https://youtu.be/tubczZvxM1g?feature=shared Wayne Hall and Nikos Vakolidis this October are making a first visit to Romania, to test the water for this: A proposal for upgrading the role of Romania in the European Union and at the same time dealing with the problem that universal suffrage increases reliance on the sections of the population most vulnerable to misinformation and delusion, facilitating warmongering, corruption, social and environmental ruin, in short the nightmare world that some are systematically organizing in the hope of replacing the unacceptable status quo with something they see as more advantageous to themselves. … Continue reading
Tag Archives: wayne hall
As a first (and hopefully not last) step towards an objective discussion of today’s situation of the European Union, outside of the logic of parties, parliamentary and “media” conflict, on 16th July there was, with the compliments of Mr. Paschalis and Mrs. Salomi Melissaris, a screening of an extract from the paper presented in 2009 by Mr. Ioannis Coccalas, entitled “From Altiero Spinelli’s Draft to the Treaty of Lisbon”. As Deputy Director of the European Parliament’s office in Athens, Mr Coccalas was at that time one of the speakers at the “Ioannis Capodistrias, Altiero Spinelli, Europe” conference held on 21st June 2009 in Aegina. An introduction to the 16th July screening was presented by Wayne Hall, member of the steering committee of the Aegina Association of Active Citizens. INTRODUCTION I would like us to be in agreement that in today’s discussion it will not be relevant whether we voted YES or NO in the referendum, whether it is mainly Simitis and Papandreou, Samaras and Venizelos, or Tsipras and Varoufakis who are most to blame for the present situation in Greece. I would like us to agree also that it is not going to be relevant today whether we prefer Greece … Continue reading
Discussion on Democracy and the European Union between Antigone Lyberaki, Wayne Hall and Christos Kotsireas, recorded 17/12/’13
The views of the economist Dimitris Kazakis on the importance of 26th January
(The interview was taken by Wayne Hall)
– Mr. Kazakis, you know that the foundation of the Greek state on 26th January 1828, the swearing-in of Capodistrias as Greece’s first governor, is something that has been celebrated – and is celebrated – only as a local festival in Aegina.
– Yes, it is well-known that on the 26th January 1828 governor Capodistrias established himself permanently in Greece with his headquarters in Aegina, founding the first government of the Greek state, following on the decision of the National Assembly at Troezen, with the difference that despite the fact that it represents a very serious development – it was the outcome of seven years of struggle for Greek national independence – nevertheless – this is the anomaly – it is regarded as a local festival and not a national festival.
– Do you, like Mr. Koukos, believe that it could and should be a national festival?
– Yes, certainly because it is the only founding of the Greek state that was not imposed by the foreign powers. It was imposed by the struggle of the Greeks, with all its contradictions, because it was the result of the agreement of the National Assembly at Troezen whereas, for example, the official founding of the Greek with the advent of Othon, was the result of intervention by the British and French as protective powers that brought the Bavarian Regent to be king of Greece.
-There has been an attempt – there was an attempt last year – to organize a function by the United Popular Front – to promote this day 26th January. It was abandoned, finally, and it was not unexpected that it should be abandoned, because there is resistance in Nafplion to this recognition. Anyway, do you think that it is feasible and desirable to try to…
-We can try, either in Aegina or in Nafplion. In either place, emphasizing and highlighting the need to add 26th January as another national anniversary, a very significant national anniversary in today’s conditions, because it is the anniversary of national independence. National independence was achieved, officially, institutionally, with the foundation of the Greek state following the decision of the National Assembly at Troezen. It has great importance in present conditions where the country’s national sovereignty has been abandoned and ceded unconditionally and irrevocably by its governments, and that is why it is of great importance – particularly now – for this anniversary to be added.
-And are you willing to try together with us to persuade the people of Nafplion of this?
-I think that we can try to do this. I don’t think that we will have a problem with the people of Nafplion. We have to do with special interests which exist, as we know, everywhere. Cliques that try to transform everything into their own particular property so as to have the corresponding political and economic benefits.