cases of meningitis are acquired through exposure to asymptomatic carriers. Meningitis can be spread via nose and throat secretions (eg, coughing, sneezing, and kissing); however, meningitis is not considered to be a highly contagious disease; casual contact or breathing in the air where a person with meningitis has been normally would not expose someone to meningitis because the causative organisms cannot live outside the body for very long.

By identifying the causative agent, the appropriate antibiotic can be administered. If antibiotics are started when the patient is already in an advanced stage of the disease, the patient’s chance for survival is poor.

Vaccination is the only known way to protect against meningitis. Unfortunately, there is no single vaccine available that can prevent all forms of meningitis.

Worldwide efforts to develop new vaccines in the fight against meningitis continue. Vaccination efforts can go a long way in minimizing the impact of this disease and reducing the number of deaths in its wake.

4 Tips for How To Choose The Right Glasses For Your Face If you’re going to wear these every day forever, you want the perfect pair

Remember when you were a kid and

all you wanted was to wear glasses? You even went as far as to fake bad vision during your elementary school eye exam. Then you got a little older and actually needed glasses. Suddenly they weren’t cool anymore and wearing them was like wrapping yourself in some sort of man-repelling, social-life-destroying cocoon of horribleness. You needed contacts. It was contacts or nothing.

Now you’re an adult and although you still love your contacts for certain things, they can also be a hassle and you’ve come to see your glasses as just another accessory. The trick now is finding the right ones. In an ideal world, you’d have dozens of pairs in different colors, shapes, and styles to suit your ever-changing mood and look, but in reality, glasses can be expensive and more often than not you’re limited to just one or two pairs at a time, so you want to make sure the ones you get are as flattering as possible.

Harvey Moscot, the fourth generation owner of 100-yr old optical brand

MOSCOT, suggests keeping these 4 general tips in mind when it comes time to buy your next pair: 1. Contrast “The shape of your frame should contrast the shape of your face, so if you have rounder features, you want more angular glasses, and if you have more angular features you want to soften them with more curved shapes.”

2. Proportion “In general, you want your frames to be in proportion with the rest of your face.

It’s different when you are shopping for sunglasses, which tend to be larger for greater coverage, but what looks good as a sunglass will not necessarily look good in optical.”

3. Color “Choose a color that compliments your features. Black is always good for highlighting and outlining your eyes. Glasses that contrast the tone of your face and hair will stand out more, but it’s up to you how much of a statement you want your glasses to make.”

4. Face Shape This is where it gets a little more complicated. Here’s the breakdown: Heart-Shaped Faces - Aviators and Rimless Styles “Aviators are good for balancing out a broader forehead with a narrower jaw line and a more pointed chin, because of the way they flare out at the bottom.

Rimless styles are also good, because they keep the face from looking too topheavy.”

Square-Shaped Faces - Ovals and Rounded Rectangles “Narrower oval and rectangular styles with rounded edges are great for softening a strong, square jaw and lengthening the face.”

Narrow Faces - Taller Frames and Decorative Temples “Try taller, squared-off or more circular frames, which will take up more room on your face and help balance out your features better than oval or rectangular frames. Also look for glasses with thicker arms or decorative details at the temples,

since they will draw attention to the sides of your face and make it appear broader.”

Round Faces - Rectangular Frames and Contrast Bridges “Angular, rectangular frames help elongate the face and a contrasting bridge makes the eyes look farther apart.”

Trapezoidal Faces - Half-Rim and Cat Eye Shapes “If your face is wider on the bottom, try a half-rim style or a dramatic cat eye to

by Nick Lazakis Optical expert

bring attention up and balance out your jaw line.”

Oval Faces – Top-Heavy Frames and Butterfly Shapes “If you’ve got broad cheek bones, but a narrower forehead and chin, look for styles that are thicker or darker on the top than the bottom, or try a butterfly style, which wings up and out slightly at the top.”

7 Ways to Lose Weight After Holidays 1. Drink water!

Water can help control calories. Drinking water can actually raise your metabolism. When you find yourself hungry in odd times of the day, try a cup of water before grabbing food.

If you really are hungry, you can still eat a snack afterwards. Let’s say your feelings of hunger have gone after drinking that cup of water, you’ve just saved yourself from calories that your body didn’t really need! There’s no excuse for not drinking enough water, and if it’s difficult to find your recommended 8 glasses a day into your schedule, it’s easy to fix up.

5. Go easy with the alcohol.

Remember that alcohol is a source of calories. A margarita packs a bigger caloric punch. Even worse offenders are creamy cocktails, equivalent to drinking a rich dessert. The bottom line: If you’re trying to lose weight, stick with water. Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways. Drinking may help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn’t very deep. As a result, you get less rest, which can trigger you to eat more calories the next day. Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stom-

ach lining to become inflamed. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles.

6. Relax!

Some people binge when they’re stressed. A Yale University study found that women who secreted the most cortisol (a hormone released during stress) ate the most high-fat food after stress.

The combination of cortisol and insulin prompts the body to store fat in preparation for possible starvation — just what you don’t need. If stress has a stronghold on your life, try learning yoga, meditation, or simple breathing exercises.

7. Write down what you eat.

For the next two weeks, dine and snack as you normally would. Immediately after you finish eating or drinking something (even water), write it down in your

notebook. If you do something else while eating or drinking (like working or watching television), note that under the column When and Where I Ate. Study Your Notes. After two weeks, review your notes. Use a highlighter to mark the days when you ate and drank more than 2,500 calories or more than 65 g of fat. Note the days you drank less than four glasses of water.

Next, score them for eating patterns (like skipping meals) that may be impeding weight loss; for a list of common patterns and tips on how to overcome them. Finally, mark which days you skipped exercise.

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3. Do exercise!

Do exercise for many reasons. People who exercise and diet are actually less hungry than those who only diet. Your self-restraint is higher, too. Yes, you’ll lose fat when you diet without exercising, but you’ll also lose muscle, which means you’ll burn fewer calories. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you’ll torch. Whatever your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides.

This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls.

4. Eat breakfast!

The next time you rush out the door in the morning without something to eat, consider this: Skipping breakfast can set you up for overeating later in the day. A healthy a.m. meal, on the other hand, can give you energy, satisfy your appetite, and set the stage for smart decisions all day long. People who typically eat breakfast also get more fiber (more on why this is important later), calcium, vitamins A and C, riboflavin, zinc and iron—and less fat and dietary cholesterol. Perhaps it’s because they often eat cereal, which is fortified with vitamins and minerals, and fruit, which is naturally nutrient-rich.

health & nutrition

2. Eat more often.

You should eat “mini meals” every two to three hours, or four to six times per day. The point is that frequent snacking, as long as it’s healthy, keeps your metabolism humming, staves off hunger controls blood sugar and may help people maintain a healthy weight.

Avoid snacks that are nutrient-poor, meaning they provide calories but poor to no beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Look for a snack that contains hunger-fighting protein, complex carbohydrates, and some heart-healthy unsaturated fat (like nuts, seeds, fatty fish, oils, avocados and olives).

by Nikoleta Balantinos Dietician - Nutritionist

Many dog owners make the mistake

of overfeeding their dogs during the winter. Unless your dog lives outdoors or spends a lot of time outdoors during the winter, he or she often needs no additional calories during the winter chill.

by Giannis Venetakis Zoo Technician

Provide the Right Amount of Calories If your dog does spend a lot of time outdoors, as a working animal, extra calories will be required because it takes more energy in the winter to keep the body temperature regulated.

The amount of extra calories required will vary between 10% and 90% more than normal. Use the following factors to determine how many additional cal-

Winter Feeding Tips for Dogs

ories you should be feeding your active dog: • Size • The amount of hair and subcutaneous fat • Age • Health status • The actual outdoor temperature, the length of time outdoors and the kind of protection from the elements that your dog has Dogs that spend most of their time indoors during the winter are often less active and therefore require fewer calories to avoid gaining weight. Make sure you avoid plumping up your dog with extra calories. Instead of adding a layer of fat to keep your dog warm during the winter season, choose a cozy blan-

ket for the dog bed or a well-fitting coat and booties if your dog is headed outside!

Soothe Sore, Cracked Paws Many other seasonal conditions could arise that may require special dietary needs. During winter months, sore cracked paws may be the result of contact with sand and salt commonly used on icy sidewalks and roads. These irritants can cause problems for your dog’s exposed padding.

Because of the possible underlying medical causes, any dog with sore, cracked paws should have a full medical evaluation by a veterinarian so that proper diagnosis and treatment can be implemented.

Give Your Dog Enough Water Another frequently overlooked winter need is adequate hydration. Dogs can dehydrate just as quickly in the winter as the summer. Check your dog’s outdoor water bowl often and break ice that may form on top. Although many dogs eat snow, it is not an adequate substitute for fresh water. In fact, eating snow can be dangerous...especially if vehicles are nearby because they pose a possible antifreeze threat.

Antifreeze is extremely toxic and just a small amount can be fatal for dogs.

Keep your dog out of the garage and off the driveway where antifreeze or other harmful chemicals may be accidentally ingested.

Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environment Federation

For the malicious scenarios on “illegal trafficking units for stray animals” How

simple animal adoptions abroad are converted by misinformed media to malicious scenarios on “illegal trafficking units for stray animals” that promote homeless companion animals for experiments, bestiality, etc., with the suspected tolerance of relevant government authorities who refuse to implement EU directives on which there is full traceability at all times is possible as to where an animal is traveling abroad!

For many years, we are witnessing an unprecedented mud battle by a group of decadent “animal lovers” who accuse law-abiding citizens that they illegally smuggle stray animals and send them for ”vivisection”, for “sausage production”, for “drug trafficking”, and recently they state also to brothels for the “satisfaction of zoophiles”.

It is a fact that none of these accusations has been verified, simply because selfless volunteers who slave away daily and devote their lives to rescuing abused, poisoned, heavily wounded, helpless homeless animals from the inhospitable roads, entailed with huge psychical, personal and economic costs, fulfilling the duty of government and municipality who are permanently

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pets & vets

for more pets news click on http://chaniapost.eu

absent, have nothing to hide from anyone.

Most homeless animals are taken care of exclusively with money from conscientious friends of animals who fight a perpetual struggle to find a forever family for the homeless animals and not to abandon them back on the street where they face a tragic future.

Unfortunately in our country there are not many possibilities for such adoptions when a large number of owners abandon their animals easily in the streets and another part abuses them.

For these reasons, the responsible friends of animals are addressing also the states of northern Europe where animal friendly education exists as well as stricter laws.

The sickening scenarios of the “antitheses to adoptions abroad” with absurd and cheap arguments that attempt to discredit honest and sensitive animal friendly citizens, do not withstand any logic and debate.

It is noteworthy that all these “self-appointed” saviors of homeless animals in our country do not do anything positive to help in this great problem of abandoning and rising violence, but are only keen to promote a ruthless slanderous defamation, seated comfortably in their armchairs and behind

their computers, against real friends of the animals who strive hard to improve the tragic conditions of life for the animals in Greece.

Where will this insanity and vilification reach, this discord that some in the movement of friends of the animals are cultivating? Why instead of starting false impressions and to restrain the hard work of people that protect defenseless animals, not seeking consensus among all to address the problems?

Finally what is the goal of this insidious attack, why have the “good” to look “bad” in this absurd story? Key questions that unfortunately neither the government nor some media deal with.

However the illegal pet and other animal trade is booming in our country. Thousands imports of purebred animals from abroad with false or no documents at all we have unveiled.

Countless illegal breeders at random mate animals of all races in improper facilities, in true hellholes. Thousands of ads for the sale of these animals are placed daily on the Internet. The opponents of adoptions abroad however, do not deal with these issues and neither with the daily abuse of animals.

Unfortunately, the authorities of the Hellenic police have the same attitude and are quick to arrest and humiliate

strangers and Greek friends of the animals as criminals without of course knowing the law and the circulars of the EU for non-commercial transportation of pets, relying on circulars that are obsolete since years.

Our federation declares that we will terminate these miseries and take action against those who are responsible, the veterinary services of the ministry of agriculture, the police, morbid psychically ill “friends of the animals”, mass media that spread false news and dishonor Greek friends of the animals and their organizations .

We urge the government • to stop persecuting loyal and concerned citizens because they happened to find themselves in the middle of a war that is unjust and harmful for the animals war and to look instead after the scandals that really exist, • to apply the relevant European regulations and to ensure unhindered movement of animals abroad applying the rules of traceability, • finally to stop this madness before things lead into bad situations, disadvantageous to our country Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environment Federation

Giving you the green light to healthy living

SOEKS Nitrate Tester

son’s disease, diabetes and many other medical conditions.

ABOUT US

in green, yellow or red colors.

Nitrate-tester fits comfortably your hand and weighs only 105 g.

All you need is to turn the device on, select from the list of the product and get a result.

Easy to use, convenient, reliabile and valid device is now available and ready to serve you!

FAQ Why should we control the level of nitrates in our diet?

Because nitrates pose quite a significant threat to our health.

In 1995, the EU adopted a maximum tolerable daily nitrate intake of 3.65mg/Kg body weight, which corresponds to 255.5mg NO3-N per day for a person weighing 70Kg. Why does a second measurement of the same product provide different results?

Nitrate content is irregularly distributed in different parts of the same product. For instance, nitrate accumulation is much higher in the outer leaves of e.g. a lettuce and much lower in the inner leaves.

Is it possible to measure nitrate content in oranges, mandarins, and other cit-

rus fruits using the nitrate tester?

Citrus fruit are rich in acids, such as citric, ascorbic, and folic acid, among others.

These acids prevent the accumulation of nitrates in these fruits.

For this reason, you do not have to measure their nitrate content.

What health problems can an increased nitrate concentration in our body cause?

There is evidence that high nitrate intake is associated with increased risk of lymphoma and cancer, miscarriages, as well as an increased rate of human lymphocyte mutations, and methemoglobinemia (blue baby symptom).

Nitrates and nitrites can cause stomach and intestinal cancer, among other types of cancer.

It has been observed that incidences of cancer, e.g. in the brain, or the digestive tract, etc., are higher in regions with high levels of nitrates.

The reduction of nitrates to nitrites is what leads to the formation of nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens.

Nitrosamines are associated with causing mutations, as well as human teratogenesis and carcinogenesis.

Furthermore, epidemiological studies have connected nitrates with diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkin-

• • • • •

The Stylish Design Color displays Operation with rechargeable batteries Language option in the menu (Greek or English) 24-month warranty for the equipment for the products purchased from Greece.

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presents a modern development of Russian origin made by “SOEKS” LLC. It is patented, certified and manufactured in Russia.

Nitrate-tester “SOEKS” is the winner of the International Competition “Best Product - 2009” in accordance with the results of the “PRODEXPO - 2009” exhibition.

This device is designed to assess the quantitative content of nitrates in vegetables, fruits, fresh meat, as well as in baby foods (rapid analysis).

The test for the content of nitrates in the analyzed product is made by piercing the measuring item withe a probe located at the bottom part of the device.

In the nitrate-tester “SOEKS” there is a special MAC rate (maximum allowable concentration rate) for each product in accordance with SanRaN 2.3.2.1078-01.

In contrast to the older devices with pointed-type indicator, where the products were combined into groups, the nitrate-tester “SOEKS” is set to each specific product.

As a result of the measurement you will see the exact amount of the nitrate content in milligrams per kilogram of the inspected product, as well as recommendations for suitability for use

plants and gardening

SOEKS

SOEKS Company founded in January 2008 and today is the leading company in Russia in the planning and construction of measuring devices.

The exclusive representative for Greece SOEKS is Thrasivoulos Bolakis, in Chania, Crete.

In 2008 SOEKS presented an innovative device for the rapid analysis of the amount of nitrates in vegetables and fruits, a «Nitrate Tester».

In 2009 in the international contest “The Best Product of 2009” in the context of 16 international exhibition PRODEXPO 2009 SOEKS received the award «grand prix» for innovative contribution to food safety problems with the creation of the device for the measurement of nitrate.

In 2010 appeared the new upgraded model for more gardening news of Nitrate Tester with click on http://chaniapost.gr the new control system, while the volume of sales exceeded 20,000 units.

A year later, in 2011, came on the market the new model Nitrate Tester controlling nitrates and fresh meat.

Today SOEKS has got more than 10 models of new devices for the control of radiation, electromagnetic fields and nitrates devices, necessary for health and our safety.

The products of SOEKS Company are in more than 80 cities of Russia and the U.S., in Germany, Austria, Australia, France, Japan, Korea, Spain, Italy, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Belarus.

Characteristics of products SOEKS is:

SUPER LEAGUE MATCH DAYS

Match Day 27 7/3: Veria-Ergotelis 8/3: OFI-Skoda Xanthi 9/3: Platanias-Levadiakos Match Day 28 14/3: Kerkira-OFI 14/3: Ergotelis-Panathinaikos 15/3: Panionios-Platanias Match Day 29 22/3: Asteras Tripolis-Ergotelis 22/3: Platanias-AEL Kallonis 23/3: OFI-PAS Giannina for any changes click on http://www.superleaguegreece.net

FOOTBALL LEAGUE MATCH DAYS Match Day 20 1/3: Panegialios-Chania 1/3: Episkopi-AEK

Match Day 21 8/3: Chania-Apollon 8/3: Paniliakos-Episkopi Match Day 22 15/3: Chania-Iraklis Psachnon 15/3: Episkopi-Kallithea Match Day 23 18/3: Aharnaikos-Chania 18/3: Alimos-Episkopi Match Day 24 22/3: Episkopi-Panegialios Match Day 25 29/3: Panachaiki-Chania 29/3: Episkopi-Apollon

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sports & leisure

for more sports news click on http://chaniapost.gr

for any changes click on http://www.epae.org

The biggest success in the history of Chania F.C. “Epic” qualification in the quarterfinals of the Greek Cup

Stunning performance by Chania F.C. at “Zossimades” stadium of Ioannina, as the team of Soulis Papadopoulos qualified for the next stage of quarterfinals of the Greek Cup. After the 1st leg at Perivolia Municipal Stadium (1-2 for PAS Giannena) everything seemed as a… “miracle” for Chania F.C. Agianst all odds, Chania F.C. managed to win 1-2, although PAS Giannena scored first (1-0, Sapalidis). Two headers from Kritikos (1-1) and Gotovos (1-2) brought the match to extra time.

Nothing changed in extra time and the two teams played everything in… penalty shootout.

Players of Chania F.C. scored in all penalties, while PAS Giannena missed the first one.

Ergotelis F.C. visited the museum of National Team of Greece Players

and coaches of Ergotelis visited the museum of the National Team of Greece, and “home” of the supporters group named “Galanolefkos Faros”.

Ergotelis was in Chania because of the match against Platanias for Super League.

All players had the chance to be photographed with the European Cup of 2004 and left a signed jersey of Ergotelis as a souvenir.

He didn’t refuse to be photographed with fans and signed many autographs.

Costas Katsouranis was in Chania, due to the match of Atromitos against Platanias in Super League.

Costas Katsouranis also visited the museum of the National Team of Greece Costas Katsouranis, along with other players of Atromitos, visited the museum of the National Team of Greece and home of “Galanolefkos Faros” in Tsouderon str.

Katsouranis was impressed by the exhibition, which brought to him a lot of memories from the past.

Head coach of the same Cretan team for 35 years Nikos Dedeletakis sits on the

same bench for 35 years… being the head coach of Anagenissi Ierapetra (playing this year in 3rd National Division).

He is 67 years old and he is still on the bench of his big love…

Anagenissi Ierapetra found in 1979 and Nikos Dedeletakis was the first coach of the team.

He never abandoned the team, he was always beside the players…

Dedeletakis believes that he

can break the world record of Guy Roux, who was the head coach of Auxerre for 43 years.

According to gazetta.gr, the secret of Dedeletakis success is his love for his home city…

Ierapetra.

“Many teams from Super League and Football League proposed me to be their head coach, but I couldn’t accept. I love Ierapetra and our team… that’s all”, mentions Nikos Dedeletakis.

His son Costas has played for

OFI and De Graafschap. He is now 35 years old and continues playing football at Anagenissi.

“My father is in love with football.

He is also the head coach for our football academies.

He likes finding young talents.

He lives for football and he doesn’t want to lose.

That’s why he is disappointed from the team this year in 3rd National Division”, says Costas Dedeletakis to gazetta.gr

OFI Crete is going under...

Reports

in the Greek press converge to OFI Crete soon becoming the second club in the Super League, after Niki Volou, to drop out of the championship for financial reasons.

The historic club from Iraklio has seen a total of 21 players depart in protest for not getting paid, leaving coach Nikos Anastopoulos with nine eligible players for the Cup and the League.

OFI has already suffered this season from the departure of its previous coach, Gennaro Gattuso, and of its president Manthos Poulinakis, it has had six points deducted due to debts to a former player, and it is now

facing a player crisis that will likely mean it will have to drop out of the league and the cup immediately.

The federation had issued a warning against OFI ahead of the game with Panetolikos last week on a nopay-no-play basis, regarding debts to three other former players, but veteran OFI striker Nikos Machlas saw to it that some 140,000 euros were collected just in time for OFI not to forfeit that game at Agrinio.

Now, however, the situation appears irreversible, as no knight in shining armor is in sight to intervene in order to save OFI from a disgraceful relegation, probably to the third division just like in the cases of AEK and Aris.

WHO CAN REGISTER? The race is open for riders who were born in 1996 or earlier.

All foreign riders must present a medical certificate stipulating the absence of contraindications for participation in cycling competitions.

Riders can only register through the official website registration form.

• Registration for Individuals • Registration for Teams • Registration for Non Cyclists

• Saturday 02.05.2015: Welcome & Information Evening Event–Apollonia Hotel Ammoudara Heraklion.

• Sunday 03.05.2015: Heraklion – Elounda • Monday 04.05.2015: Elounda – Ierapetra • Tuesday 05.05.2015: Ierapetra – Agia Galini Hotel in Ammoudara Heraklion just before they attend the welcome & information evening event.

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO GET MY RACE KIT BAG? • Identity document • Medical certificate • Health insurance • Participant voucher from your tour operator WHEN DOES THE RACE START? Race starts on Sunday, May 3rd. All cyclists must arrive no later than Saturday, May 2nd so to attend the welcome & information evening event.

The end of the race is on the 8th of May after finishing the 6th and final stage.

Departure day is Saturday, May 9th.

If a participant wishes to spend more time in Crete, for training of relaxation, will have to let us know in advance so we will organize it.

NON-CYCLISTS Non-cycling companions (cyclists’ friends and families) will enjoy too fulfilling vacation in Crete.

While cyclists are on their bikes the non-cycling guests will enjoy their own fun activities, as they will travel from venue to venue in comfortable buses with A/C and German/English speaking guide discovering Crete.

They will always be on time at the starting and finishing points to encourage and welcome cyclists.

for more sports news click on http://chaniapost .gr

• Wednesday 06.05.2015: Agia Galini – Phaistos – Agia Galini • Thursday 07.05.2015: Agia Galini – Rethymnon • Friday 08.05.2015: Rethymnon – Heraklion CONTACT INFORMATION Address: Mornou 22, Heraklion, Crete Tel: (+30) 2810360768 Fax: (+30) 2810361123 Mob1: (+30) 6945219843 Mob2: (+30) 6985767828 Email: info@tourofcrete.com Web: tourofcrete.com Facebook: Tour of Crete

WHERE AND WHEN DO I PICK UP MY RACE KIT BAG AND TOC NUMBER? Riders collect their race kid bags (TOC number is included) at the Apolonia

NEW ITALIAN FACTORY OUTLET at KLADISSOS JUNCTION, CHANIA

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FOR WHOM? The Tour of Crete is open to everybody: semi-professional cyclists, amateur champions, cycling lovers who are focused on training, but also beginners who want to step up to the challenge…

You will meet all kind of riders at this event and we are happy to welcome everybody.

There is no selection according to ability levels.

However, to participate, it is essential to prepare and train for the race.

You must prepare adequately, since this is a physically challenging race which requires intensive training.

The only requirement needed to validate your participation is providing a medical certificate of fitness to practice competitive cycling.

At the end of each stage, they will reunite with the cyclists and enjoy together the rest of the day.

sports & leisure

Running from Sunday May 3rd to Friday May 8th 2015, the 1st Tour of Crete will be made up of 6 stages (including one individual time trial stage) and will cover a total distance of 600 kilometres.

Starting and finishing point of the race is the city of Heraklion, the largest city of the island of Crete.

Riders will pass through cities, towns and villages, race along the coastline and climb or descent through the beautiful Cretan mountains.

Join the cycling challenge…

“Tour of Crete 2015”