ETHNOS


The High Price Cartel

How intermediaries increase the prices of farm goods by up to 180%

The prices of fruits and vegetables are being massively inflated by cartels of wholesalers according to an eye-opening study by the Commission of Competitiveness. They maintain high profit margins, dictate terms to farmers markets and supermarkets, issue bogus invoices and “Hellenize” imported goods.

 

 
   

ELEFTHEROTYPIA
 

Examining Judges Slam Golden Dawn

If [Golden Dawn leader] Nikos Michaloliakos is released he will continue his criminal activity according to the appellate special examiners, who ruled that he must remain imprisoned. They also maintained that he had total control over the criminal organization.

 
 

NAFTEMPORIKI

Concern over investment doldrums

Commissioner for Energy Oettinger to travel to Athens under the shadow of failed privatizations

Under the shadow of the recent dismal ending of the second tender for three new companies for the distribution of natural gas in the provinces of Mainland Greece, Central Macedonia and Western Macedonia – Thrace, the European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger will travel to Athens. That the specific sector also faces a lack of investor interest is a concern to the government which is finding that it still has unfinished business regarding external demands.

 
 

KATHIMERINI 

Agreement to Return Illegal Immigrants in EU to Turkey

An agreement over the return of illegal immigrants in the EU to Turkey, with the agreement due to be signed in the Turkish capital on the 16th of December, was struck between Brussels and Ankara yesterday with the EU offering, in exchange, a gradual elimination of visa requirements for Turkish travellers to the EU. The development – which is particularly important for Greece which receives the largest numbers of illegal immigrants entering the EU via Turkey – came after tough negotiations over 2 years.

 
 

TA NEA

Samaras – Barroso Predict Agreement With the Troika

There was a positive atmosphere during yesterday’s meeting between Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos, the ministerial team and European Commission President, Manuel Barroso. Mr Barroso spoke of Greece emerging from recession and both sides expressed confidence that the coming days would see Athens and the troika reaching an agreement.

[Background – The Greek government and the troika of its lenders (the IMF ECB and European Commission) have yet to come to an agreement over the release of the next tranche of bailout funds to the crisis-stricken country. One of the main demands of the troika is that the Greek side pass legislation lifting the ban on home foreclosures of main residences, something the government maintains would be politically impossible (as it would see many families evicted from their homes) and economically catastrophic as the flood of cheap houses would level the property market. There are however indications that a compromise may be reached soon with a partial lifting of the ban which excludes the truly poor, but the details remain unclear.]