Press Review July 18: Lost in the woods

Draft forestry legislation seeks to remove restrictions on activities in protected areas; the forestry bill is a giveaway to business and unconstitutional says SYRIZA; the state continues to delay for months in paying its debts to the private sector; 3 out of 4 salaried workers have lost income in the past year and Greek police search for information leading to Maziotis’s hideout and weapons caches. Photo by George Terezakis via Flickr.

The Press Project
18 Ιουλίου 2014 | 10:29:52

	KATHIMERINI Favourable conditions for businesses operating in forests A draft law for private construction A draft law for private construction and the sustainable growth of developments which was presented yesterday and is expected to be tabled with parliament soon includes amendments to the Forestry Law easing restrictions on business activities within forests. At the same time the existing boundaries of settlements that were built in forested areas are recognized with the responsibility of the local administration (eg Agios Stefanos) and the law also allows construction cooperatives to build in forests on the basis of pre-1975 approved town planning schemes.
	AVGI Forests also being looted They are in the crosshairs after energy and the coastline Clientelist relationships, land grabbers and profiteers will benefit from the draft law concerning the forests. Under the premise that it will simplify procedures, the bill would open a window for the legalisation of construction cooperatives in forests or forested expanses, settlements built in forests, while the construction and operation of tourism activities, processing plants, petroleum tanks and even power plants is also permitted. Following the government’s plans for the beaches the road is opening for profiteers in forested areas as well. With the draft law that will come before the second summer session of parliament, land grabbers are rewarded while photographic clauses serve crony interests. SYRIZA MP Vangelis Apostolou called the measures unconstitutional.
	TA NEA Long delays continue over public sector debts State pays with 5 month delay The major delays continue in the payment of the states debts (about 5 billion euros) to private individuals and entities. On average delays surpass 5 months, with the result being that the law that was passed last year is being violated which stipulates that the state must settle its debts within 30 days!
	ELEFTHEROTYPIA Wage earners of necessity and rage Today they only cover the bare essentials 3 out of 4 lost income in the past year 4 out of 10 worry that new cuts to their benefits ae coming 22% will not go on vacation A survey by the Economic and Social Development Observatory of the GSEE trade union Labour institute in cooperation with the company ALCO found a dramatic reduction in the income of 73% of workers in the private sector and particularly in the 45-54 age group compared to the previous year. Put simply, the incomes of wage-earners allows them only to adequately cover the bare essentials. In this sense we are talking about wages earners who consume out of necessity, that is they consume what they can and not what they want. The study which was conducted on a nationwide level on a sample of 1,100 workers shows the significant reduction in the purchasing power of salaried employees, which leads to major cuts in even basic goods. One in two wage-earners needed to draw on savings in the past quarter while 22% needed to borrow money.
	Deep Throat Will he/she get the €1,000,000 that has been posted? Greek police are searching for Roupas’s hideout and the safe-houses with the weapons.