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Viewing cable 08THESSALONIKI80, NORTHERN NOTES - OCTOBER 2008

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08THESSALONIKI80 2008-11-06 06:05 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Thessaloniki
VZCZCXRO4260
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIK #0080/01 3110605
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060605Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0394
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 0290
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 0436
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THESSALONIKI 000080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL SOCI SMIG GR MK BK BU MW AL HR
SUBJECT: NORTHERN NOTES - OCTOBER 2008 
 
REF: A) ATHENS 01291, THESSALONIKI 078 
 
THESSALONI 00000080  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Following is a summary of last month's major developments in 
Northern Greece: 
 
 
 
NORTHERN GREEK PROPERTIES AT THE CENTER OF CONTROVERSIALLAND 
SWAPS BETWEEN THE GOG AND MONASTERY 
 
1.      For a second month, the scandal involving controversial 
land swaps between the GoG and Vatopedi Monastery of Mt. Athos 
was a dominant story (Ref A.)   Media and post contacts 
speculate the scandal could claim more GoG officials beyond the 
two ministers it has already claimed, as a Parliamentary 
Committee began investigating the affair on October 30.  The 
vast majority of the plots of land illegally traded were in 
Northern Greece, including Lake Vistonida.  On October 24, the 
Justice Ministry announced its decision that Lake Vistonida is 
public property, a decision that Vatopedi Monastery's Father 
Superior Efrem immediately challenged, arguing that 
Byzantine-era decrees gave the land to Vatopedi.  Efrem also 
threatened to appeal the decision to the European Court of 
Justice. 
 
GREECE INVITES FORMER ENEMIES TO NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS 
 
2.      Greek MoD Evangelos Meimarakis invited his counterparts 
from southeastern European countries to attend the festivities 
that took place in Thessaloniki, on the occasion of October 28, 
Greece's National Day [Note: On October 28, 1940, Greece 
dismissed a surrender-or-be-invaded ultimatum offered to her by 
Italy and thus, entered WWII. End Note](Ref B.)  All invited 
countries attended, except Macedonia.  Guests included senior 
representatives of Turkey and war-time enemies of Greece, 
including Italy, Albania, and Croatia.  The reconciliatory 
gesture, made for the first time, was commended by the Greek 
President of the Republic Papoulias, as well as by all major 
political parties and mainstream media in Greece.  While 
marching in the traditional military parade, a unit of special 
forces veterans shouted "Macedonia is Greek and will never be 
given to Skopje."  Media reported complaints by Macedonian 
officials about the chanting, including MoD Zoran Korianovski 
who stated that he had anticipated such incidents, and for that 
reason had declined the invitation. 
 
 
 
 
SIEMENS PLANT IN THESSALONIKI "UNLIKELY TO SURVIVE" 
 
3.      On October 2, a group of Siemens employees rallied in 
Athens, protesting against the announced closure of the 
Thessaloniki plant.  They also met with a representative from 
the Ministry of Finance and requested the GoG's intervention in 
the matter.  No government MPs from Thessaloniki attended the 
meeting, a fact presented in the local "Makedonia" as 
"indicative of how much the government cares about Siemens."  A 
former Siemens executive told us Siemens headquarters wants to 
close the plant and sell the land.  Local politicians have 
declined to intervene on behalf of workers for fear of being 
tied to the Siemens bribery scandal.  The plant's staff of 240 
is expected to be laid off by March 2009. 
 
BODIES OF IRAQI ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DISCOVERED BY FISHERMEN 
 
4.      The bodies of eight Iraqi illegal immigrants were 
discovered by fishermen on October 6, when they were caught in 
the fishermen's nets.  Among the dead, was an 11-year old child. 
 The incident happened in the waters off Alexandroupolis, Thrace 
and media reported that the victims drowned in their effort to 
cross the Greek-Turkish border by boat.  On October 31, 
fishermen discovered a young Muslim woman's body in a state of 
advanced decomposition in the same waters.  Authorities believe 
that she drowned in the same incident. 
 
EDITORS OF TURKOPHONE PAPER IN THRACE SENTENCED FOR "INCITING 
HATRED" 
 
5.      The two editors of the Turkish-language newspaper "Millet" 
were sentenced on October 17 by a Thrace Court to twelve months 
in prison, suspended for three years.  They had been charged by 
the Prosecutor for "inciting hatred and endangering the peace." 
"Millet" had featured articles, in which two leaders of the 
Pomak community were described as "traitors" and "collaborators 
of the Muslims' sworn enemies, the Christians."  Local contacts 
informed post that the trial took place in a packed and passion 
filled courtroom, and that attendees included most leading 
figures of the Muslim minority community.  The two Pomaks have 
also filed a lawsuit against the newspaper for libel.  On a 
different note, new MFA Director of Political Affairs in Thrace 
 
THESSALONI 00000080  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Alexis Alexandris and departing Turkish CG in Komotini Ahmed 
Demirer gave interviews to the local press, in which they made 
positive comments about the region and expressed optimism about 
its future. 
 
SHOOTING RANGE OUTSIDE FLORINA CAUSES FRICTION ON 
GREEK/MACEDONIAN BORDER AREA 
 
6.   Residents of the bilingual (Greek/Slav) village of Lofoi, 
outside Florina, reacted violently to planned military exercises 
scheduled to take place at a shooting range near their village. 
They had asked that the shooting range be moved because they 
felt that its presence damaged their land and crops and also 
endangered their health.  When heavy army vehicles appeared on 
October 14, locals protested against them, obstructed public 
transport and resisted police intervention.  Seven people were 
eventually charged with the above offences.  Neighboring 
Macedonia's media reportedly described the incident as an 
"uprising of Macedonians against the Greek army," a claim 
refuted by the locals who issued a press statement, denouncing 
the support of "self-invited protectors."  Four Macedonian TV 
journalists were arrested for filming a military camp during the 
above incident and were later released, the Florina police 
director told press. 
 
DAS COLLEEN GRAFFY VISITS THESSALONIKI 
 
7.  During an October 10 visit to Thessaloniki, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Public Affairs Colleen Graffy participated in a 
roundtable discussion with local officials and prominent 
academics about environmental protection organized by the 
Thessaloniki-based Balkan Environmental Center.  Meeting 
participants agreed to pursue closer U.S.-Greek cooperation on 
wetland protection and other joint initiatives.  The Center 
agreed to cooperate with similar international centers, 
including in the Middle East.  DAS Graffy also addressed 
students at two prominent private schools and a roundtable 
discussion with university students on the environment, soft 
power and the role of public diplomacy.  She also gave an 
interview to state TV.  Local media covered her visit factually, 
mentioning her views on "green" diplomacy and her interest in 
the environmental problems of Northern Greece. 
YEE