SETKE complains that the government continues to exclude small tourist accommodation from the pandemic-emergency support programmes as there is a requirement that such small businesses have employees. SETKE explains that most 7 to 10 room accommodation companies are family-owned thus they are ineligible. Apart from family members, such small companies may typically hire cleaners or gardeners, but unofficially.
Visits to Prespa Lakes can now be more enjoyable as a new birdwatching App has been developed by the Society for the Protection of Prespa. By looking and listening carefully, and using the PrespaWings app, visitors may identify species and learn all about their characteristics and habits. The PrespaWings app is available for both Android and iOS.
Android: https://bit.ly/2XPVKHh
iOS: https://apple.co/36PyHQV
The Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) and other environmentalists are celebrating a decision by the General Director of Environmental Policy of the Ministry of Environment and Energy that has halted plans to turn protected islets of the South Aegean Sea, dubbed 'Mediterranean Galapagos", homes to Eleonora's Falcon and many seabirds, into platforms for the erection of hundreds of wind turbines, right at the “heart” of one of the last refuges of biodiversity in Europe. HOS emphasizes that Greece must harmonize its national law with EU legislation and make a pre-screening of the suitability projects in terms of their location mandatory at the very start of the licensing process rather than wait for the Environmental Impact Assessment, prepared by consultants hired by the investors, at a late stage.
A recent decision by the Supreme Labour Council (Anotato Symvoulio Ergasias) means that all Greek Hoteliers have to pay employees a minimum monthly wage of 792 to 863 Euros, according to their occupation, or 740 if they are hired for the first time. The decision extends and makes mandatory the Sectoral Agreement of Hotel Employees to all Hoteliers even if they are not members of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation.
The Association of Licensed Tourist Guides in Greece held a protest rally outside the Ministry of Labour on 12 May 2021 to protest about the meager state support since the start of the pandemic. According to the Association, each Guide has received EUR 2,936 in total since early 2020. The Guides point out that it is far less than the monthly amount received by employees in all other sectors (EUR 534) even though Tourism is the hardest hit sector.
The developers have leased the old Ottoman-era station of Alykes Kitrous, in Pieria, on the old Athens to Thessaloniki line from GAIAOSE, the public company that manages railway property and rolling stock. The EU-funded project involves the conversion of the station's main building into common areas while seven old wagons will be used as accommodation units. There will be facilities to host events and mosaic and ceramic workshops as well as a plot to grow organic vegetables. A bird observatory will be constructed on the roof of the main building as the station is just 300 metres from the Alykes wetland, part of the Axios Delta National Park, that hosts flamingos year-round.
Within the next four years the municipality of Athens plans to revamp four squares (Agias Eirinis, Agiou Georgiou Karytsi, Agion Theodoron, Ierou Lochou) and pedestrianize many streets in the so called "commercial triangle" in the centre of Athens near the tourist area, roughly between Omonoia and Syntagma squares. The project will cover around 48 acres.
The "Cultural H.ID.RA.N.T." , EU-funded project, undertaken by the Municipality of Chalandri, aims to reveal and preserve this hidden, extensive, largely subterannean Roman-era infrastructure monument (built between 125-140 CE) which brought fresh water to the ancient city of Athens from nearby mountains Parnitha and Penteli. The monument will be as developed as a cultural heritage asset but also reused for irrigation purposes! The project hopes to regenerate 8,500 sq.m. of quality green, public space and create a stronger heritage branding for the periphery of the Athens Metropolitan Area.
Πραγματοποιήθηκε την Παρασκευή 29/1 μέσω τηλεδιάσκεψης η επίσημη έναρξη του προγράμματος UIA CULTURAL HIDRANT. Την εκδήλωση άνοιξε ο δήμαρχος Χαλανδρίου Σίμος Ρούσσος Σίμος ενώ η υπεύθυνη του προγράμματος Αλεξάνδρα Αλεξανδροπούλου παρουσίασε τις κύριες δραστηριότητες και στόχους του προγράμματος: τη διαχείριση και ανάδειξη των «κοινών» της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς του Αδριάνειου Υδραγωγείου, την ανάπλαση του δημόσιου χώρου, και το σχέδιο άρδευσης κήπων και δημόσιων χώρων είτε με υδροφόρες είτε με αρδευτικό δίκτυο, το πρώτο του είδους σε αστική περιοχή.
The Central Archaeological Council (KAS) has approved a municipal proposal to regenerate the important archaeological site which borders an industrial area, west of central Athens. The project includes the construction of a new, "Archaeological Museum of Athens".
Το Κεντρικό Αρχαιολογικό Συμβούλιο (ΚΑΣ) ενέκρινε τη μελέτη του Δήμου Αθηναίων για την ανάδειξη του αρχαιολογικού χώρου της Ακαδημίας Πλάτωνος. Το σχέδιο περιλαμβάνει την ανέγερση ενός νέου "Αρχαιολογικού Μουσείου Αθηνών".
Kostas Skrekas, Minister for the Environment and Energy, has announced the closure of ten unlicensed landfills and a 1.2m euros reduction in corresponding environmental fines paid to the European Union. Eight of the landfills (in Kythira, Marathon, Andravida-Kyllini, Karystos, Chalkida, Serifos, Paros and Leros) have been 'rehabilitated'/legalised while seven (Kythira, Sifnos, Patmos, Kea, Karystos, Sikinos and Kasos) have been shut down. 50 sites remaining but the ministry's ambitious goal is to avoid all related EU fines by 2022.
Ο Υπουργός Περιβάλλοντος και Ενέργειας, Κώστας Σκρέκας ανακοίνωσε την αποκατάσταση 8 ΧΑΔΑ (Κυθήρων, Μαραθώνα, Ανδραβίδας – Κυλλήνης, Καρύστου, Χαλκιδέων/ θέση «Φάρος», Σερίφου, Πάρου και Λέρου) και την παύση λειτουργίας εφτά ΧΑΔΑ (Κυθήρων, Σίφνου, Πάτμου, Κέας, Καρύστου, Σικίνου και Κάσου). Ως αποτέλεσμα το ετήσιο πρόστιμο από την ΕΕ απομειώθηκε κατά 1.200.000 ευρώ. Παραμένουν 50 "υπό εξέταση περιπτώσεις προστίμων" ενώ το υπουργείο έχει θέσει τον φιλόδοξο στόχο να μηδενιστούν τα πρόστιμα μέχρι το 2022.
Greece, like all other EU member states, has until the end of April to submit a plan to the EU outlining how it will spend the €32 billion it will receive in recovery funds to overcome the effects of the pandemic. In a letter to MPs WWF Greece asked them to put pressure to the government so that the national recovery plan excludes activities and projects that have a significant negative impact on the environment including fossil fuel infrastructure, waste incineration, intensive agriculture and fishing.
Η Ελλάδα όπως όλες οι χώρες μέλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης (ΕΕ) πρέπει να υποβάλει ένα σχέδιο στην ΕΕ όπου θα εξηγεί πως θα ξοδέψει τα 32 δις τα οποία θα λάβει για την αντιμετώπιση των επιπτώσεων της Πανδημίας. Σε μια επιστολή που έστειλε σε όλους τους βουλευτές, η οργάνωση τονίζει ότι είναι απαραίτητο να αποκλειστούν από το σύνολο του Εθνικού Σχεδίου Ανάκαμψης και Ανθεκτικότητας δραστηριότητες και έργα που έχουν σημαντική αρνητική επίπτωση στο περιβάλλον, μεταξύ των οποίων είναι οι υποδομές ορυκτών καυσίμων , η καύση απορριμμάτων, και η εντατική και χωρίς αυστηρά κριτήρια βιωσιμότητας αλιεία και γεωργία.
- Volos: Rail enthusiasts protest damage to old tracks - Βόλος: Διαμαρτυρία Φίλων Σιδηρόδρομου για επικάλυψη γραμμών Μουτζούρη
- Online Event: Western Macedonia After Lignite - 11th March 2021 - Ζωντανή Εκδήλωση: H Δυτική Μακεδονία μετά τον Λιγνίτη - 11 Μαρτίου 2021
- Περιβαλλοντικές Οργανώσεις και Κόμματα εναντίον του Άρθρου 219 του νομοσχεδίου για τις δημόσιες συμβάσεις - Environmental NGOs and opposition political parties call for the withdrawal of ecocidal draft bill
- Ο ΟΣΕ σκοπεύει να δημιουργήσει τουριστικά δρομολόγια και να γίνει 100% βασισμένος σε ΑΠΕ - Greek Rail to introduce new tourist services & become 100% renewable energy powered
- Διαμαρτυρία του Τουριστικού Οργανισμού Πελοποννήσου για Ανεμογεννήτριες σε Ζήρεια και Μαίναλο - The Peloponnese DMO complains about Wind Turbine plans on Ziria and Mainalo