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Viewing cable 08THESSALONIKI84, NORTHERN NOTES - NOVEMBER 2008

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08THESSALONIKI84 2008-12-04 14:39 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Thessaloniki
VZCZCXRO8523
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIK #0084/01 3391439
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041439Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0402
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 0444
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 0296
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THESSALONIKI 000084 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR EINV PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI SNAR GR
SUBJECT: NORTHERN NOTES - NOVEMBER 2008 
 
REF: A) THESSALONIKI 081, B) THESSALONIKI 051, C) THESSALONIKI 050, D) THESSALONIKI 083, E) THESSALONIKI 052 
 
THESSALONI 00000084  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Following is a summary of last month's major developments in 
Northern Greece: 
 
 
 
 
LAND SWAPS SCANDAL BETWEEN MONASTERY AND GOG RAGES ON 
 
1.  (U) On November 7, a Rodopi First Instance Court issued a 
decision that was originally rendered, but immediately 
suppressed, in 2003, which ruled that Vistonida Lake and its 
surrounding area do not belong to Vatopedi Monastery but rather, 
to the Greek state.  Vatopedi reportedly made a profit of over 
100 million euros in controversial land swaps with the Greek 
government.  Meanwhile, on November 30, the influential 
Metropolitan Anthimos of Thessaloniki openly criticized Father 
Superior Efrem of Vatopedi for presenting an "ugly image of 
Christianity and arming the hand of the Church's enemies" (Ref 
A.) 
 
GREEK SUGAR INDUSTRY CEASES TALKS WITH AMERICAN COMPANY OVER 
BIO-ETHANOL PRODUCTION UNIT 
 
2.  (U) On November 20, the board of the Greek Sugar Industry 
S.A. announced that it was discontinuing negotiations with U.S. 
companies Renew Energy and Cal West Pacific Ethanol for the 
privatization and transformation of the Industry's plants in 
Northern Greece into bio-ethanol production units.  Workers' 
representatives support the conversion and demand that the Sugar 
Industry itself should now undertake it.  A consultant involved 
in the privatization negotiations told post the international 
financial crisis and the decline in popularity of bio-ethanol 
production world-wide had made the privatization deal less 
attractive for potential investors.  He noted there is still a 
small chance the talks with the American companies will be 
revived. 
 
THESSALONIKI PORT CEO: PRIVATIZATION OF CARGO STATION OPERATION 
PROGRESSING SMOOTHLY 
 
3.  (U) The CEO of the Thessaloniki Port Authority Giannis 
Tsaras publicly dismissed rumors that emerged earlier this 
month, that Hutchison Port Holdings was going to freeze its 
plans to lease, operate and improve Thessaloniki's cargo station 
due to the credit crisis (Ref B.)  Tsaras told media the 
take-over will proceed as originally planned (ratified by 
Parliament before the end of January 2009.) A senior port 
executive confirmed to post that, while a number of contract 
details remain to be negotiated with Hutchison, January 2009 is 
still a realistic target date for parliamentary approval. 
Meanwhile, work slowdowns at the port to protest the 
privatization process continue to harm local businesses (cargo 
handling volume dropped by 42% in the last nine months according 
to the Port Authority) and have resulted in Middle Eastern ports 
being frequently used instead. 
 
THESSALONIKI CHAMBER HIRES SECURITY COMPANY TO REMOVE ILLEGAL 
VENDORS FROM STREETS 
 
4.  (U) On November 05, the Chamber of Professionals in 
Thessaloniki [Note:  a business chamber for small to medium- 
sized enterprises.  End note] announced a two-month contract 
with a private security company aimed at removing illegal street 
vendors from the city center.  Chamber President Mihalis 
Zorpidis has repeatedly accused the authorities of tolerating a 
practice that gravely harms the interests of his members.  Three 
weeks after the project began, a senior Chamber employee told 
post that almost 90% of illegal street vendors had left the city 
center as a result of the initiative.  He added, however, that 
greater effort by law enforcement officials is needed for 
lasting results, including through the introduction of mixed 
patrols involving police, customs officers, members of the 
financial crime squad and the trade directorate of the 
prefecture.  Despite the Chamber's efforts, post has not 
detected a significant decrease in the number of street vendors 
in major downtown areas. 
 
VIOLENT INCIDENTS IN AND AROUND ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY 
 
5.  (U) Local media reported that on November 21, approximately 
40 hooded individuals violently disrupted a discussion that was 
taking place in a University auditorium, in the presence of its 
rector Anastasios Manthos.  The intruders threw objects at the 
participants and shouted slogans against university development, 
the theme of the discussion, and for-profit activities.  No 
arrests were made.  In another incident on November 2, a group 
of around 50 people launched a series of attacks from within the 
University campus, smashing the windows of about 40 cars and 
 
THESSALONI 00000084  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
burning down a news kiosk.  The perpetrators made use of the law 
prohibiting police presence inside a university campus (Ref C.). 
 Annual November 17 demonstrations near the campus and 
throughout the downtown area were remarkably free of violence, 
probably due to a robust police presence and good cooperation 
between University authorities, police and the Thessaloniki 
First Instance Prosecutor (Ref D). 
 
ESFIGMENOU MONASTERY ZEALOT MONKS ACQUITTED BY THESSALONIKI 
COURT 
 
6.  (U) On November 20, the Thessaloniki Court of Appeals 
acquitted six zealot monks of the Esfigmenou Monastery in Mt. 
Athos, previously sentenced to two years in prison for 
disturbing the peace.  The zealot monks have been evicted from 
the Monastery by the Patriarch but refuse to leave.  They have 
clashed several times with other monks from the Monastery who 
support the Patriarch.  (Ref E.)  The court reached its decision 
after dismissing the available evidence as inconclusive. 
 
ANNOUNCEMENT OF EU TOBACCO SUBSIDY CUTS ANGERS THRACE FARMERS 
 
7.  (SBU) On November 20, the Agriculture Ministers of the EU 
member-states agreed to proceed to a 50% reduction of subsidies 
for the "big" tobacco farmers and a 30% reduction for the 
"small" ones.  The reductions would be effective January 1, 
2010.   Media have published differing accounts of the EU's 
plans for using the savings from reduced subsidies.  Reports 
that the EU planned to divert tobacco subsidy funds to 
development projects sparked protests around Thrace. 
 
MAJOR TURKISH BANK OPENS BRANCH IN THRACE 
 
8.  Ziraat Bankasi (Turkey's Agricultural Bank) opened a branch 
in Komotini this month.  The move was received warmly by Turkish 
minority leaders, while the Christian majority viewed it as 
another step by Turkey to increase influence over the 
Turkish/Muslim community.  One post contact who follows 
developments in Thrace expressed the opinion that it was a 
trade-off for an earlier purchase by the National Bank of Greece 
for a stake in Turkey's Finans Bank. 
 
DEA SEMINAR IN KOMOTINI AND THESSALONIKI 
 
9.  (U) On November 04, U.S. Embassy Athens DEA office, the U.S. 
Consulate General in Thessaloniki and Hellenic Police 
co-organized one-day anti-narcotics training seminars in the 
town of Komotini and in Thessaloniki for local police and Coast 
Guard officers.  The event drew wide, factual coverage from the 
local media.  Police Director of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace Major 
General Christos Nikolopoulos thanked DEA and conoffs profusely 
for organizing the seminar and expressed interest in hosting 
similar DEA seminars in the future.  Thessaloniki Coast Guard 
Chief Kalafatis also asked post to organize a seminar with DEA 
just for Coast Guard personnel early in 2009. 
 
U.S. ELECTIONS 
 
10.  (U) The U.S. Consulate General in Thessaloniki organized an 
Election Breakfast Watch on the occasion of the November 04 
Presidential elections.  The event was widely covered by the 
local media, including statements on the importance of the day 
by CG Yee and DPO King.  The elections also featured very 
comprehensively in the media of Northern Greece, mostly hailing 
the victory of President-elect Obama as "the arrival of a new 
era" and largely reflecting the public feeling of enthusiasm and 
anticipation. 
YEE