Education

Education

Education is one of the main policy pillars of any modern advanced state and possibly, the only guaranteed investment for the future of Greece. My goal is to make Greece an international center of education, research and innovation. Read More

Immigration Policy

Immigration Policy

The definition of migration policy is the cornerstone of the policy defined by each government in the modern era of globalization and international mobility. Greece has the largest number of immigrants among the EU countries compared to its population and the economic situation of the country.


Although Greece has adopted one of the most progressive laws on asylum in Europe, as acknowledged by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, problems remain and are located – above all – in unemployment and social security subject.

In Greece, the institutional framework for the conduct of immigration policy as supplemented by Law. 3838/2010 not only denies the opportunity of regularization of immigrants but also retains the logic of legal migration through complex transnational processes. These result to a migration admission policy that only aims to the absolute state control of flows in terms of meeting the demand for specialties that are not sufficiently available in the domestic labor market, while accepting the need for a one-off regularization of migrants that are already in Greece.

The fact that both the state apparatus and local authorities have not yet completed the infrastructure, human resources and knowledge required in such a mobilization management, is an obstacle to any reform policy undertaken. This means that the response of migrants to the practitioner migration policy is positive, whereas the administrative environment does not achieve high levels of effective operation. Impressive is the fact that even the individual responsible for the Ministry of Immigration does not know the exact number of immigrants who are in the country.

In the Evangelical Church with migrant communities

 

IMPARTIALITY – AWARENESS – COOPERATION

The migration policy of Greece requires a fundamental realignment focusing on the following areas:

  • Need for conservation of the mechanisms which guarantee the objective and impartial view of asylum applications.
  • Specialization of personnel involved to the competent authorities; either these that consider or decide on asylum requests.
  • Strengthening provisions concerning the method of service of the decision to the refugees, in order to adequately safeguard their right to judicial protection if recognized as political refugees.
  • Complete management of migratory flows, which will balance the inputs for humanitarian and economic reasons, combating the illegal entry; especially the entry through illegal channels.
  • Fair treatment of third country citizens who live and work in EU countries.
  • Cooperation with countries of origin to regulate migration flows.
  • Long quest for a common policy regarding political asylum.
  • Enlargement of the European Union with ten new member-states which will favor the migration to EU countries.
  • Family reunion, which is the most important form of migration influx in the European Union.
  • Joint division of costs between member states.
  • Unified management of external borders, the establishment of a European border guard
  • Socio-economic integration of immigrants, which requires policies (employment, vocational training, social protection, migrant education) involving both immigrants and the host societies.
  • Organization and operation of educational institutions, in the sense that education combined to family is a basic socialization factor.
  • Cooperation with migrants’ countries of origin, in the sense of providing financial assistance, for the purpose in the long term to eliminate the conditions that favor migration and control of illegal immigration and refugee movement.
  • Combating illegal immigration and cooperation with third countries.

Greece agrees with the provision-economic assistance for developing the necessary structures in third countries to reduce illegal immigration.

Public health

Public health

Public health is the highest good of modern societies and catalyst for development. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the state to protect the health of its citizens without discrimination. In the health sector cuts do not fit. We can provide high quality medical services to Greek citizens, despite the difficult economic climate.


Although, our country has the most paid for Health Care System in Europe, is unable to offer equivalent services to Greek citizens. Unequal distribution of hospitals, medical, nursing and auxiliary staff between the center and the periphery, lack of units and intensive care beds for adults and children, third-world treatment conditions, waste, mismanagement of resources and overall discomfort of patients and staff. This is the scene the citizens have to face on a daily basis. An integrated set of measures is needed, in order to reform the National Healthcare System by putting the citizen at the center of it.

Modernization – Volunteering – Solidarity

  • Hospitals accessible to everyone – public hospitals while any partnership with private entities should be subject to a strict regulatory framework,
  • Modernization of health systems –modern equipment – machinery automated system – medical health record for the entire population – electronic health card,
  • Decent wages for workers (medical, paramedical and nursing staff)
  • Combating corruption in hospitals – sachets,
  • Employee rating – removal of perjury,
  • Merit-based selection of the Hospital Governors – not special favor based recruitment,
  • Strengthening the functioning of primary care – municipal clinics – decongestion of major hospitals,
  • Institution of family doctors with free choice,
  • Ensure foreign uninsured citizens – non discriminatory care
  • Awareness of citizens about organ donation,
  • Rationalisation of health spending,
  • Establishment of Urban Health Centres in cities and parallel strengthening of existing health centers of the region for immediate and rapid patient service and decongesting hospitals,
  • Establishment of Mobile Health Units for seasonal needs and for isolated areas,
  • Cooperation of Health and Education Ministries for joint action in areas such as addressing addiction phenomena substances, diet and exercise for young people, sexual education and protection from sexually transmitted diseases.
Society – Family

Society – Family

If you put together all existing families you will come up with what we call society. It is very easy. So the higher the level of education within a family, the higher the level in the whole society.


One can see the quality of a family life in the mirror of society.

Family is the basic cell of an organized community. The institution of a family has been established even from the first steps of human existence, and until today it is of vital importance for the society as well as each person separately.

The purpose of having a family is to multiply. But it does not end there. After one forms a family, especially after children are born, there are plenty of unique moments and experiences that one could never feel outside the scope of the family life.

Within the family, the couple can see in each other the committed partner, the supporter in any difficulty, the one that will assist, advice, and provide sincere help in any case. In the face of their kids, parents see the source of happiness, their hope and the purpose of their life. On the other hand kids, see in their parents the guards of their safety, the guarantee of their rights, their source of inspiration, education and development, their leads in their way in life that is full of traps.

The important role of the family originates from the very past. During the centuries parents are devoted to raise their children. The result of this longstanding experience is that some kinds of rules have been developed. These rules are based more in the habit, rather than the science. They are passing from one generation to the other orally without examination, although the conditions of life have changed during this period. Nowadays the terms of life, raising, health, clothing, education, entertainment and behavior have been completely transformed. They are more complex so the role of the family needs to catch up these changes too.

In a society that is continuously changing, the family struggles to adapt in such a way to catch up with the new conditions. It is a fact that traditional forms of family are diminishing. What is more multi-member families also become scarcer and singles as well as divorce rates are multiplying. The scope also changes since after the divorce new families or single parent families are created.

Scientists started talking about demystification of traditional family model and its replacement of other types of families.

During the last years, the crisis has created insecurity among the youth hesitate to make their own family and have children. Even young couples do not wish to have children because of the crisis. We have reached the point of an IMF Greece becoming a childless country.

In order for a society to be healthy education, continuous information and social solidarity are fundamental.

It needs to be underlined that, the last years, with the crisis, this tendency is getting slightly vanished since numbers show that there are 1,522 children per woman during 2009, 1,504 for the year 2010 and even lower number in 2011.

Insecurity about future is all over the country a fact that acts as a constraint for the plans of creating a family since having children adds more costs to the family budget. Apart from that, couples are skeptical because they do not want to raise children in such a difficult environment and conditions.

A society, in order to be healthy, should provide:

  • Good education for children.
  • Constant briefing to parents.
  • Social solidarity.
  • Reinforcement of single parent and multi-child families.
  • Develop modern guidelines for adoption and foster care for underaged children.
  • Protection and social care for the elderly.

 

Environment and Energy

Environment and Energy

It is scientifically proven that climate change has been caused by human activities and their effects on the planet are expected to be disastrous. Ecosystem degradation, water scarcity, temperature rise, heatwaves, fires, floods, unhealthy atmosphere, pollutants, public health risk, reduced tourism and eventually economic downturn.

To prevent this scenario, we need to change the way we produce, consume and perceive energy. We need to implement a new energy resource management plan. And we owe it to our children above all. At national level, tackling climate change must be one of the key priorities of the ruling.

Required: Updating the existing development model by combining the protection of ecosystems with the use of new technological. Turning  to a low-carbon or zero carbon green economy using state-of-the-art technology. Horizontal co-ordination of all relevant actors involved towards mitigation and adaptation policies in the fields of energy, industry, agricultural production and many others.  Intensive control of the purity of the marine regions and all water resources in the country. Raising awareness and educating citizens on the impact of climate change on the natural environment as well as on preventive maritime protection and forest protection. New modern forest protection model with computerization and continuous monitoring of forest maps. Promoting eco-tourism in Greece.

Youth in action

Youth in action

Young people that experience the reality of today, are invited to take the reins and reform a new world; a better world both for themselves and for future generations. They live in doubt, stress, lack of trust and communication. According to surveys, the degree of hopelessness reaches 4.3 on a scale of 10. They face unemployment, accuracy, poverty, drugs, corruption, alienation and more!


In the face of unemployment and the problems outlined above, it is important to find outlets for young people. The main recourse of the “nervous” generation, as characterized, seems to be the “sanctuary” of family in which young people find the financial and emotional support they need.

At the founding of TILN in Copenhagen 2012 GMF

Friendship, love and entertainment are some of the outlets of young people; areas of an emotional nature that are opposite to their economical and professional problems. The conflict between obligations and desires, challenges and opportunities, deadlocks and vents, characterizes the experience of the new generation. Despite the disappointment, the indignation and fear for the future, young people set goals and strive for their dreams, chasing knowledge through participation, information and volunteering.

Do you belong to these people? Do you have vision and dreams that you wish to materialize? If so, you will surely find some of the actions of the EU program “Youth in Action” interesting.

Tourism

Tourism

Tourism is now the driving force and the most dynamically growing sector of the Greek economy since the participation in GDP is consistently above 15% and at times exceeded 18%. Moreover, it creates employment in a broad range of activities at different levels of knowledge and skill, especially among young people and in our region. Also, we should think that every Euro spent on tourism generates more than twice the secondary consumption in the rest of the economy.


Although tourism has been one of the main pillars of development in Greece for the past 30 years it has many lingering problems:

• 65% of tourism activity in Greece (over-) is concentrated in four areas.
• Under current conditions, the Greek tourism operates almost 80% of its potential.
• Confusion between service and servility sense spirit creates the anti-service syndrome, which possesses substantial part of those directly and indirectly dealing with tourism.
• The primary tourism product in Greece is excellent. However, the added value is not as good. Result, moderate final product, often overpriced, so uncompetitive.
• The disposal of Greek tourism product is made primarily from foreign Tos and distribution channels, which in no way influence.

These lingering problems and poor performance of previous periods, combined with the rise of our competitors and especially with the tourism policy deficit in Greece, confirm the need for active intervention in tourism.

I envision a Greece which, above all, will ensure a high living standard for its citizens, a Greece where all citizens of the world would like to live, either permanently or temporarily. A country which will be pleasant for its permanent residents would be both pleasant and attractive to its visitors as well as temporary residents.

Future tourism must:

  • Connect the values and meanings of Greek civilization to modern needs, expectations and perceptions of the globalized society, highlighting Greece at the forefront of the new age.
  • Contribute to the improvement of living standards of the inhabitants of Greece through the creation of employment and income.
  • Inform and protect tourists-consumers while guaranteeing the right to a quality vacation for all.
  • Take environmental protection and management initiatives with the preparation for tackling climate change.
  • Establish quality infrastructure across Greece to contribute to balanced regional development.Enhance the prestige of entrepreneurship in society while ensuring the viability and profitability of the business.
  • Give glory to the tourism industry and pride to employees.
  • Develop synergies with other sectors and the economy, creating and spreading even more benefits in all regions of Greece and larger sections of the population.Increase the competitiveness of Greece through a quality, value for money, world class “greek lifestyle experiences” tourist product.

 

According to this vision, tourism has got to become the main tool of the Greek government in order to achieve objectives of economic, social and environmental policy.