Ambassador for Greece in Australia, Alex Christopoulos, said the 2010 immersion program for eight-to-twelve-year-olds has been postponed and not cancelled.

Mr Christopoulos said the problem with these programs has always been that the Greek government does not cover travel expenses and that individuals have to fund their own airfares. “It has been postponed, the reason is because of travel expenses as airfare prices have increased this year,” he said.

Mr Christopoulos said reports that staff members from the World Council of Hellenes abroad: the advisory body to the General secretariat for Greeks abroad (SAE) had not been paid for a month was not official. “This is just a rumour at this stage,” he said.

Mr Christopoulos said there are always various events and programs in Greece for the diaspora, but travel expenses were never paid for by the Greek government.

Paul Mavroudis, director of Parthenon travel, said he had around 60 plane fares booked for children planning to attend this year’s immersion program (a three week camp for children that includes language immersion, cultural and travel activities in Greece).

When Neos Kosmos spoke to Mr Mavroudis he was awaiting confirmation from the government agency; SAE, about whether this year’s program would be postponed or cancelled. He said parents of the children intending to travel to Greece for the program were waiting to hear updates from him.

If the program is cancelled or postponed indefinitely, the high number of parents who have already booked and paid for the flights will be faced with cancellation fees and costs, Mr Mavroudis said.

The Consul for education, Harry Ladopoulos, confirmed that the immersion program had been postponed, and that the Minister of Foreign Affairs had said they intend to run it next year.

Mr Ladopoulous said previously everything in the eight-to-twelve age-group programs had been subsidised by the Greek government, but financial restrictions had lead to cut backs.

“We’re offering one program to Malesina (in central Greece) but not others due to financial constraints”, Consul for education Harry Ladopoulos said.

Mr Ladopoulos said many questions still remain unanswered and that parents of children meant to be attending this year’s program have been concerned.