Crete News - February 2006 page 1

Sailors strike is ended

On Thursday 23rd February at 6pm the dock workers and sailors strike ended. The recent drama involved chaos in ports throughout Greece, and bitter conflict between farmers and sailors. The farmers reacted strongly to the strike because it meant that they were unable to move any produce to the markets of Greece and overseas. The farmers invaded the ports in numbers, demanding a resolution while their rotting produce was tipped onto harbour property.

After several days of strike, with the situation becoming more explosive, the government applied emergency laws to restore some order. Agricultural producers have suffered huge financial losses during this period and some are threatened with bankruptcy. On Friday 24th, the leaders of the four prefectures of Crete (or Nomarkhes), visited the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Basiakos, to ask for urgent compensation.

George Psychoundakis died at the age of 85

George Psychoundakis, writer and a hero of the Cretan Resistance in World War Two, has died in Chania, on January 29, at the age of 85. He will be known to many readers for his vivid account those years in the book, The Cretan Runner, translated into English by Patrick (now Sir Patrick) Leigh Fermor.

Born on November 3 1920 in the village of Asi Gonia in central Crete, he was the eldest of four children, born into a poor family. When the German occupation of Crete began, he was 21.

hile the Germans imposed their rule with crushing brutality, Psychoundakis was among many who guided straggling Allied soldiers over the mountains to the south coast, from where they could be evacuated. He then became a ‘runner’, carrying messages across the precipitous mountain ranges, narrowly avoiding capture and certain death on many occasions. His sure-footedness and speed earned him the respect of his comrades, his endless curiosity and wit ensured his place in the memory of all who met him.

In later years he looked after the German cemetery in Chania, although he never stopped reading and writing. After The Cretan Runner he wrote a book on the island’s legends and customs, Eagle’s Nest in Crete, and translated Hesiod’s Georgic Works and Days, as well as Homer’s Odyssey into Cretan verse in the style of the 17th Century epic Cretan poem, Erotokritos.

For a full story of this remarkable character, see the website below: http://home.freeuk.net/johndillon/the_cretan.htm or read about his hometown Asi Gonia.

New Airport in Heraklion

The proposed new airport in Kastelli is once again a big feature in the news. In November 2004, the Government, at that time PASOK, first spoke of an airport at Kastelli. The proposal then, as now, was that the international Nikos Kazantzakis Airport, located in Alikarnassos on the edge of Heraklion, should be moved to Kastelli, where a military airport currently stands.
Then, reactions from the main Opposition party, Nea Dimokratia, were negative, claiming the report was like the ‘work of infants’ without proper foresight and planning. Now in Government, ND are being accused, by the Opposition and some locals, of practically reproducing the earlier PASOK plan with few revisions, little initial groundwork, no local consultation and scarce forward thinking.
The announcement of any deal should be made in the near future and Crete Gazette will keep readers updated.

Koules in danger

Crete has been a pretty cool place in February, and by cool, we mean chilly. Rough seas, heavy rainfall and high winds have seen a small piece of Heraklion’s famous fortress, Koule, fall into the sea. In 2003, the previous government promised sufficient funding to restore and preserve this monument to the past. The problem of eroding foundations and crumbling stonework has been well known for twenty years, and action is now desperately overdue.

Also… Samaria Gorge

Also hit by severe winter rains, The Samaria Gorge may be closed this summer. Although no decision has yet been reached, it was agreed that major repairs need to be made. The repairs will cost an estimated 100,000 Euros for the walkway, with a further 600,000 needed to maintain the pier at Agia Roumeli. Chania officials asked that the Gorge not be opened during this year’s tourist season unless the repairs are completed. Greece’s Forestry Department must reach a decision soon to enable Crete’s most popular natural landmark to function safely.

Government re-shuffle promotes Cretan officials

The new parliament of Greece will hopefully offer Crete better representation, as natives of the island are promoted to high office. In addition to Manolis Kefaloyiannis, who remains as the Minister for Shipping, Dora Bakoyianni, previously the Mayor of Athens and prominent during the 2004 Olympics, has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. Also promoted in the re-shuffle, Giorgos Voulgarakis has been moved to the Department of Culture, and Vangelis Meymarakis has taken over as head of Defence. Yannis Kefaloyiannis has become a special advisor to the Prime Minister, Kostas Karamanlis.

The topping up of the government with Cretan members, it is hoped, will help to highlight and find solutions to many of the issues facing our island.

Vrahassi and Zoniana gain independence

The towns of Zoniana, Vrahassi, Milatos and Sissi have become independent after a seven year battle to separate themselves from the municipalities that previously governed them. Zoniana, famous for its cave on Psilortis mountain wanted to be an independent community, as did the villages of Vrahassi, Milatos and Sissi, who wanted separation from the Town Hall of Neapolis, Lasithi.

The Greek Government had promised this move after the general elections and have now fulfilled the pledge. This is the latest chapter in a long-running saga that has brought years of controversy, including protest in which the townspeople took to the streets, and on at least one occasion blocked the main highways. Now, Neapolis Municipality has protested that the profitable seaside towns have been taken from them without consultation or compensation.

Unfortunately, this has set a precedent that is potentially explosive for the governance of many other areas of Crete. The people of Atsipopoulo, a suburb of Rethymnon, recently staged a street protest, blocking a major road in the district. We may witness many more such calls for separation from municipalities who are not seen as sympathetic to local needs in this famously independent island.

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