Illegal Migration Action Plan on track

The Ministry of Citizen Protection, in a press release issued on March 9, reiterated that Greece with the assistance of the European Commission and European funding is making immense efforts to implement the Greek National Action Plan on mixed migration flows, despite the disproportionate burden that is being placed on the country as a result of the influx of a large number of irregular migrants.
The Ministry announced the new actions that are currently being implemented, stressing Greece’s commitment to deal with the problem as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

Greek News Agenda: Special Issue- Illegal Migration in Greece

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Greek Language Learning

On Line Learning
The Filoglossia+ consists of an educational multimedia CD-ROMs series for learning Greek as a foreign language, supported by English and addressed to beginners with little or no previous knowledge of Greek.
“Filoglossia” means fondness for language learning and the programme is mainly based on the communicative approach, focusing on the production and comprehension of both oral and written speech. “Filoglossia” is designed by the Institute for Language and Speech Processing (ILSP).

• Looking Ahead
A new strategic plan for the support of Greek language learning in Greece and abroad was the focus of debates at an International Workshop on Greek Language and Linguistic Training, organized by the Centre for the Greek Language held from June 28 to 30 in Thessaloniki, with the participation of 60 Greek and Foreign linguists.
On the occasion, Education, Life-long Learning and Religious Affairs minister Anna Diamantopoulou said that the establishment of a National Council for the Greek Language would help draw a comprehensive strategy.
Creating an organization, similar to the German Goethe Institute or the British Council, which would operate with branches around the world could be an important vehicle to promote Greek language, culture, and history learning. The minister also announced that a conference is to be held in October focusing on the Education of the Diaspora.

• Learn a Greek Word Every Day!

It has been observed that relations of the Diaspora with the Greek language have been weakening over the years – especially with second and third generation migrants.

To help redress this, three friends from Chicago have designed an on-line Greek dictionary aiming to help English-speaking emigrants keep in touch with the language of the forefathers.

Greektionary.com was created to provide everyone with an opportunity to improve their Greek vocabulary on a daily basis.

Three words (beginner, intermediate and advanced) are chosen each day and displayed with their translations, pronunciation, examples, and recorded audio files (Mp3s). Those interested can sign-up and receive free Greek words everyday by e-mail!

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

Stability programme on “the right track”

The team of experts from the so-called “troika” (European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank), after completing their monitoring of the progress of the stability programme, said that the latter is “on track on all of the dimensions.”
 The government is ahead of the deficit reduction target set in the plan for this year and tax hikes are boosting revenues, according to the team.
The government is also making progress on more long-term economic reforms, which can help its future finances, they added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister George Papandreou, who attended the European Union Summit in Brussels yesterday, underlined that “his government is determined to go ahead with important and difficult reforms,” in order to put the country on the right path for achieving its goals. 
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

PM George Papandreou interviews at “El Pais” & “Al Jazeera”

Prime Minister Georges Papandreou was interviewed by the Spanish daily “El Pais” (May 23).

In a three page interview, the premier answered questions regarding the economic situation in Greece noting that the euro-zone has reached a tipping point which will bring it before an “historic reflection period.”
In the case of Greece, the international community did not react in a timely manner, it did not admit that the currency was under attack, and “there was the same fear as when a buffalo leaves the herd.”
Today, the country’s austerity plan is on the right track, but it is not enough if it is to be left without European support. For Papandreou, the support is necessary for all members so to act as deterrent of speculation. “Spain and Portugal were not in a bad situation yet they fell victims of the ambient hysteria.”
In related news, in an interview with Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Phillips  on May 20 in Athens, Papandreou said that Greece will eventually emerge from the crisis with a more viable economy, determined to say “never again.”   
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

United Nations Climate Change Conference begins

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Global attention is focused on Copenhagen which is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference, beginning today, and continuing through December 18.
Greece fully endorses the decisions of the European Union concerning climate change. Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Tina Birbili announced that Greece is willing to commit to the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by the year 2020.
She said that Copenhagen talks must deliver a legally binding document which will incorporate the Bali Road Map and the ‘Kyoto Protocol’ .
She further noted that by 2010 Greece will have presented a time-framework and announced Prime Minister George Papandreou’s initiative to promote together with the Spanish EU Presidency a post-Copenhagen action plan for the protection of the Mediterranean from climate change. 
Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change: UN Climate Change Conference- Position of Greece; George Papandreou personal website: Position on Climate Change

The OSCE on a new path

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Political Declaration Adopted Foreign ministers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 56 participating states charted the way ahead for the OSCE-anchored debate on the future of European security known as the Corfu Process in a decision and a Ministerial Declaration adopted yesterday after a two-day Ministerial Council held in Athens (December 1-2). “The Corfu Process will be taken forward by our Permanent Representatives to the OSCE in Vienna, in accordance with the decision we are adopting today. We remain committed to provide strong political impetus to the Corfu Process, and we are looking forward to reassessing its progress in 2010, in the format and level that we will deem appropriate, taking into consideration the results we achieve,” it is stated in the Declaration, which is the first to be adopted since 2002. Athens Ministerial Council (dedicated webpage) Turning a New Page Commenting on the Ministerial Council at a press conference, held at the end of the meeting, Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office George Papandreou referred to a new page in the Organisation’s history. “We have committed ourselves in a joint document on how to face common challenges,” he said noting that, Kazakhstan’s task -which is assuming the Presidency of the OSCE for the next year-, is difficult. But as the Greek premier stressed, “we proved today that if we want we can. The process can revive political dialogue and the tangible result was consensus.”

ON THE SIDELINES

Meeting with Russian FM The strategic nature of Greek-Russian relations and their excellent level was reaffirmed during a meeting in Athens on Wednesday between Prime Minister George Papandreou and visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, held on the sidelines of the OSCE Council in Athens.Papandreou accepted a formal invitation to visit Moscow in early 2010. Papandreou and Lavrov discussed bilateral relations in all sectors, ranging from energy to culture and from regional cooperation to relations with the EU and NATO, and signed a 2010-2012 joint action plan to be renewed every two years. Meeting with Turkish FM Prime Minister George Papandreou also met with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, with both sides citing closer cooperation in all levels. The potential for the adoption of practical measures to boost cooperation of the foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey in 2010 was also discussed at the meeting. Davutoglu spoke positively of Greece’s target for the EU integration of the western Balkans in 2014, and he confirmed Turkey’s intent for closer bilateral cooperation. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Bilateral Relations Greece- Turkey

Athens Transport in your Pocket

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The distribution of a new, small, multilingual booklet with information about Athens’ city transport network and ticket prices was heralded by Transport and Communications Minister Evripidis Stylianidis yesterday. The 16-page credit card-sized booklet can be folded up and stored in a pocket or wallet, and contains information in English, Russian, Albanian, Arabic, Chinese, and Greek. The booklet will be available at bus and metro stations and at other central points in the capital city.

Economic Cooperation Greece – Serbia

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)      Ushering a new period of economic cooperation between Greece and Serbia, Foreign Affairs and Economy and Finance Ministries have agreed that Greece should contribute to the financing of the “Corridor 10” (as part of the Pan European Corridors) linking Thessaloniki to Belgrade and Salzburg. The estimated cost of the Corridor’s part in Serbia is €475 million, and Greece’s participation amounts to €100 million. The visit’s itinerary included a business meeting hosted by the Greek Serbian Business Council on October 9, during which, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Petros Doukas noted that Greek investments in Serbia have exceeded €2.5 billion to date and that more than 27,000 Serbians are employed in Greek enterprises. The project for Greece’s participation in the Corridor 10’s construction is financed by the Hellenic Plan for the Economic Reconstruction of the Balkans (HiPERB). European Economic and Social Committee: Pan European Corridors (2003); Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Greece-Serbia Bilateral Relations (Economic and trade relations/development cooperation) & Economic Diplomacy