Dutch royal Crown Prince Willem-Alexander became the nation’s first male monarch in more than a century on April 30, after his mother Queen Beatrix stepped down as titular head of state.

National daily de Volkskrant reported in the past that the royal crown prince and his wife bought the Greek villa from German advertising photographer Manfred Rieker for 4.5 million euros.

The villa, which features a swimming pool, a private marina and a private beach, was bought early last year. Actor Sean Connery and Russian President Vladimir Putin own holiday homes nearby.

One of the professors at the university where Willem-Alexander was enrolled, believes that even as king he will characterized by simplicity.

“Willem-Alexander will have some political influence because he will have talks with ministers on a daily basis and the Prime Minister will visit him every week. The citizens, however, expect some changes because Queen Beatrix was centered in her political role. It seems that Willem-Alexander does not draw his attention to this aspect of the throne,”stated his former professor.

Time noted that despite the Mediterranean country’s innate advantages in sun and soil that Greece can’t even keep up with chilly Holland in producing tomatoes. The magazine noted there are “existing problems and enormous differences” over productivity and efficiency among many countries of the monetary union.

When comparing the tomato production and export of the Mediterranean countries (Greece, Italy and Spain, which have traditionally been the largest European producers and exporters of the product) it’s Holland which has managed through the use of technology and good organization to become Europe’s largest tomato exporter.

The report prompted the European south to imitate Holland in order to become more competitive. The Dutch producers use high-tech greenhouses, electronic temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide control systems. This is why they have managed to produce 70 pounds of tomatoes per square meter, at the same time when a producer from southern Europe produces at most seven pounds, 10 times less.

As for Greece, it is noted that within the last five years, some producers made isolated attempts to invest in Dutch technology (reference to Wonderplant program initiated in Thessaloniki), but it was said that this is just an exception and that technologically advanced greenhouses in Greece constitute only 1.6% of the greenhouses used.

Greek agricultural production is 44% lower than the EU average, while the labor-cost is twice as well as that despite the fact that the rural area used in Greece over tomato production is 10 times bigger than that one of Holland, Greeks export hardly any fresh tomatoes, but canned tomato products.

The article states that if Greece introduces more Dutch technology and benefits from its abundant sun, then it is very possible to return to the large and lucrative market of tomatoes.

Lanthimos said his 1.9 million euros budget film is an unconventional love story which “observes how and why some people come together and become couples, while other ones don’t. It’s a story about the horrific effects of loneliness, fear of dying alone, fear that you will live alone and above all, the fear that you will live with someone else. Pushing ourselves to love someone is a kind of torture. Searching to find someone to love is also a different kind of torture. The Lobster is a story about finding synonyms for love in words like fear, rules, deadlines, naivety, prosperity, lies.

The 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam, closes on Feb. 3. Boasting 33 projects from 31 countries this year, CineMart appeals to filmmakers especially because it gives those projects the chance to be greeted with potential financiers with an open mind.

The noted economic newspaper The Financial Times has given strong reviews to a London Greek restaurant called Mazi, run by Christina Mouratoglou from Thessaloniki and her husband and co-founder Adrien Carre. Londoners agree.

The article begins with reference to a Greek product, kritama, that grows in Thessaloniki.  It is a green salty plant that is “half way between seaweed and a herb,” which Mouratoglou’s father collects and then sends it in boxes to London.

They said that starting on Feb. 2 the restaurant’s Greek brunch will also include the filo-wrapped, cream-filled bougatsa served with a jar of chocolate milk. Given that all Greek restaurants in London seem only to serve the predictable Greek dishes, Christina decided with the help of her partner to try something different.

“One of the first things I said to Christina when we met was there are no high-end Greek restaurants in the UK, and there’s a gap in the market for that … we wanted to do something that would be better for the London crowd,” says London-raised Frenchman Carre.

Mazi, located in the Notting Hill neighborhood, has become popular through various notices around the world, as many newspapers from Hong Kong, Taiwan etc, have published articles about it.  Mouratoglou was named Woman of the Month by Olive magazine.

Mazi is included among Standard’s 10 best restaurants of the year in London, at the same time that it has been also included within the Michelin 2013 list for restaurants and hotels in London. Mouratoglou said they constantly receive CVs from would-be waiters as more Greeks look for work in the UK because of the economic crisis in Greece.

The owner of the only Greek-Dutch website in the area(www.greekevents.nl), who also lives in Utrecht, John Garlemos, stated to the newspaper Protothema: “We even called a Turk who lives in Utrecht and asked him what he thinks at the sight of our flag and the man was literally disgusted, yelling that this in an actual humiliation of Greece.”

Some of the 30 Greeks who had gathered outside the theater undertook to tear down the word SALE from the flag while the Dutch impresario remained locked in his office, for fear of a serious outbreak outside the theater. “He didn’t even venture out even for one moment. He just called the police and when they came they arrested the children who had been tearing down the filthiness that was written on our flag,”explained Garlemos.

Three Greeks spent the night in jail and a trial date has been set for Jan. 24. The Greek Consulate of Utrecht showed interest mainly for those outside the theater on the night of Jan. 11, and invited them to the consulate to express their displeasure.

As far as Kos Island is concerned, two weekly cheap flights are scheduled from April 25 2013, every Thursday and Sunday, departing from Eindhoven airport. Transavia is a budget airline operating as an independent part of the Air France-KLM group. Its main base is at Amsterdam, along with airports in Rotterdam, The Hague and Eindhoven as secondary hubs. It also flies out of Paris-Orly Airport and mostly operates scheduled and charter services to leisure destinations

The flights schedule will be the following;

Amsterdam – Kithira – Kalamata – Amsterdam.

One weekly flight between 22 – 04 – 2013 to 07 – 10 – 2013

Mondays: HV737 AMS0555 – 1020KIT1105 – 1150KLX1235 – 1500AMS 738

Eindhoven – Kos

2 weekly flights from 25 – 04 – 2013

Thursdays: HV915 EIN0700 – 1125KGS 738

Sundays: HV765 EIN0800 – 1225KGS 738

Kos – Eindhoven

Thursdays: HV916 KGS1210 – 1445EIN 738

Sundays: HV766 KGS1310 – 1545EIN 738

Rotterdam – Rhodes

2 weekly flights from 28 – 04 -2013

Thursdays: HV397 RTM1630 – 2100RHO 738

Sundays: HV395 RTM1650 – 2120RHO 738

Rhodes – Rotterdam

Thursdays: HV397 RHO1145 – 1425EIN1510 – 1545RTM 738

Sundays: HV395 RHO1155 – 1440EIN1525 – 1600RTM 738

Transavia reconnects Holland to Rhodes island after three years, and specifically since October 2010.

Andreeou, 36, was born in Rotterdam, and is now working for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Deputy Ambassador at the Dutch Embassy in Tirana, Albania. He has also worked at the Dutch Embassies in Greece and Kazakhstan.

The Dutch party has launched a video on YouTube entitled, “What you do not know about Efstathios Andreou.” Asked why should someone vote for the CDA, Andreou replied that, “The Netherlands is facing major problems, but the Christian Democrats, with their political program focusing on jobs, family and society, have both the answers and the solutions to the problems.”

(Source: lifo)

Inspiration for this show is due to a Greek journalist from Thessaloniki who aspires, without being paid for his work, to show people of Amsterdam they have many things in common with Greece, encouraging them to set aside their differences and focus on their similarities.

“I present this show voluntarily for a radio station not looking for profit,” comments Nikos Koulousios living in the Netherlands since 1999. “I wanted to find a name for my show which would be recognized by both Greek and Dutch people, a name combining these two cultures,” adds the 35-year-old presenter.

His program showcases news and discussion about Greek and Dutch issues. His guests include either people learning Greek or already speaking Greek although they sometimes speak English or Dutch. There is also a special column pertaining to immigration matters, something that Nikos is intimately aware of.

He first visited Holland in 1999 as an exchange student and decided to live there for the rest of his life. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the Haagse Hogeschool in Hague and his master’s at the University of Amsterdam. He has worked as an editor for several Greek newspapers, magazines and online news portals as well as created his own blog on Dutch issues (www.lifo.gr).

Mr Koulousios reports also that during the past two years many young Greeks or even entire families have migrated to the Netherlands  in search of job opportunities.

(Source: ana-mpa)

The main topic of the discussion was the international economic crisis and especially Greece. MEP’s from Spain and Portugal described how the economic crisis has hit their countries along with the bail out agreements. They continued by describing social movements which have taken place in their countries, victories and defeats and spoke against the austerity policies. The debate was also focused on Greece, as it is the first time in the last 20 to 30years that a radical left party had enough support to claim the government. Most of the people in the meeting said they were inspired from the struggle of the Greek people. On the walls there were many posters claiming their solidarity to the Greek, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian people with slogans written in English, French, Greek, Italian, Spanish and other European languages. The discussion was later enhanced by the audience which posed several questions about news and conditions from the countries which are under bail out agreements. The central issue though was what would be the alternative to a neo-liberal Europe. Most of the speakers stressed the need for a socialist alternative in a socialist Europe. Another issue was that of the Euro zone and whether or not the Left should ask to leave the common currency. That issue was particularly posed since the main threat of the EU lies in Greece as if it so happens that Greece does not implement the bail out agreement, it would be forced out of the Euro zone.

The meeting ended almost at 10 p.m. after 3 hours of debate and speeches, with the last speaker being an assistant of Greek MEP Nikos Chountis. The almost 100 people attending it also had the chance to buy books, leaflets and newspapers of the various left wing groups which had organized the event.

They got off to a rocky start from Warder, Holland, the starting point of the championship, but they managed to change course and keep their eyes on the prize, eventually finishing first.

We should mention that the golden crew became World Champions in Switzerland in August 2011, after only a month earlier winning the gold medal at the European Championship in Italy.

But it would be totally unfair not to mention another successful couple, Nikos Mavros and Alexandros Tagaropoulos, who finished second and have had an excellent track record in the races in recent months.

The next Tornado World Championship will take place at Lake Garda in Italy from September 15th through the 22th.