Amb. Panagopoulos Tells Obama That Greece Will Make It Greeks Hold More Strikes and Violent Protests
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
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 784 October 20-26 , 2012 $1.50 Amb. Panagopoulos Greeks Hold More Strikes and Violent Protests Tells Obama That Samaras Steers Government to Greece Will Make it Additional Cuts By Theodore Kalmoukos had the opportunity to represent By Andy Dabilis Greece in the West Coast, in a TNH Staff Writer WASHINGTON, DC – “Greece completely different environ - will make it. A new Greece is ment. Now, I am returning to ATHENS – As Greek Prime Min - born. Greek-Americans are a the United States in a position ister Antonis Samaras’ uneasy bridge between Greece and the which is the highest honor for coalition government moved United States.” That was the every Greek diplomat, at our closer to a deal to make another message that the newly-ap - Embassy in Washington DC. $17.45 billion in spending cuts pointed ambassador of Greece Nonetheless, I have an over - and tax hikes – and he was in to the United States, Christos whelming feeling that I am com - Brussels trying to convince Eu - Panagopoulos, conveyed to the ing back home.” ropean Union leaders he had President Barack Obama. During the presentation of put the country on the path to Panagopoulos is an experi - his credentials a few weeks ago, recovery – more than 70,000 enced diplomat who knows the Panagopoulos conveyed to Greeks protested in the nation’s American diplomatic and polit - Obama, on behalf of the presi - capital. ical realities well, but also the dent and the prime minister of Greeks are furious that Greek Diaspora, since he has the Hellenic Republic, but also Samaras, the New Democracy served twice in the United of the entire Greek people, Conservative leader, and his States in the past, in Los Angeles “their cordial wishes of friend - partners, the PASOK Socialists and in Boston. ship and cooperation.” He also and tiny Democratic Left, are In his first interview to TNH, expressed “their appreciation for going to impose more austerity Ambassador Panagopoulos said the constant support, provided measures. Protesters rallied in “I feel like coming back home by the United States, and the the streets on Oct. 18 for the after completing two terms. The personal interest shown by the third protest in a month against first in Boston in the 80s, a pe - American president during this pay cuts, tax hikes, and slashed riod that had been marked by critical financial juncture for pensions. significant developments for the Greece.” He added that “the That coincided with another Greek- American community. I American president personally, AP PHOTO/KOSTAS TSirONiS general strike that put much of am referring, to Mike Dukakis’ but also Vice President Biden, Petrol bombs explode in front of riot police during clashes during the 24-hour nationwide the country in a standstill as la - campaign for president. Later, I during his recent visit to Athens, general strike in Athens on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. Hundreds of youths pelted riot police with bor union leaders, workers, pen - along with other members of petrol bombs, bottles and chunks of marble Thursday as yet another Greek anti-austerity sioners, and the poor banded to - the Administration, namely Sec - demonstration descended into violence. gether to demonstrate against retary Clinton and Secretary austerity and demand an end to Geithner have, in a every possi - the punishing conditions. It was ble way, strived to support the 20th work stoppage since Greece, as shown in their public the economic crisis engulfed the statements.” Papaconstantinou is Key Yale Speaker country in 2009. “It is of high importance to A similar demonstration by us,” he added, “to feel that we about 17,000 people in the are not alone in this fight and NEW YORK – George Papacon - until after next year’s German detailing the sequence of events, Northern city of Thessaloniki that Washington is providing its stantinou, former Minister of Fi - election to obtain debt relief, he declared “I am at peace with ended peacefully. The strike solidarity.” nance for Greece and Minister and that a return to the myself,” for having handled the grounded flights, shut down Panagopoulos also said that for the Environment, Energy drachma would be catastrophic. matter properly. public services, closed schools, “I conveyed to President Obama and Climate Change, was the A lively Q & A session fol - Papaconstantinou was joined hospitals, and shops and ham - the importance that Greece at - featured speaker at a joint pre - lowed the presentations. One of by Miranda Xafa, CEO of E.F. pered public transport in the taches to the Greek American sentation of The Yale Center for most dramatic questions – and Consulting, an Athens-based ad - capital. Taxi drivers joined in for community, who are our broth - the Study of Globalization and one that prompted applause – visory firm focusing on Euro - nine hours, while a three-hour ers and sisters here. I under - the Hellenic Studies Program on was directed at Papaconstanti - zone economic and financial is - work stoppage by air traffic con - scored that the Greek-Ameri - “Greece, The Euro and the Debt nou, who was asked to “explain sues, and Domingo Cavallo, trollers led to flight cancella - cans are a ‘bridge’ of friendship Crisis,” at Yale University on Oc - what happened to that list after Senior Fellow, Jackson Institute tions. Islands were left cut off and cooperation between our tober 15. it arrived,” referring to the CD for Global Affairs, and former as ferries stayed in ports. two countries that we value The common refrain of the with information about the Minister of the Economy, Ar - Tensions mounted when a highly.” panelists, sounded most Swiss bank accounts of Greeks gentina. small group of protesters began The Greek-American rela - strongly by Papaconstantinou, is that was given to him by Chris - Ernesto Zedillo, Director, throwing pieces of marble, bot - Ambassador of Greece to the that Greece must try its best to tine Lagarde before she became U.S. Christos Panagopoulos. Continued on page 5 implement reforms and hold on the Director of the IMF. After Continued on page 8 Continued on page 9 Relections on the “New” RESTAURANT REVIEW Old Age: it May Be New, Restaurant Loi: a Popular Greek Dining Experience in NYC But is it Really Improved? By Penelope Karageorge Special to The National Herald By Daniel Klein Or is now the time to step back, Wall Street Journal let go of my ambitions, reflect Restaurant Loi is a popular and just live? dining destination. On a recent Here I am in my mid-70s, It is not an easy choice, es - Saturday night, every table ap - and I am wondering: Is now the pecially in light of the prevailing peared to be full, with people time to take a final stab at un - ethos of the "New Old Age." Be - waiting to get in. The decor – finished business—to accom - cause medicine is allowing us to including a long mural seascape plish at long last the remaining live longer than ever before and from a photo taken by Loi from goals on my lifetime to-do list? because the people turning 65 her home of Nafpaktos, Greece belong to that famously aspiring – the comfortable, striped fabric and adventurous group known armchairs, the three enclosed as baby boomers, old age is now private dining rooms, the multi- widely seen as an opportunity leveled dining room, makes this Gov. Cuomo for more busyness—lots more. an interesting place to dine. It’s Working harder than fun to look around at the ener - ever...for what? getic scene of waiters and din - Will Discuss We are advised that an ex - ers. The delicious aroma of what tended life span has given us an smells like a succulent stefado unprecedented opportunity. And drifts out to you from the St. Nicholas if we surrender to old age, we kitchen, visible through a win - are fools or, worse, cowards. dow in the dining room. You can Around me I see many of my tune in to the pleasant cacoph - TNH Staff contemporaries remaining in ony of forks, knives, and glasses their prime-of-life vocations, of - clinked. A super-plus, at least to NEW YORK – TNH has been in - ten working harder than ever be - me (who avoids noisy restau - formed that New York Governor fore, even if they have already rants): one can actually carry Andrew Cuomo will be a special achieved a great deal. Some are on a conversation here without guest at the annual meetings of writing the novels stewing in shouting. No obtrusive music the Archdiocesan Council and their heads but never attempted, plays. The ceiling has been the National Philoptochos at the or enrolling in classes in conver - TNH/COSTAS BEJ New York Hilton on October 19. sational French, or taking up Continued on page 4 Chef Maria Loi delights guests at her eponymous restaurant with her food and charm. He will address a joint gathering jogging, or even signing up for of the two bodies before also at - cosmetic surgery and youth-en - tending the luncheon. hancing hormone treatments. Although the purpose of the But something about this visit has not been disclosed, new philosophy of old age does Princess Katherine Thanks Greece for Helping the Serbs there is speculation that a major not sit well with me. I suspect announcement will be made re - that if I were to take this route, garding the future of the Church I would miss out on something By Constantine S.