A government official said on Monday that drafts had been exchanged and that the final version would be ready by Tuesday morning, after a Monday night deadline set by creditors.

Eurozone finance ministers are scheduled to discuss the final document during a teleconference on Tuesday afternoon.

According to sources, the Greek proposals include a crackdown on tax evasion and corruption as well as measures to help taxpayers pay their dues and to tackle nonperforming loans. There were indications that the list would also include a reference to privatizations and plans to crack down on fuel smuggling, which costs the Greek state billions of euros every year.

“We have shown a responsible stance vis-a-vis the people and the creditors, we expect the same from Europe,” government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis told Skai TV earlier in the day.

The government is keen to get the green light to move ahead with its proposed reforms instead of a raft of austerity measures agreed to by the previous administration – including further pension cuts and an increase to VAT on the islands.

Sources indicated that the list of measures to be submitted by the new Greek government will not contain a cost-benefit analysis, which would help creditors gauge their potential impact on the budget. The letter is rather likely to set out the broad policy proposals and express the government’s commitment to a much-delayed crackdown on tax evasion.

To read more, please visit ekathimerini.com

Leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has insisted Greece achieved a negotiating success when euro zone finance ministers agreed to extend the bailout deal for four months, provided it came up with a list of reforms by Monday.

Greeks reacted with relief that Friday's deal averted a banking crisis which fellow euro zone member Ireland said could have erupted in the coming week. This means Tsipras has stood by one promise at least: to keep the country in the euro zone.

Tsipras maintains he has the nation behind him despite staging a climbdown in Brussels. Under the deal, Greece will still live under the EU/IMF bailout which he had pledged to scrap, and must negotiate a new programme by the early summer.

"I want to say a heartfelt thanks to the majority of Greeks who stood by the Greek government ... That was our most powerful negotiating weapon,» he said on Saturday. "Greece achieved an important negotiating success in Europe."

To read more, please visit ekathimerini.com

Tsipras and Merkel spoke for just under an hour in a conversation that the Greek premier described on his Twitter account as being “in a positive climate” and showing “interest in finding a mutually beneficial solution for Greece and the eurozone.” Tsipras also spoke with French President Francois Hollande, sources said.

The exchanges followed hours of tensely-worded statements after the Greek government sent its keenly-awaited proposal to Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem. The request was for a six-month extension of Greece’s loan agreement but under different conditions, government officials said in the morning. Later in the day, Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis’s letter to Dijsselbloem was leaked to the media, indicating that the government recognizes the country’s existing bailout program as the legally-binding framework for the next six months though the document did not include the words “memorandum” or “program,” which the leftist-led government rejects. It also remained unclear which of the measures linked to the bailout program the government would commit to enforcing.

To read more, please visit ekathimerini.com

Living in the Thiseio area, I often walk by the Museum of Islamic Art – but of course I never go in. Something about not noticing what’s in front of your face… The Islamic Art Museum is part of the Benaki Museum complex, and is located at 22 Ag. Asomaton Street, very near the Kerameikos archaeological site. I wandered in the other day with an ‘I really should go in…’ attitude, unsure of what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised at what I found.

This is a collection of daily items from different countries and vastly different time periods – showcasing the variety and range of Islamic arts and artifacts. And this is why I liked it (and in fact, why I have liked the Benaki Museum ‘concept’): the everyday nature of the museum’s collections gives a real feeling that we are viewing history as it was – rather than the monumental/religious/political history of other types of museums. Don't get me wrong – I like the monumental – but Benaki is a more subtle experience.

The site itself comprises two beautifully restored neoclassical homes – one of which is built upon an (untouched!) section of the ancient city wall of Athens…

When I came home, I looked up the Benaki museum online and found that it is in fact a huge collection across numerous buildings, stretched really across the entire city. The locations range from the gorgeous main building on Vasilissis Sofias Street, to the modern complex at 138 Pireos Street, the Mentis textile workshop museum on Polyfemou Street, the historical archives collection at Delta House in Kifisia and the Hadjikyriakos-Ghika Gallery on Kriezotou Street.  And that’s not the entire list!

My best friend Mr. Google also tells me that, thanks to the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Benaki museum will offer FREE entry every Thursday from March 5 2015, for one year (free entry to the main building, Pireos building, the Islamic art building and the Hadjikyriakos-Ghika gallery).

The Benaki Museum is a city unto itself, and offers a rare glimpse into the life of the past – from Greece and beyond. Take advantage of this great opportunity to check out these important collections.

Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
22 Ag. Asomaton
www.benaki.gr
Regular adult entry: 7€

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

According to Sotiris Hatzakis, National Theater director, the ground floor stage, the largest one, will be used for musicals, a genre that is slowly developing and gaining an audience in Greece. The director plans to launch the “Phantom of the Opera,” a renowned international production that will promote the National Theater’s initiative.

Hatzakis also wishes that the theater will now only operate as a theater, since it has doubled as a music stage until now. Moreover, the building’s interior will be refurbished in order to be fully accessible to people with disabilities.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Ioanna Zikakou

There is no legal age in Greece and some suggest this is why most children learn to drink moderately. Clubs and retail stores sell alcoholic drinks to those overf 16 and lately driving laws and regulations have become stricter to avoid alcohol-related car accidents.

Tsipouro

Tsipouro is a Greek traditional distillation product from the pomace of grapes (the residue of the wine press) particularly brewed in Thessaly (Tsipouro Tyrnavou,) Epirus, Macedonia, Mani Peninsula and the island of Crete, where Cretans call it tsikoudia. Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 percent alcohol. Other areas of Greece use the name raki.

According to tradition, the first production of tsipouro was the work of Greek Orthodox monks. This occurred during the 14th Century on Mount Athos in Macedonia. The idea of using the pomace left over from the wine-making process produce a distilled spirit was passed to viticulturists in poorer regions across the country.

Depending on the time of year, tsipouro is used either as refreshment or as a hot beverage, and depending on the time of day, it replaces for many the drinking of coffee or wine. It is usually served in shot glasses, with ice, often with delicious meze including feta, ham, olives, tomatoes, halva or other desserts in restaurants.

Ouzo

This anise-flavored aperitif is a symbol of Greek culture and has many scores of thousands of enthusiasts in Greece and Cyprus. Deriving from the anise flavored version of tsipouro, modern ouzo distillation largely took off in the beginning of the 19th Century following the Greek independence fight, with production blooming mainly on the island of Lesbos, which claims to be the originator of the drink and remains a major producer. In the early 20th Century when absinthe was gradually abandoned, ouzo rose as the new substitute.

In 1932, ouzo producers developed a method of distillation using copper stills that is now the standard method of production. One of the largest producers of ouzo today is Varvayiannis, located in the town of Plomari in the southeast portion of Lesbos, while in the same town Pitsiladi, a variety of high quality ouzo is also distilled.

Ouzo is traditionally mixed with water, becoming cloudy white, and served with ice cubes in a small glass. Ouzo can also be drunk straight from a shot glass. Served with a small plate of a variety of appetizers called mezes, usually small fresh fish, fries, olives and feta cheese, ouzo has a smooth yet distinctly sweetened taste that can bring light-headedness in only a few shots.

Ouzito

Ouzito, as you may have imagined is a coctail with ouzo. The Greek answer to mojito – as many call it- is a mix of mint, lemon, soda water, sugar and ouzo. Making the coctail you can also use Coke instead of soda water in case you want it to be more sweet and have a less liquerish taste. Ouzito is moreof an after food drink, rather than a drink to accompany your food.

Retsina

Retsina has been something like the national beverage for Greeks since the 1960′s. Produced from Greek white (or rosé) resinated wine, the beverage has been made for at least 2000 years. Its unique flavor is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Aleppo Pine resin in ancient times.

Popular legend has it that the evolution of retsina stems from the Roman conquest of Greece. Stories claim that the Romans plundered the wines of Greece, angering the citizens who turned to pine resin as a way of extending their store of wine and as a deterrent to their thirsty conquerors. The harsh flavor was said to put off the Romans, who refused to drink the bitter ferment.

In Greece, local retsina is produced throughout the country with widely popular brands being Malamatina, Tsantali, Kourtaki and Georgiadis. Major production centers around Attica, Boeotia and Euboea. Retsina should be served extremely cold, and in wide, open glasses along with delicious savory, spicy meze.

Wine

Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world dating back some 6,500 years. In ancient Greece, wine was produced in households or communities and soon became a main product of trading between the Mediterranean people. The geographical anatomy of the country and its climate serve the brewing of some 300 elegant indigenous wine varieties in the best possible way, such as in Assyrtiko (Santorini island,) Aghiorgitiko (Peloponnese,) Malagousia (Macedonia,.) Robola (Kephalonia,) Mavrodaphne (Peloponnese and Ionian islands,) Amorgiano (Rhodes and Crete) and many others.

The vast quantity and flavors of Greek wines make it imperative for everyone to taste a glass of God Dionysus’ liquor with their food. When in a restaurant remember to share your wine from the karafe or bottle because that’s common when eating with Greeks.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Stella Tsolakidou