NORTHERN NOTES - FEBRUARY 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THESSALONIKI 000009 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ODIP OPRC PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG SOCI GR TU SUBJECT: NORTHERN NOTES - FEBRUARY 2009 REF: THESSALONIKI 081 THESSALONI 00000009 001.2 OF 002 Following is a summary of last month's major developments in Northern Greece: SHARIA LAW OVERRULED BY GREEK COURTS ¶1. (SBU) In Komotini, a Muslim woman challenged successfully a decision by the local mufti to give custody of two of her four children to her husband, reportedly an alcoholic suffering from psychological problems. On February 18, the Greek first instance Court of Rhodopi gave the woman custody of all four children. Greek courts generally defer to mufti decisions in family and civil matters, but such interventions may become more common. In March 2008, a Rhodopi first instance court over-ruled the mufti of Rodopi in an inheritance case. In neighboring Xanthi, a woman filed a lawsuit against the local Mufti for giving her former husband custody of her child. She and her husband had signed a private agreement allowing her to retain custody of the child. OPENING OF TURKISH BANK IN KOMOTINI CREATES CONTROVERSY ¶2. (SBU) On February 18, the Turkish Agricultural Bank Ziraat opened a new branch in Komotini, Thrace amidst controversy and suspicions about its intentions. The Bank got off to a rocky start by sending invitations for the opening event only in Turkish and English. The invitation also bore the Turkish name for the city, used during the Ottoman era. Greek officials returned the invitations and did not attend the opening, despite receiving corrected invitations faxed just before the event. Local media described the incident as a major scandal and circulated a number of conspiracy theories. A rumor the branch would employ only Muslims from the area heightened local concerns. Former Muslim MP Ishmael Rodoplou further politicized the event by stating that "at last, there will be a bank to help poor Muslims." An MFA official told us he believed the gaffe was unintentional, attributable to incompetence, not any political agenda. He noted, however, "Ziraat did not start well. If it was looking to be one more bridge that would connect the two peoples, it is unlikely it will succeed." 23,847 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED IN WESTERN MACEDONIA IN 2008 ¶3. (SBU) Greek Police announced in February that during 2008 they arrested 23,847 illegal immigrants in Western Macedonia (bordering Macedonia and Albania). Of those, 13,159 were arrested in the Prefecture of Kastoria (on the Greek-Albanian border.) In another report, local media claimed that part of the Greek-Macedonia border was now a "soft spot" for illegal immigration, mainly due to shortage of staff in that area. In a visit by post to the border in December 2008 however, Police Director of the border area, Major Pavlos Efthimiadis, stated that he faced no operational problems and commented positively on the levels of co-operation with neighboring Macedonian authorities. ANOTHER SUSPICIOUS LAND TRANSFER INVOLVING CHURCH AND STATE ¶4. (U) The Thessaloniki Prosecutor ordered a preliminary investigation into the transfer of 7.9 acres of land from the Prefecture of Thessaloniki to the local Greek Orthodox Metropolis. The transfer took place in 1997, but the Church only recently obtained a permit that will allow it to build a 150-bed care center for the chronically ill on the property. Opposition parties called the transaction "illegal" as the plot of land lies in what is really, they claim, a forest area. Metropolitan Anthimos defended the project in his televised Sunday sermon, noting the social welfare needs that the Church is called upon to meet. He also accused critics of the deal, of "targeting the Church." Prefect Panayiotis Psomiadis also spoke of the important social contribution the care center can make, THESSALONI 00000009 002.2 OF 002 adding that the decision to "give away" the land was well within his authority. The Church and GoG have been harshly criticized over the past year for alleged complicity in illegal land deals involving one of Greece's most revered Mt. Athos monasteries, Vatopedi (Reftel.) GREEK VEHICLE INDUSTRY TURNOVER DROPS SUBSTANTIALLY ¶5. (U) In 2008, the Greek Vehicle Industry recorded the lowest turnover in the last twenty years, its cycle of work dropping by 51.6%, to 40.6m (turnover for 2007 stood at 83.9m.) Losses rose to 14.6m, compared to 1m in 2007. Media report that the 700 workers are only employed thanks to the assembly of the Leopard II tank which is currently being undertaken by the Industry. Media also claim that only participation in the construction of the Russian BMP-3 tank can give the Industry a new lease of life. TRUCK OWNERS BLOCK BORDERS AND PORTS, IN PROTEST OF UNFAIR COMPETITION ¶6. (U) Truck owners have blocked the borders with neighboring Turkey, Bulgaria and Macedonia, as well as Western Greek ports, in protest of what they claim are illegal practices by their colleagues from the wider Balkan region. They accuse neighboring truck owners of transferring goods to and from Greece without the necessary permits and other required documents. The truck owners also criticize the authorities for prosecuting them, every time they report the presence of illegal immigrants on the back of their trucks. Representatives of chambers have voiced concerns that the new mobilization will further hit business, already in the midst of a very difficult period. NARCOTICS - SEIZURES AND ARRESTS ¶7. (U) A Bulgarian couple was arrested by the "Kipi" Customs Police (on the Greek-Turkish border) for attempting to smuggle into the country 100 packs of heroin, weighing a total of 57.8 kilos. The couple later claimed they were heading to France. Two days later, an Italian national was arrested at the same location -"Kipi" Customs Police- for carrying 38 kilos of heroin. Police have indicated to post that they believe there was a common source of heroin in the two incidents. In another case, an Albanian national was arrested at the Greek-Albanian border for trying to smuggle into Greece a total of 10 kilos of heroin, in a Greek-plated car. Finally, Greek Police have arrested four Greek nationals and an Egyptian national, close to the Greek-Albanian border. The five had just received 162.5 kilos of hashish from Albanian dealers. As part of ongoing cooperation in combating narcotics trafficking, Athens-based DEA officials and ConGen Thessaloniki organized anti-narcotics seminars for Greek police, customs and financial police in Thessaloniki and Kozani on February 19 and 20. YEE