With a law that will be tabled tomorrow in the House, EUR 820 million, referring to cuts that had been made in the years of the memorandums, will be returned retroactively to the employees of the security forces, as announced by the Greek Prime Minister at the festive event of the Air Force at the Concert Hall. It is an act of “showing respect and recognition to the work of each and every one”, as Alexis Tsipras said. This is the first of the positive measures the government will bring to the House within the month, which will be completed in December, followed by the vote on the budget.
Greece does not threaten but will not be threatened
In his address to the men and women of the Hellenic Air Force, Alexis Tsipras pointed out that Greece in a time of multiple tensions and challenges in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans has regained the prestige and role it deserves, “a protagonist in the developments in the Balkans, a pole of stability and security for the wider region, a pioneering force for cooperation and stability in a wide destabilised region”. Something that is, as he pointed out, a strategic choice over the last three years.
Alexis Tsipras sent a clear message that Greece has strong deterrent power, with the sole purpose of maintaining peace, stability and security. “It does not threaten anyone, but it will not threatened by anyone”, he added./IBNA
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Lavrov: EU efforts for Kosovo have failed
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believes the EU’s efforts to resolve the Kosovo issue have failed. “It is obvious that EU efforts have failed because Pristina has refused to implement all the agreements reached so far”, Lavrov said after his meeting in Moscow with his counterpart of the Union of Comoros, Suef Mohamed El-Amin. Comoros canceled its Kosovo recognition decision two days ago.
Lavrov said that responsibility for the failure of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is borne solely by Kosovo’s political leadership because – as he said – it is refusing to proceed with the constitution of the Union of Serbian Municipalities (SZO), which was its obligation. The Russian Foreign Ministry also referred to the formation of Kosovo armed forces, criticizing the efforts made in this direction. “Pristina’s efforts to set up their own army are a flagrant violation of the 1244 United Nations Security Council Resolution of 1999”, Lavrov said. He noted that Russia will continue to act with resolution 1244 as its sole guide, which explicitly states that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia.
Vladimir Putin to visit Belgrade in January
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit Serbia in January, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Juri Borisovetta said at a meeting in Belgrade with Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic. “Today’s talks are an important step in preparation for Vladimir Putin’s scheduled visit to Serbia in January”, Juri Borisov said. As the Russian official said, Vladimir Putin’s agenda for talks with Serbian President Alexandar Vucic will include issues related to the sectors of energy, transport, infrastructure, industry and civilian use of nuclear energy. He also said that several bilateral agreements would be signed during Putin’s visit to Serbia./IBNA
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Announcement of 34,500 new recruitments in social sector sets Greek political scene on “fire”
The ire of the main opposition has caused the initiative of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to announce the entire government planning for the strengthening of the public sector with recruitments both for 2019 and 2020, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, president of right-wind New Democracy party, speaking of “anger and indignation”.
In a statement, the leader of the main opposition, stressed that the country does not need a larger state, but a better one, underlining that Alexis Tsipras is only interested in “his political survival.”
The focus on Education and Health
It is worth mentioning that Alexis Tsipras announced the recruitment of 34,500 civil servants, aiming to cover at least 10,000 vacant positions in Education and an equal number in the Health sector.
Based on the Prime Minister’s statements for 2019, there will be 17,000 recruitments in the two-year period 2019-2020, in two equal installments: 8,500 next year and 8,500 in 2020. These recruitments will cover Greece’s commitment until 2022 for maintaining the rule of one recruitment for each retirement in the public and wider public sector.
Of these recruitments, 9,750 for the two-year period will head to Education, with 4,500 teachers expected to be recruited in 2019, 5,250 in 2010 (9,750 for the next two years) and 5,250 in 2021.
The remaining 7,250 recruitments, the prime minister spoke of, concern the equally sensitive health care sector that for years has been understaffed. About 8,500 recruitments against the 8,500 retirements expected, on the basis of the country’s commitment until 2022 for a recruitment for each retirement. According to Interior Ministry data, the National Health System personnel number has dropped by 4,000 in the past year and a half and by 15,000 since 2013. Hospitals now employ 45,000 workers and there are 35,000 vacant organic positions.
In addition, A. Tsipras also spoke of 7,500 recruitments, out of which 4,500 are related to special education schools and 3,000 social workers for the “help at home” program.
The 10,000 recruitment of 2020
Regarding the controversial issue of the additional 10,000 recruitments to serve the rule of one recruitment, provided the Church of Greece also agrees to the “exodus” of the clergy from the State salary and the co-management of part of the ecclesiastical property, then there is also the “space” for an additional 10,000 recruitment to the State, due to the withdrawal of equal number of clergy.
However, at best, this will not happen before the fourth quarter of 2019, so the first places will be announced through ASEP at the end of next year and most will take place in 2020 and 2021. The “direction” of these recruitments , according to government officials, will fill gaps in Health and Education, as well as other sensitive areas, such as independent authorities and waste collection./IBNA
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First 12 grants for tourism development in region released by the RCC
The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s EU-funded Tourism Development and Promotion Project awarded on Friday in Sarajevo the first twelve, out of 30+ grants in total value of EUR 548 000.
Grants are awarded to the best project proposals received though the public call for ideas intended to improve a joint Western Balkans cultural and adventure tourism offer, as well as infrastructure and quality of services along the selected touristic routes.
“These grants, or better said projects, will contribute to the expansion of the tourism offer in the region as they cover all six Western Balkans economies, both when it comes to the areas where they will be implemented and when it comes to those who will be implementing them, so I can say that we have an excellent regional representation and that makes me happy. With this we are contributing to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage in the region, and more importantly to the economic development, growth and employment, all of which are our common goals – those of the regional economies, of the RCC, and of the EU which is funding this project”, said RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanović.
He added that, according to the “Balkan Barometer”, 57 percent of the people from Western Balkans who travel in the region do so for leisure.
“So, we will be tapping into the intra-regional tourist pool by supporting targeted approach to regional markets; and we have already taken first steps in the international promotion by taking regional operators to international tourism fairs and we will place more efforts into promotion as our value-added tourism products become available and operational”, Svilanović said at the ceremony.
Seven out of twelve grants being awarded in the first cycle will be used to develop and promote new regional cultural routes and products including Roman archaeological sites, WWII monuments, fortifications, and cultural heritage of capital cities. The other five will contribute to the further development and promotion of the existing adventure tourism routes (Via Dinarica) and development of new products including a regional horseback riding trail.
“The European Union sees tourism as a vector for economic development, internally – we had two days ago the European Tourism Day – and externally. By teaming up as a region and developing and promoting joint tourism products, the Western Balkans can create a broader and more exciting offer for the European market and beyond. I would also encourage to use this project as an opportunity to cherish your common cultural heritage which can support a vision of a common future as well. This constructive approach would answer to the 2018 European Union strategy ‘A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans’, which sets reconciliation and good neighbourly relationships as key components of the enlargement process”, said Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.
The project, worth EUR 5 million, works to consolidate and diversify cultural and adventure tourism offer in the six Western Balkans economies, develop joint regional tourism routes and products, improve infrastructure and quality of services along selected routes, and globally promote joint regional offer. The total value of the grants scheme implemented under the project, which includes 30+ grants, is EUR 1.62 million./IBNA
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Greek Prime Minister to visit Berlin and Paris
All eyes on the attempt for the formation of a progressive European front
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras departs today for Berlin to participate in the “Dialogue Camp” organized by the SPD. A presence with high symbolism and substance, since the Greek Prime Minister has been invited by the German Social Democrats at a political juncture, during which the processes for the formation of a progressive front in Europe are thickening.
Tomorrow he will take part in a debate with Andrea Nalés and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on the upcoming European elections, the European Left’s vision against the rise of nationalism and populism and the means and strategies of Europe’s major progressive parties.
On the sidelines of the “Dialogue Camp”, he will have the opportunity to have a meeting with the Portuguese Prime Minister, who leads the Left-Socialist Alliance in his country, and also with German Deputy Chancellor and Finance Minister, Olaf Scholz.
He will then go to Paris for the centennial ceremony of the World War I armistice, where he will have the opportunity to exchange views with a number of leaders.
Pending the proposal of the Left for the President of the Commission
Besides, SYRIZA and Alexis Tsipras are at the forefront of the common stride of the left, the Greens, and the forces of social democracy that oppose neoliberal politics. The central objective is to create a social and political wall against the far-right and neo-fascism that seems to gain ground and is expected to be strengthened in the European elections and, on the other hand, to create an alternative and realistic proposal, a new sustainable model to oppose neoliberalism and austerity.
In this context, a large delegation of SYRIZA participates in the three-day works of the second European Forum, of progressive, ecological and leftist forces in Bilbao, Spain. At the end of next week, the European Left Party is expected to come up with proposals for candidates for the presidency of the Commission. The view that seems to be more favorable is that this nomination should not come from the narrow core of the Left, but to represent a large part of the progressive forces./IBNA
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J. Appathurai: The Western Balkans are of strategic importance for NATO
NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security, James Appathurai, speaking at the Belgrade NATO Week Forum held in Belgrade, highlighted the great importance of the Western Balkans for NATO.
After saying that NATO has always attributed strategic importance to the Balkans, he stressed that in recent years, due to developments, interest in the region has increased. The NATO official has estimated that stability in the Western Balkans has not yet been secured, as there are – as he said – challenges and frictions in the area that are cause for concern and for this reason NATO is therefore looking to help overcome these problems and to contribute to the consolidation of stability and peace.
Referring to Serbia’s military neutrality policy, he stressed that it is respected. “Some countries want to join NATO, we support them, some do not want to. Serbia is one of those that does not want to and we respect that, but we expect more practical cooperation, more dialogue and understanding, and we are investing in it”, Appathurai stated. He noted that NATO has excellent cooperation with countries that are not part of a military bloc, such as Sweden, Finland and Armenia.
In an interview with private television channel TV PRVA, the NATO Deputy Assistant General Secretary, referred to the formation of armed forces by Kosovo that were announced by Prime Minister Ramus Haradinai. He asserted that NATO does not provide any practical assistance to the Kosovo government in the process of setting up armed forces. He did not, however, say that the North Atlantic alliance opposed the establishment of a Kosovo army and merely stated that if it happened, the matter would be monitored by NATO’s institutions. Appathurai expressed the view that such actions should have the consent of all ethnic communities in Kosovo. He stressed, however, that the KFOR will continue to provide security and protection to all Kosovo citizens, even if Kosovo acquires its own army./IBNA
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