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Early on Sunday morning hundreds of members of the Greek police force raided an unofficial refugee camp in the Greek port of Patras as part of a nationwide 'clean sweep" operation. The camp which has been in existence for nearly a decade was home to hundreds of immigrants, mainly from Afghanistan hoping to sneak aboard trucks headed for Italy.
See here for BBC footage. www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0OFotZdKC4
Using bulldozers the local authorities razed to the ground the shacks and huts that until recently housed an estimated 150 people. Several fires were reported as a result of the raid and according to official police sources 44 minors were detained along with 30 adults who will be held in a reception centre until they are deported. The raid has been criticised as "inhuman" and called a "pogrom" by the left wing SYRIZA party and the Greek Communist party.
The ruling New Democracy party has also announced that it will set up internment camps throughout the country to house those who do not have a legal right to stay in the country. It should be noted that at present Greece grants asylum to 0.1% of those who apply for it and has been repeatedly criticised by Amnesty International, other European governments and the UNHCR for its treatment of refugees and immigrants.
On the other hand the latest poll carried out by Public Issue found that 93% of those questioned thought that Greece could not take in any more immigrants and that 62% said that immigration is probably harming Greece.
Stung by his party's poor showing in the recent European elections prime minister Kostas Karamanlis has decided to get tough on the issue of immigration in order to avoid losing more support to the far right LAOS party. With the possibility of general elections in either September or March 2010 at the latest Karamanlis is hoping that a tough stance on crime and immigrants will help bring back voters who have deserted the party in droves after two years of corruption and influence peddling scandals involving several government ministers
my.nowpublic.com/world/greek-police-raze-refugee-camp-ground
Fritillaria graeca subsp. thessala (Greek fritillary) - or at least I think so - growing up beneath magnolias which have begun to cast aside their splendid spring raiment.
First I found the magnolias made a good background with a wider angle (and earlier in the season) where their flowers tinted the background pink which was a nice combination with the deep reds of some of the Fritillaria species (will put up an image eventually!). There is just enough left to make it out here, even though it is dark.
Then as the days went by and the magnolia petals piled up beneath, I arranged these with liberal artistic license until they contributed almost a pink coating of snow (also covers the bright green bush behind which competed too strongly otherwise, and the fairly lacklustre earth they sprung out of). I don't think I've done arrangements like this before, and was happy with the effect.
The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six (of an original twenty four) monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area. It is located near the town of Kalambaka at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains.
The water castle of Bourtzi (Greek: Μπούρτζι, from Ottoman Turkish برج - burc meaning "tower"; formerly Καστέλι, Kasteli) is located in the middle of the harbour of Nafplio.(Wikipedia)
Take a seat and rest. . .
Eat friends and the drink is coming !
I will also provide for an umbrella, if you like.