Greece expecting 19 million tourists this year

The association of Greek tourism enterprises SETE reiterated its confidence that the target of 19 million tourist arrivals set for 2014 will be met.

According to SETE’s data on international arrivals in the January-July period, all the major airports in the country posted double-digit increases in July.

The highest rates were recorded in Athens (an increase of 31 per cent), Chania (22.9 per cent), Mykonos (39.9 per cent), Santorini (26.7 per cent) and Kalamata (62.5 per cent).


Athens is still on a recovery trend with a higher than 25 per cent increase in July and 31 per cent rise in the seven-month period and looks set to exceed the 2014 target of 750 000 additional arrivals.
[http://sofiaglobe.com]
13/8/14
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Related:

• Greek export, tourist companies oppose likely sanctions against Russia...

• Μειώνονται οι ρώσοι τουρίστες στη Ευρώπη. – Πτώση 30% μετά την επιβολή κυρώσεων

Earthquakes - Magnitude 4.2/4.8 - CRETE, GREECE - 2014-06-01......local time: 01:08/15:05.....20 km S of Ierápetra/61 km S of Tympáki

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1. Magnitude    ML 4.2
Region    CRETE, GREECE
Date time    2014-05-31 22:08:28.8 UTC
Location    34.84 N ; 25.81 E
Depth    5 km
Distances    396 km SE of Athens, Greece / pop: 729,137 / local time: 01:08:28.8 2014-06-01
81 km SE of Irákleion, Greece / pop: 137,154 / local time: 01:08:28.8 2014-06-01
40 km S of Ágios Nikólaos, Greece / pop: 10,799 / local time: 01:08:28.8 2014-06-01
20 km S of Ierápetra, Greece / pop: 12,536 / local time: 01:08:28.8 2014-06-01  ...........

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• 2. M 4.8 - CRETE, GREECE - 2014-06-01 ..... local time: 15:05

2. Magnitude    ML 4.8
Region    CRETE, GREECE
Date time    2014-06-01 12:05:49.8 UTC
Location    34.55 N ; 24.55 E
Depth    10 km
Distances    388 km S of Athens, Greece / pop: 729,137 / local time: 15:05:49.8 2014-06-01
102 km SW of Irákleion, Greece / pop: 137,154 / local time: 15:05:49.8 2014-06-01
61 km S of Tympáki, Greece / pop: 4,923 / local time: 15:05:49.8 2014-06-01

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Greece unhappy over Syrian chemical weapons destruction

MV Cape Ray

Greece has expressed concerns regarding the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons in the Mediterranean Sea the country’s Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos said Tuesday
Venizelos stated that Greece and its heavily populated island, Crete, have reservations and would “prefer those chemical gases to be destroyed out in the Atlantic Ocean.”

He added that if the destruction is to take place in the Mediterranean Sea, there should be guarantees regarding the effects on the environment and tourism and that the EU should monitor the process.

Last month thousands of Cretans protested against the destruction of Syrian chemicals off the coast of their island.

However, the U.S. ship MV Cape Ray is preparing to destroy more toxic substances from Syria after receiving the material at an Italian port. The ship while in the Mediterranean will destroy the dangerous substances via a process of hydrolysis, which will alter the chemicals so as to make them no longer dangerous. 
[aa.com.tr]
15/4/14
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Related:

• Παρέμβαση Αντ. της Κυβέρνησης και ΥΠΕΞ Ευ. Βενιζέλου για τη Συρία στο σημερινό ΣEY της ΕΕ (Λουξεμβούργο)

• Chemical waste worries Cretans. -Syrian chemical weapons arsenal to be destroyed in Mediterranean waters

 

Chemical waste worries Cretans. -Syrian chemical weapons arsenal to be destroyed in Mediterranean waters

Maja Jovic

The World Council of Cretans last week expressed its opposition and outrage to the proposed and 'secretly planned' destruction of chemical weapons from Syria in the Mediterranean sea areas west of Crete.
The response comes as the internationally praised August deal between the USA and Russia, to destroy the Syrian chemical arsenal, failed. The chemicals were meant to be transferred outside Syria by the end of December 2013 and destroyed by June 2014.
With the December deadline already missed, discussions now suggest the possibility of chemical waste being dumped in the Mediterranean, in an area between Crete, Malta and Libya. This scenario is becoming likelier since Italy has promised to offer a port for the two Danish and Norwegian ships which will transport the lethal chemical weapons.

The president of the World Council of Cretans, Tony Tsourdalakis, told Neos Kosmos that the council condemns this decision that could have a catastrophic impact on the island.
"We condemn the decision of the respective government to dump the Syrian chemicals to the South of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea. This is a catastrophic decision of huge proportions, that will not only harm sea life, but will possibly cause health and contamination issues. Most importantly, it will deter tourists from the south coastal beaches of Crete, putting a large dint in the Greek tourist industry," he told Neos Kosmos.

Mr Tsourdalakis said the council believed that responsibility for the preservation and destruction of the chemical weapons lies with the countries of production that supplied the weapons to Syria.
"Certainly this was not Greece. The World Council of Cretans - and in particular the 500 Cretan organisations globally and one million Cretans in and out of Crete - express their utmost concerns and condemn these actions. We urge the Greek government, via its role in the United Nations and in light of the fact that it has the European presidency, to request that this dangerous, criminal and unacceptable action ceases immediately."
"We unite our voice with the voice of all Greeks to stop this crime that will certainly affect the health of nearby countries and even more Greece," he said.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has estimated that about 1,300 tons of chemical weapons, most of which are mustard gas based, will be destroyed via hydrolysis.
In the light of concerns over the environmental and health impact of the planned destruction of Syria's chemical arsenal in international waters west of Chania, intense concerns and opposition were expressed by the Medical Association of Chania.

"The procedure to be followed has not been elucidated completely and could possibly pose serious risks to the ecosystem of the region and the bordering regions, such as Chania. In particular, the reported hydrolysis process is not sufficient for complete inactivation of the derivatives of the quantities of chemical weapons of Syria to be destroyed," it was said in the statement.
The Medical Association of Chania urged the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Use of Chemical Weapons, the two organisations responsible for the destruction process of those chemicals, to adjust their schedules and to provide ultimate safety in the areas of chemical processing.
 http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/chemical-waste-worries-cretans
24/1/14
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Related:
 

• Massive protests in Italy due to arrival of toxic cargo from Syria 

• ΥΠΕΞ: Ανακοίνωση Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών για το ζήτημα της καταστροφής των χημικών όπλων του συριακού οπλοστασίου

• Italian mayors want guarantees on Syrian chemical transfer

• First chemical materials removed from Syria by ship

• Danish, Norwegian ships leave Limassol port for Syrian seacoast

• Nordic ships on call for Syria chemical shipment...

• Vessels for Syrian Chemical Arms Removal Dock in Cyprus

• OPCW Executive Council adopts plan for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons programme in the first half of 2014

Ισχυρός σεισμός δυτικά από τα Χανιά 6.4M - Μετασεισμοί 3.4 - 4.1M / Quake of 6.4 magnitude detected west of Crete.

Ισχυρή σεισμική δόνηση 6.4 Ρίχτερ σύμφωνο με το Ευρωμεσογειακό Ινστιτούτο σημειώθηκε στις 4:12 με επίκεντρο 64 χιλιόμετρα δυτικά από τα Χανιά.

Η σεισμική δόνηση ήταν μεγάλης διάρκειας και έγινε ιδιαίτερα αισθητή σε όλη τη νότια Ελλάδα.

Σύμφωνε με Κρητικά ΜΜΕ, ο σεισμός ήταν ιδιαίτερα μεγάλης διάρκειας και σημειώθηκε στη θαλάσσια περιοχή μεταξύ Καστελίου Κισσάμου και Αντικηθύρων.

Το εστιακό του βάθος ήταν 23 χιλιόμετρα σύμφωνα με το Γεωδυναμικό Ινστιτούτο του Εθνικού Αστεροσκοπείου Αθηνών και 47 χιλιόμετρα σύμφωνα με το  Ευρωμεσογειακό Ινστιτούτο.
12/10/13

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• Quake of 6.4 magnitude detected west of Crete

An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude was detected in the Mediterranean Sea west of the island of Crete on Saturday, but there were no reports of casualties or damage, the Greek police and fire brigade said.
The center of the quake, which struck at 1311 GMT, was 22.5 miles below the seabed 43 miles west of Chania on Crete, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
12/10/13
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M 6.4 - CRETE, GREECE - 2013-10-12 13:11:54 UTC...... local time: 16:11.....64 km W of Chaniá...

Magnitude Mw 6.4 Region CRETE, GREECE Date time 2013-10-12 13:11:54.0 UTC Location 35.56 N ; 23.31 E Depth 47 km Distances 271 km S of Athens, Greece / pop: 729,137 / local time: 16:11:54.0 2013-10-12 168 km W of Irákleion, Greece / pop: 137,154 / local time: 16:11:54.0 2013-10-12 64 km W of Chaniá, Greece / pop: 54,565 / local time: 16:11:54.0 2013-10-12 28 km W of Plátanos, Greece / pop: 1,077 / local time: 16:11:54.0 2013-10-12

Source parameters reviewed by a seismologist


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Μετασεισμοι 5:15......3.4-4.1Μ

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 Μετασεισμοί ώρα,6:30

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Γεωδυναμικό Ινστιτούτο του Εθνικού Αστεροσκοπείου Αθηνών

 

ΚΡΗΤΗ: Νέος σεισμός 5.9 στο ίδιο επίκεντρο στις 00: 39 /M 5.9 - CRETE, GREECE - 2013-06-16 21:39:05 UTC/Μετασεισμοί (3.4-4.0Μ)

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Νέα ισχυρή σεισμική δόνηση μεγέθους 5,9 βαθμών της κλίμακας Ρίχτερ σημειώθηκε στις 00:39 στον θαλάσσιο χώρο νότια της Κρήτης, στο ίδιο επίκεντρο και βάθος 12 km.


Η δόνηση έγινε 416 χιλιόμετρα νότια νοτιοανατολικά της Αθήνας και 94 χιλιόμετρα νότια νοτιοανατολικά του Τυμπακίου, 107 χιλιόμετρα νότια από το Ηράκλειο.
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Magnitude     Mw 5.9 Region CRETE, GREECE Date time 2013-06-16 21:39:05.0 UTC Location 34.37 N ; 24.99 E Depth 12 km Distances 416 km S of Athens, Greece / pop: 729,137 / local time: 00:39:05.0 2013-06-17 107 km S of Irákleion, Greece / pop: 137,154 / local time: 00:39:05.0 2013-06-17 71 km S of Pýrgos, Greece / pop: 1,134 / local time: 00:39:05.0 2013-06-17

Source parameters reviewed by a seismologist


More information at:

 National Observatory of Athens, Geodynamic Institute Athens, Greece
 Department of Geophysics, University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
 University of Patras, Seismological Laboratoty Patras, Greece
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ΜΕΤΑΣΕΙΣΜΟΙ 06: 00

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ΚΡΗΤΗ: 5,9 R δίνει το σεισμό το Γεωδυναμικό/M 6.0 - CRETE, GREECE - 2013-06-15 16:11:00 UTC/Μετασεισμοί (4.5-4.8Μ)

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Ισχυρή σεισμική δόνηση μεγέθους 5,9 βαθμών της κλίμακας Ρίχτερ σημειώθηκε στις 19.11 στον θαλάσσιο χώρο νότια της Κρήτης.
Σύμφωνα με επίσημη ανακοίνωση του Γεωδυναμικού Ινστιτούτου του Εθνικού Αστεροσκοπείου Αθηνών, ο σεισμός εντοπίζεται 84 χιλιόμετρα νότια νοτιοανατολικά από του Τυμπακίου Ηρακλείου, 143 νότια νοτιοδυτικά της Ιεράπετρας και 483 χιλιόμετρα νότια νοτιοανατολικά της Αθήνας. Το εστιακό βάθος υπολογίζεται στα 10 χιλιόμετρα.


Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, τα πρώτα λεπτά μετά τον σεισμό υπήρξαν μικροπροβλήματα σε ηλεκτρονικές συσκευές και στο διαδίκτυο, αλλά δεν έχουν αναφερθεί τραυματισμοί ή ζημιές.
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Magnitude mb 6.0 Region CRETE, GREECE Date time 2013-06-15 16:11:00.0 UTC Location 34.27 N ; 24.96 E Depth 10 km Distances 426 km S of Athens, Greece / pop: 729,137 / local time: 19:11:00.0 2013-06-15 118 km S of Irákleion, Greece / pop: 137,154 / local time: 19:11:00.0 2013-06-15 82 km S of Pýrgos, Greece / pop: 1,134 / local time: 19:11:00.0 2013-06-15

Source parameters reviewed by a seismologist


More information at:

 National Observatory of Athens, Geodynamic Institute Athens, Greece
 Department of Geophysics, University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
 University of Patras, Seismological Laboratoty Patras, Greece ------

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ΜΕΤΑΣΕΙΣΜΟΙ 20:20

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21:00

Magnitude     Mw 6.2 Region CRETE, GREECE Date time 2013-06-15 16:10:59.0 UTC Location 34.24 N ; 24.97 E Depth 10 km Distances 430 km S of Athens, Greece / pop: 729,137 / local time: 19:10:59.0 2013-06-15 121 km S of Irákleion, Greece / pop: 137,154 / local time: 19:10:59.0 2013-06-15 85 km S of Pýrgos, Greece / pop: 1,134 / local time: 19:10:59.0 2013-06-15

Source parameters reviewed by a seismologist


More information at:

 National Observatory of Athens, Geodynamic Institute Athens, Greece
 Department of Geophysics, University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
 University of Patras, Seismological Laboratoty Patras, Greece
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2. ΜΕΤΑΣΕΙΣΜΟΙ 21:00

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