-Greetings! I can’t recall any prison sentences being handed down in recent years to those in charge during failures and mishandlings that resulted in loss of life, particularly among the leadership of the Fire Brigade or Civil Protection. While I’m not a judge, it seems logical that those responsible for the rescue efforts should be held accountable if people suffered for nearly 12 hours.
What’s disheartening is that yesterday’s verdict spared any political figures, as the law states that without intent, there are no charges. Meanwhile, SYRIZA and Kasselakis have joined forces on a parliamentary inquiry regarding Tempi, targeting Mitsotakis, yet they remain silent about the events in Mati.
We’re still waiting for their denunciation and protests against the judicial system that cleared Tsipras, Toskas, Dourou, and others involved in Mati, all of whom faced no significant charges. What’s the hold-up?
Basketball
-For the time being, cooler heads have prevailed—at least temporarily—and the basketball championship will continue. However, we await the decisions from the Sports Judiciary, and when they come, expect more drama.
I maintain that the spectacle from yesterday, broadcast live, was entirely unnecessary. At the very least, the president of Panathinaikos should have given the Olympiakos hooligans a piece of his mind for disrespecting his family. The law will be enforced regardless.
The meeting…
-According to my source, “at the meeting, the Angelopoulos brothers expressed their dissent (cordially), asserting they should not be equated with Giannakopoulos, as they neither swore, made obscene gestures, nor stormed the court—and they insisted that the law must be upheld.”
The government replied, “we’re not equating anyone—we simply want the matches to be peaceful and free from incidents. Rest assured, the Sports Judiciary will carry out its responsibilities.”
Mylonakis
-Additionally, my source revealed that Mylonakis has taken on the demanding task of negotiating with the Angelopoulos camp since early yesterday. He was the one who persuaded them to join the meeting with him and Vroutsis.
Somewhere in the background, I suspect the government’s potential decision to transfer the SEF (Peace and Friendship Stadium) to Olympiakos Basketball Club contributed to the calming effect. I didn’t catch who handled Giannakopoulos, though.
Gerapetritis–Sisi
-In the striking new building of Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, situated in Sisi’s newly constructed administrative capital outside old Cairo, G. Gerapetritis had a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Mr. Abdelati.
The reception and hospitality were warm. Before their official discussions, Mr. Abdelati presented Mr. Gerapetritis with historical files from the Egyptian foreign ministry’s archives containing diplomatic documents and agreements between Greece and Egypt dating back to the 19th century.
It appears the discussion concerning the Monastery was challenging, as the Egyptians are firmly adhering to the court ruling. Their expanded delegation consisted primarily of officials from the justice ministry and judges focused on elucidating the “legal aspects” post-verdict.
However, the Greek side remained firm on the political significance and emphasized the international legal obligations surrounding world heritage monuments.
During the private discussions, both sides reaffirmed the importance of Greek-Egyptian relations—not just for Greece but for Egypt as well.
The practical challenge is that the conversation has reverted to the starting point due to the Egyptian court’s decision. In these new negotiations, Athens is particularly focused on having the Monastery recognized as a legal entity while maintaining its religious character and continuity, which is tied to the presence of monks and the necessary funding.
Technical discussions are set to take place in the coming days and weeks to find a new solution, with ownership issues also on the horizon.
It’s a complex situation—and it’s possible the Egyptians may attempt to delay discussions again, although they likely did not anticipate the scale of backlash from Greece and the Orthodox community.
They’ve received the message: any underhanded tactics involving the Monastery of Sinai would significantly harm Egypt’s global image.
That said, the gracious Egyptian Foreign Minister ensured that no one left before sharing a meal on the 9th floor of the ministry with views of the grand government buildings—despite it being late and the Greek delegation running behind schedule for their airport departure.
Intervention in Zoning Offices and Evaluation Vol. 2
-If you missed it, during yesterday’s public sector evaluation presentation, K.M. essentially pointed out interference in Building Permit Services (Zoning Offices), acknowledging the dire situation.
I hear that upcoming changes will primarily focus on the e-adeies system, but more details are anticipated. Just so you know, the evaluation will be repeated this fall—right after the October 28th parade. Citizens will again be invited to provide input, which is when the government will assess what has genuinely changed.
Attica Bank Hits the Markets
-Now let’s shift to market news, starting with Attica Bank, which plans to enter the money markets this week with an AT1 bond issuance worth €100 million. The issue will be managed by Euroxx, Ambrosia Capital, and Pantelakis Securities.
This will mark Attica Bank’s first international bond issue—an indication of renewed investor confidence due to the business strategy being rolled out by CEO Eleni Vrettou. The bank has cleared its non-performing loans and left its troubled past behind.
The management also intends to issue a subordinated TIER II bond, the size of which will largely hinge on the success of today’s AT1 bond offering.
Revolut and the… Doctors
-Recently, I noted that Revolut is heightening competition among banks in the Greek market. With 1.5 million Greek customers and a 162% increase in peer-to-peer transactions, it’s preparing to launch a physical branch in Athens.
Revolut’s success isn’t solely due to competitive fees and commissions; it’s also because it doesn’t face the same tax scrutiny traditional banks do.
Rumor has it that many professionals, including prominent ones like doctors, maintain accounts with Revolut for clients who prefer card payments.
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