Sunday, September 13, 2015

Daily Life in the new makeshift refugee camp in Victoria Square, center of the Greek capital

A new makeshift refugee camp has appeared the last days in the center of the Greek capital as refugees and migrants have flooded Victoria Square. This happened because the official reception center for migrants in Elaionas is already full.
Athens, Greece, 13 September, 2015.

A refugee female child stands by a baby left on the pavement in Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped.
A young refugee woman seen tearfull at Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped. She and her children have no other place to go in Athens and she has to arrange the passage to Europe.
A young boy seen waking up in the morning by his tent in Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped and live in bad conditions. Some more lucky refugees have raised tents so they do not sleep outside.
Refugees sleep outside while some of them more lucky have raised tents. Hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped and live in bad conditions in a makeshift camp at Victoria Square of Athens.
Refugee families sleep outside while some of them more lucky have raised tents. Hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped and live in bad conditions in a makeshift camp on Victoria Square of Athens.
Hundreds of migrants and refugees mostly from Afghanistan stay and sleep outside in Victoria Square with no access to toilets or running water.
Hundreds of migrants and refugees mostly from Afghanistan stay and sleep outside in Victoria Square with no access to toilets or running water.
A refugee family seen sleeping outside in the center of the Greek capital. Hundreds of migrants and refugees mostly from Afghanistan stay and sleep outside on Victoria Square with no access to toilets or running water.
A young boy with his family seen sleeping outside in the center of the Greek capital. Hundreds of migrants and refugees mostly from Afghanistan stay and sleep outside on Victoria Square with no access to toilets or running water.
A refugee woman with her child, get ready to sleep outside on Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped and live in bad conditions.
A young refugee boy wearing a "Spongebob" tee shirt stand by his family on Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped and live in bad conditions.
Hundreds of migrants and refugees mostly from Afghanistan stay and sleep outside in Victoria Square with no access to toilets or running water.
Refugees rush to receive food aid at a food distribution in Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped.
A refugee female child seen waiting to eat fried potatoes made in a small gas stove. Some of the hundreds of refugees who have temporarily camped in Victoria Square in the center of the Greek capital have made a makeshift kitchen.
A refugee female child seen tearfull at Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped and live in bad conditions, trying to arrange the passage to western Europe.
Hundreds of migrants and refugees mostly from Afghanistan stay and sleep outside in Victoria Square with no access to toilets or running water.
Younger and older people seen waiting on the queue to receive food aid at a food distribution in Victoria Square of Athens, where hundreds of migrants and refugees have temporarily camped and live in bad conditions.


Related Video: The refugee ship arrives again in Piraeus port during the night, carrying just over 2,500 Syrians from the Greek islands, as a wave of migrants fleeing conflict and poverty continues unabated. Some of them spend the night in the streets of the Greek capital without any shelter.












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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

New Democracy party opens election campaign with a rally in Athens

Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis opened the election campaign and spoke to a crowd of conservative party supporters on Rigillis Street in central Athens, Sept 1, 2015.
 Former PM Antonis Samaras and his predecessor Costas Karamanlis also attended to the speech, along with a number of party officials from past and present.

Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis gestures to his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Former Greek PM Antonis Samaras attends the New Democracy election campaign in Athens, among the supporters of the conservative party, who cheer him.
Former Greek PM Antonis Samaras attends the New Democracy election campaign in Athens, among the supporters of the conservative party, who cheer him.
Former Greek PM Antonis Samaras attends the New Democracy election campaign in Athens, among the supporters of the conservative party, who cheer him.
Former Greek PM Antonis Samaras attends the New Democracy election campaign in Athens, among the supporters of the conservative party, who cheer him.
Former Greek PM Kostas Karamanlis attends the New Democracy election campaign in Athens, among the supporters of the conservative party.
Supporters of the conservative party cheerGreek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis, during his speech.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Former Greek PM Kostas Karamanlis is seen watching the New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis during the rally, among the supporters of the conservative party.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis addresses his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.
Greek main opposition New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis gestures to his supporters during a rally of the conservative party in the center of Athens.









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Saturday, August 29, 2015

Syrian Exodus: More refugees arrive on Greek mainland seeking asylum

 The refugee ship arrived again in Piraeus port today in the afternoon, carrying just over 2,500 Syrians from the Greek islands, as a wave of migrants fleeing conflict and poverty continues unabated.
 Athens, Greece, 29 August, 2015.

A Syrian young man seen standing at the port of Piraeus after the disembarkation from the refugee ship.
A Syrian child seen standing at the port of Piraeus after the disembarkation from the refugee ship.
A Syrian young woman holding her child in her arms, is seen boarding to buses heading to the train station, after she has disembarked from the refugee ship.
Syrian refugees are seen on-board passenger ship ''Eleftherios Venizelos'' as the ship arrives at the port of Piraeus near Athens, Greece. This ship has been routed to transfer refugees only from the islands and not "normal' passengers.
Syrian refugees disembark at the port of Piraeus and they have paid an expensive ticket for this transfer which is organized by the Greek government.
A family from Afghanistan seen at the port of Piraeus after they have disembarked from the refugee ship. Along with the Syrians, a number of Afghan have also arrived.
A Syrian refugee family, seen disembarking at the port of Piraeus and they have paid an expensive ticket for this transfer which is organized by the Greek government.
Syrian refugees disembark at the port of Piraeus and they have paid an expensive ticket for this transfer which is organized by the Greek government.
A Syrian family is seen after they have disembarked from the refugee ship at the port of Piraeus. The children make with their hands the sign of victory.
Refugees disembark at the port of Piraeus.
A Syrian child seen boarding at the bus heading to the train station. Refugees have just arrived in Piraeus from the islands, moving on the route of the Syrian exodus.
Syrians stand at the port of Piraeus after they have disembarked from the refugee ship. They have paid an expensive ticket for this transfer which is organized by the Greek government.
A child from Syria is seem looking towards the refugee ship. He stands by his mother inside the bus heading to the train station. They have just arrived in Piraeus from the islands, moving on the route of the Syrian exodus.
A Greek coast guard officer controls the Syrian refugees during they board to buses heading to the train station, after they have disembarked from the refugee ship.
Syrian refugee families are seen standing at the streets of Piraeus. They have just arrived in Piraeus, near Athens, from the islands, moving on the route of the Syrian exodus.
A Syrian young female shows the ticket of the refugee ship. She has paid fare 50 EUR for this transfer organized by the Greek government.
A young man from Afghanistan shows the ticket of the refugee ship. He has paid fare 50 EUR for this transfer organized by the Greek government.
Two young men from Afghanistan seen in Athens center, after they have arrived with the refugee ship.
Two young men from Afghanistan show the ticket of the refugee ship. They have paid 50 EUR each for this transfer, which was organized by the Greek government.

Video: Coast Guard officer attacks hungry people who rush to get some food and water during a distribution in the port of Piraeus, Greece. These people are refugees and migrants from Syria and Afghanistan. They have just arrived in Piraeus by a ship that transfers only refugees and migrants from the islands and not normal passengers. Nevertheless refugees traveling in this special route organized by the Greek government, have to pay a more expensive ticket than normal passengers. Many of them did not eat or drink anything on board during a 12 hour journey, as they had to pay the expensive ticket fare. Athens Greece 26 Aug 2015.


Related articles in Icelandic:
1. Þúsundir flóttamanna koma í land við Grikklandsstrendur
2. „Þetta reddast“-þjóðin getur betur!
(Some related info: More than 17,000 Icelanders have signed a letter urging their government to open the gates wider, because "refugees are our future spouses, best friends, or soulmates, the drummer for the band of our children, our next colleague, Miss Iceland in 2022, the carpenter who finally finished the bathroom, the cook in the cafeteria, the fireman, the computer genius, or the television host." ).










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Thursday, August 20, 2015

Greek Government transfers Syrian refugees to Athens unexpectedly

Athens, Greece, 20 August 2015.
A mass transfer of Syrian refugees from the islands to the inland was organized by the Greek government. The destination changed while the ship was enroute. Unexpectedly, the refugees had to pay 60€ per person for this transfer.

A Syrian refugee woman stands in front a solidarity banner raised by protesters at the port of Piraeus. Protesters stand in solidarity with the refugees.

Syrian refugees disembark at the port of Piraeus, although they have paid an expensive ticket to be transferred to Thessaloniki in Northern Greece.

A Syrian refugee woman with her child after they have arrived at the port of the Piraeus after a long trip from the Greek islands.

A Syrian refugee sits on the ground by the ship with her family after they have disembarked at the port of Piraeus. All of her luggage is in a plastic bag with a few things that she carries from her country.

A Syrian refugee young man sits on the ground by the ship with his family after they have disembarked to the port of Piraeus.

A Syrian refugee young man with his child, stand in front oh the ship, after they have disembarked at the port of Piraeus.

Syrian refugees look happy while the walk at the port of Piraeus after a long trip from the Greek islands.

A Syrian refugee young couple with their child, walk at the port of Piraeus, after they have arrived from the Greek islands.

A Greek man seen walking by the Syrian refugee families who sit on the sidewalk in Athens center. Refugees were transferred to Athens instead of the Northern Greece that was firstly announced, and they do not know where to go for the moment.

A Syrian refugee woman has left her child on the sidewalk in Athens center. Refugees were transferred to Athens instead of Northern Greece that was originally announced. The refugees do not know where to go at the moment.

A Syrian refugee shows his tickets for the transfer. He complains that he paid 60 Euro to be transferred in Northern Greece and instead of this the ship left them in Athens. Now they have to pay another 60 Euro to be transferred to Northern Greece.

A Syrian refugee woman bursts into tears while she sits alone on the pavement of the Greek capital holding her baby. Another woman is seen trying to calm her.

Video: Coast guard tries to push back small boat with Syrian refugees in the Aegean Sea



Related articles in Icelandic:
1. Þúsundir flóttamanna koma í land við Grikklandsstrendur
2. „Þetta reddast“-þjóðin getur betur!
(Some related info: More than 17,000 Icelanders have signed a letter urging their government to open the gates wider, because "refugees are our future spouses, best friends, or soulmates, the drummer for the band of our children, our next colleague, Miss Iceland in 2022, the carpenter who finally finished the bathroom, the cook in the cafeteria, the fireman, the computer genius, or the television host." ).












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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Γιατί δεν έχει παραγωγική βάση η Ελλάδα;

Του Οικονομολόγου Νίκου Σολομήτρου

Κάτι που ακούμε πολύ συχνά τα τελευταία χρόνια είναι πως η Ελλάδα δεν έχει παραγωγική βάση. Το περιεχόμενο της φράσης είναι κατά τι οξύμωρο καθώς δεν νοείται μια οικονομία χωρίς παραγωγική βάση. Παρά την φαινομενική αντίφαση, η φράση περιέχει κάτι παραπάνω από απλώς μερικά ψήγματα αλήθειας αφού ένα από τα προβλήματα της ελληνικής οικονομίας τις προηγούμενες δεκαετίες ήταν η μαζική κατεύθυνση πόρων κυρίως σε «μη-παραγωγικές» δραστηριότητες, όπως στον κλάδο κατασκευής κατοικιών.

Ο όρος «παραγωγικές επενδύσεις» συνήθως αναφέρεται στις επενδύσεις σε μηχανολογικό εξοπλισμό και εξοπλισμό μεταφορών που χρησιμοποιείται στην παραγωγική διαδικασία. Στο άρθρο αυτό, θα ελαστικοποιήσουμε τον παραπάνω ορισμό και στις παραγωγικές επενδύσεις θα συμπεριλάβουμε και αυτές σε «Άλλες Κατασκευές (εκτός κατοικιών)» οι οποίες περιλαμβάνουν και τα κτήρια εργοστασίων, γραφείων, ξενοδοχείων και τα δημόσια έργα υποδομής.

Το «πρόβλημα» με τις επενδύσεις στον κλάδο της κατοικίας είναι πως τα οικονομικά οφέλη τους είναι εφάπαξ (one-off) και περιορίζονται στην περίοδο που αυτή βρίσκεται στο στάδιο της κατασκευής. Αντίθετα η επένδυση σε Εξοπλισμό και Άλλες Κατασκευές έχει σαφώς πιο μακροπρόθεσμα οικονομικά οφέλη καθώς ο σκοπός των συγκεκριμένων επενδύσεων είναι η συμμετοχή τους μελλοντικά στην παραγωγική διαδικασία. Έτσι, μετά το πέρας της διαδικασίας υλοποίησης της επένδυσης(αν εξαιρέσουμε τυχόν υπεραξίες που μπορεί να προκύψουν από μεταπωλήσεις), η συνεισφορά της επένδυσης σε κατοικίες στο ΑΕΠ μιας χώρας μόλις ολοκληρώθηκε, ενώ εκείνη των παραγωγικών επενδύσεων ουσιαστικά μόλις ξεκινάει.

Στην Ελλάδα, το διάστημα 1960 – 1990, οι επενδύσεις σε κατοικίες αντιστοιχούσαν σε περισσότερο από 50% του συνόλου (αν ως σύνολο θεωρήσουμε τις επενδύσεις σε Κατοικίες, Εξοπλισμό και άλλες Κατασκευές). Αντίθετα οι επενδύσεις σε εξοπλισμό ήταν γύρω στο 20% του συνόλου. Η αύξηση του ποσοστού των επενδύσεων σε Εξοπλισμό το διάστημα 1996 – 2008 οφείλεται, τα μεν χρόνια πριν την ένταξη στην ΕΖ, κυρίως στην εφαρμογή αντιπληθωριστικής πολιτικής και την συνακόλουθη αύξηση των πάγιων επενδύσεων σε εξοπλισμό,τα δε μετέπειτα, στην μεγάλη αύξηση των επενδύσεων σε πλοία.

 Έχει ενδιαφέρον να δούμε τι συνέβαινε στις υπόλοιπες χώρες της νότιας Ευρώπης την ίδια περίοδο. Στην Πορτογαλία το ποσοστό των πάγιων επενδύσεων σε κατοικίες ήταν γύρω στο 40%, ενώ στην Ισπανία την περίοδο 1970 – 2000 γύρω στο 30%. Ακόμη και την δεκαετία του 2000 που η χώρα βίωσε μια μεγάλη φούσκα στην αγορά ακινήτων, οι επενδύσεις σε κατοικίες μετά βίας ξεπέρασαν το 40% του συνόλου.

 Στην Ιρλανδία, άλλη μια χώρα που βίωσε μια τεραστίων διαστάσεων φούσκα στην αγορά ακινήτων την δεκαετία του 2000, οι πάγιες επενδύσεις σε κατοικίες, ξεπέρασαν το φράγμα του 50% του συνόλου μόνο για τρία έτη. Αντίθετα στην Ελλάδα, το ποσοστό αυτό ήταν μεγαλύτερο του 50% για 25 έτη την περίοδο 1960 – 1991.Όταν ένα τέτοιο φαινόμενο διαρκεί μερικά χρόνια, όπως στην περίπτωση της Ιρλανδίας, μιλάμε για μια φούσκα. Όταν διαρκεί αρκετά χρόνια μιλάμε για μια στρέβλωση. Όταν διαρκεί τρεις δεκαετίες όπως στην περίπτωση της Ελλάδας μιλάμε για μια βαθύτατη και δομική στρέβλωση.

 Ποιες είναι όμως οι συνέπειες της ύπαρξης αυτής της τόσο μακροχρόνιας και εκτεταμένης στρέβλωσης; Αν η κατανομή πόρων για την Ελληνική οικονομία τις προηγούμενες δεκαετίες δεν ήταν τόσο στρεβλή, ο εμπορεύσιμος τομέας της χώρας θα ήταν σίγουρα μεγαλύτερος. Αν οι επενδύσεις σε εξοπλισμό ήταν υψηλότερες ο μεταποιητικός κλάδος θα είχε χτιστεί σε ποιο στέρεες βάσεις καθώς οι εφαρμοζόμενες μέθοδοι παραγωγής θα ήταν εντάσεως κεφαλαίου και πιο σύγχρονες. Αυτό ίσως βοηθούσε να μην χαθεί το όποιο momentumείχε χτιστεί τις δεκαετίες 1960-1970, αυξάνοντας την ανταγωνιστικότητα του κλάδου και περιορίζοντας την ανάγκη του για προστασία από τον ανταγωνισμό.

Ως συνέπεια των παραπάνω οι ανισορροπίες στην οικονομία της χώρας θα μπορούσαν να είναι μικρότερες. Η προσαρμογή της ελληνικής οικονομίας σε ένα σενάριο «απότομης πάυσης» των κεφαλαιακών εισροών (suddenstop) όπως αυτό που βιώνουμε τώρα θα ήταν λιγότερο επώδυνη λόγω του μεγαλύτερου μεγέθους του εμπορεύσιμου τομέα της χώρας.Αυτό που έκανε την παρούσα προσαρμογή της χώρας τόσο επώδυνη ήταν η ανυπαρξία ενός έστω στοιχειώδους μεγέθους εξαγωγικού κλάδου (όπως στην Ισπανία και την Πορτογαλία). Η έλλειψη εξαγωγικού know-how και δικτύων διανομής οδήγησε στην ανάγκη αυτά να οικοδομηθούν σε συνθήκες κρίσης την στιγμή που όλες οι χώρες προσπαθούσαν να αυξήσουν τα εξαγωγικά μερίδια αγοράς τους αφού δεν μπορούσαν να στηριχθούν στην εσωτερική ζήτηση.

Φυσικά οι δυνητικές θετικές συνέπειες μιας πιο ισορροποημένης κατανομής των πόρων είναι ευρύτερες και αφορούν την διατηρησιμότητα (sustainability) του αναπτυξιακού μοντέλου μιας οικονομίας. Το ελληνικό αναπτυξιακό μοντέλο ήταν σαθρό και γι’αυτό κατέρρευσε με τόσο πάταγο, παρασύροντας μαζί του, το βιοτικό επίπεδο των κατοίκων και το όποιο κοινωνικό κράτος υπήρχε στην χώρα. Τα πράγματα θα ήταν διαφορετικά αν το μοντέλο αυτό είχε οικοδομηθεί σε πιο στέρεες βάσεις και όχι με τέτοιες τερατώδεις στρεβλώσεις να υποβόσκουν.

Αναδημοσίευση: πηγή









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