Medina sidesteps reporters; top bishop a no-show in New Year greetings

Santo Domingo.-President Danilo Medina on Tuesday received New Year greetings from CatholicChurch representatives, ambassadors, consuls, cabinet ministers, officials, seniorjudges and lawmakers, headed by Senate president Cristina Lizardo.

The first to congratulatethe president was Vatican envoy Thaddeus Jude Okolo, but notably absent for thesecond straight year was Archbishop cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez.

Presidency chief ofstaff Gustavo Montalvo was the highest ranking minister in the ceremony held inthe National Palace´s salon of ambassadors.

Although journalists whocover the Palace also greeted Medina, when they insisted on making severalquestions he told them "that´s coming."