Cypriots Make a Walk on the Banks, but Still Worry Government Awaits Troika Loan, Hopes Greek Ind
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S O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news W ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of E ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek- Americans N c v A wEEkly GrEEk-AmEriCAN PuBliCATiON www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 16, ISSUE 807 March 30-April 5, 2013 $1.50 Cypriots Make a Walk on The Banks, But Still Worry Government Awaits Troika Loan, Hopes Greek Ind. Calmness Emerges Day Talks By Andy Dabilis Aplenty in TNH Staff Writer ATHENS - After lining up calmly in queues instead of making a New York frantic dash for their cash when banks reopened after being closed for two weeks as the gov - By Constantine S. Sirigos ernment worked out a bailout TNH Staff Writer deal with international lenders, Cypriots nonetheless walked NEW YORK – The Archdiocesan away wondering what will come Cathedral of the Holy Trinity next for them. celebrated Greek Independence With tight restrictions on Day with three entertaining and withdrawals to prevent a run on informative lectures at the the banks, the government Cathedral Ballroom on March hoped that order would con - 25. The event, which was held tinue to prevail while it waits under the auspices of the Greek for a 10 billion euros ($13 bil - Consulate, followed a reception lion) rescue loan package from hosted at the Consulate by the the Troika of the European Consul General George Iliopou - Union-International Monetary los. Fund-European Central Bank The plight of Greece and (EU-IMF-ECB). Cyprus weighed heavily on the While uninsured depositors participants. Iliopoulos told with more than 100,000 euros guests at the Consulate to com - ($130,000) will lose up to their mit to “giving the next genera - 80 percent of their money that’s tion a country better than what being confiscated by the govern - we received and I hope that we ment – and won’t see any bal - accomplish this so our children ance for years – a revised plan can be as proud to be Greek as to exempt insured accounts un - we are.” der the threshold kept many Archbishop Demetrios spoke AP PHOTO people from having to go to the in praise of the genius and de - A man reacts outside a branch of the Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia, with strict restrictions on transactions, after being closed to banks. termination of the heroes of the Thursday, March 28, 2013. Banks in Cyprus reopened to cus - prevent people withdrawing all their savings during the coun - The assets seizure was fight for Greek Independence. tomers for the first time in nearly two weeks Thursday, albeit try’s acute financial crisis. agreed to by the government of He noted that the crises in newly-elected President Nicos Greece and Cyprus make the Anastasiades – who had op - holiday a painful one this year, posed it a month earlier while but that the very day and its campaigning – after the Troika meaning “gives us hope… and Greece Now Ranked 3rd Poorest Country in EU demanded depositors come up we will overcome.” with 5.8 billion euros ($7.5 bil - James DeMetro, the orga - lion) to help solve the crisis they nizer of the Chambers’ annual By Andy Dabilis Some 20 percent of Greeks ranks third in poverty measured and poverty rose from 20% to didn’t create. New York City Greek Film Festi - TNH Staff Writer are living below the poverty by four different ways; official 40% with another 20% being on Cypriot banks lost 4.5 billion val, welcomed the guests to the level now and disposable in - poverty, which includes those the edge of the official poverty euros ($5.8 billion) in bad loans Cathedral and noted that the tri - ATHENS – Three years after come, between big pay cuts, tax who earn less than 60% of the rate which is estimated as 60% to Greek businesses that went umph of the Greek revolution - austerity measures were im - hikes, and slashed pensions, has average income, estimated of the average income. Labor belly-up in that country’s eco - aries “is nothing short of aston - posed on the order of interna - taken away more than 46 per - poverty based on a person’s own union leaders are predicting the nomic crisis and escaped pun - ishing, and a testament to the tional lenders putting up cent of disposable income. It has estimation of his/hers own eco - jobless rate could hit 29-30 per - ishment or payment, and in fortitude and tenacity of our bailouts to keep its economy gotten so dire that Greece plum - nomic situation, the percentage cent while Prime Minister An - holdings in Greek bonds that forebears and I hope the people from collapsing, conditions have meted from 14th among the of people living in extreme tonis Samaras is frantically try - were devalued by 74 percent. of Greece today tap into those gotten worse and Greece now EU’s 27 countries on the list of poverty, and the real disposable ing to cobble together ideas to Banks were shut for almost resources to overcome the cur - ranks ahead of only Bulgaria economic rankings in 2004 to income of a family. reverse the trend. two weeks before reopening on rent challenges.” and Romania as the poorest 25th now. Since 2008, when the eco - The British newspaper The March 28 as the institutions countries in the European According to IW, the Institute nomic crisis began, unemploy - Continued on page 5 Union. of German Economy, Greece ment rose from 7.5% to 27% Continued on page 9 Continued on page 8 Manolis Mitsias Thrills and RESTAURANT REVIEW Delights at NJ Fundraiser Ethos Restaurant’s Great Food and Ambiance By Constantine S. Sirigos with a beautiful instrumental TNH Staff Writer piece that set the evening’s tone. By Penelope Karageorge Tassos Efstratiades, the pres - Special to The National Herald NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – For ident of the Hellenic Federation one evening, legendary Singer of New Jersey then welcomed Friends with discriminating Manolis Mitsias wrapped the the guests and dignitaries, palates had told me about community’s pain and concern which included the Consuls Ethos, on 51st Street and 1st Av - for Greece and Cyprus in the General of Greece Cyprus re - enue in Manhattan, their restau - music it loves, with lyrics that spectively, George Iliopoulos rant of choice at least three spoke both of pain and better and Koula Sophianou, and nights per week. Knowing them times, and raised $150,000 for Greek Consul Evangelos Kiri - as “real Greeks” as well as food - charities that will mainly benefit akopoulos. ies, I decided to take their ad - children in the homelands. Efstratiades revealed the vice and visit Ethos when Hur - When the lights dimmed in higher purpose of the gathering ricane Sandy struck. For a week the Nicholas Music Center of when he declared that Hellenes I had lived without a function - Rutgers University in New “have a sacred duty to remem - ing elevator in my apartment Brunswick, NJ, with its warm ber the homelands and help building. On a Sunday night, I interior of peach-colored seats them in their time of need.” hiked down 11 pitch-black and light brown, the audience He thanked the Federation’s flights of stairs clutching a flash - greeted the musicians with partners and the sponsors of the light before making the short warm applause, who responded event, principally the Pan Gre - walk to the restaurant. It was gorian Enterprises. Its president well worth the effort. George Siamboulis, also wel - That night the restaurant re - For subscription: comed the guests and reiterated sembled a spontaneous party as 718.784.5255 that their purpose is to help the other escapees without refriger - [email protected] people, of Greece and Cyprus. ation or cooking facilities gath - Soon thereafter, Mitsias en - ered. The noise level soared. tered the stage to a burst of ap - The bar was packed and eager plause and sang “fili, kalos TNH/COSTAS BEJ diners kept walking in the door. Ethos host Stamatis Pelardis greets diners enjoying a late lunch at Ethos. A native of Rhodes, Continued on page 2 Pelardis says: “I want to make people feel welcome and to create the style of a Greek island.” Continued on page 4 2 COMMUNITY THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 30-ARIL 5, 2013 Chicago’s St. Basil Church Withstands Damage GOINGS ON... n MARCH 31 n APRIL 13 By Anthe Mitrakos we hope to keep the community TENAFLY, NJ – The Consulate MANHATTAN – Hellenic Busi - Special to The National Herald together,” said Tony Frankos, General of the Republic of ness Network (HBN) New York parish council president, who has Cyprus in New York, The Cyprus Chapter and the Hellenic Profes - CHICAGO, IL – A fire that shook been with St. Basil for 12 years. Federation of America and The sional Women (HPW) invite you up the community of St. Basil “We are assuring people that the International Coordinating to our Entrepreneurship Sympo - Greek Orthodox Church on church will be back,” he added. Committee Justice for Cyprus- sium 2013. Saturday, Apr. 13, Kathari Deutera is still under in - Though the church has sus - PSEKA Commemorate on April 9AM to 1:30PM at the ballroom vestigation. Firefighters re - tained much smoke damage that 1st the 58th anniversary of the of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, sponded to an early afternoon call is horrid to eye, the future looks liberation struggle of Cyprus 337 East 74th Street in Manhat - for help on March 18, successfully bright for this small parish. from British Rule with a Memo - tan. The one-day symposium has subduing the flames before they “It’s really tragic and heart - rial Service at The Greek Or - been designed to explore the spread throughout the building.