Greece
Archive
France steers EU attention to Greece-Turkey standoff in East Med
French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a strong position in support of the rights of Greece and Cyprus, calling on Turkey to stop unilateral...
Albania
North Macedonia’s coalition government forms up, as directed
Once again, to the delight of North Macedonia’s Western supporters, Skopje has a new coalition government that looks very much like last year’s pre-election...
Archive
Athens pivots to Washington for help with Turkish provocations
In the latest sub-chapter of the seemingly never-ending dispute over energy exploration rights in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, Athens has again called for...
Archive
Greece-Egypt EEZ deal doesn’t sit easy with Turkey
Greece and Egypt signed a maritime border deal on August 6 with Turkey saying the deal falls in its continental shelf.Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh...
Albania
North Macedonia’s elections unfold, marginally, as directed
To the delight of North Macedonia’s western supporters, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) landed a razor-thin electoral majority on July 15 in...
Archive
Cyprus moves ahead with LNG terminal works eyeing EU market
Natural Gas Infrastructure Company of Cyprus (ETYFA) has issued the Notice to Proceed to the Consortium that was awarded the construction works of the...
Archive
Greece quarantines camp as 20 refugees test positive for coronavirus
Ritsona refugee camp in Greece has been placed under quarantine for two weeks after 20 of its residents tested positive for the COVID-19.
Dozens of...
Asia & Pacific
Could bad data be to blame for high coronavirus death toll
European countries saw some of the highest death told for coronavirus over the last month. Deaths in Italy have surpassed those in China many...
Analysis
North Macedonia’s (unaffordable) NATO dream takes shape
North Macedonia’s flag is flying over NATO Headquarters today in Brussels as the alliance’s 30th member after the final accession formalities were completed on...
Analysis
Europe's masked corona ball
Response from the Cabinet of Commissioner Lenarčič:
At the end of January, as the outbreak intensified in Wuhan coronavirus epicentre, President von der Leyen triggered...
Archive
Greece is reaching a 'whatever it takes' moment
There is not a single Athenian who could have ever imagined that the streets of the city would be completely empty. Even in mid-August,...
Albania
In desperate times, EU approves new Balkan Enlargement steps
Moving on a trajectory that senior EU leaders publicly outlined at the Munich Security Conference in mid-February, the EU’s General Affairs Council (GAC) agreed...
Analysis
US Democrats overseas vote again for Bernie Sanders
Democrats Abroad, the official international arm of the US’ Democratic Party, announced on March 23 the verified results of the Global Presidential Primary, which...
Archive
MEPs urge evacuation of hotspots on Greek islands to stop COVID-19 spread
As Lesvos island has confirmed its first COVID-19 case, MEPs are urging the European Commission to evacuate migrant camps, the so-called 'hotspots' on Greek...
Africa
Union for the Mediterranean calls for regional action to tackle water scarcity
In light of World Water day on March 22, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has called for regional dialogue to address common challenges...
Archive
Greece's first female president sworn in
Greece’s first female president was formally sworn in to office Friday, nearly two months after the country’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to elect her.
Katerina Sakellaropoulou,...
Archive
Mitsotakis warns EU of 'asymmetric' threat from Turkish border, Johansson calls for respecting asylum law
Amid preparations of EU's new Pact on Asylum and Migration, Ylva Johansson Commissioner for Home Affairs visited Athens on Thursday, to hold talks with...
Archive
What is Greece expecting from a new EU-Turkey Statement
The seat of the Greek government in the heart of Athens, the Maximos Mansion, has resembled a war room since late February, ever since...
Archive
Erdogan says border will stay open until EU meets his demands
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said Wednesday he would keep the border open for migrants until the European Union had met all his demands.
“Until...
Archive
Journalists' Federation urges EU27 to create safe environment for reporting in Greece
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is asking from the EU and member states to create a safe environment for journalists reporting in Greece,...
Archive
Clashes between migrants, police erupt on Greek-Turkish border
Clashes have erupted on the Greek-Turkish border, with Greek security forces using tear gas and a water cannon to hold back the thousands of...
Archive
Delphi Forum postponed but American VIPs arrive in Greece
On February 29 the Delphi Forum announced a postponement until late spring due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak that had just hit several major...
Archive
Brussels' action plan to support Greece
EU Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and the Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson announced that Brussels has adopted an action plan for Greece that would...
Archive
Greece's Mitsotakis pulls no punches, labels Turkey 'a smuggler' in front of EU leaders
Greece's land borders in its northeastern region of Evros have been under siege since February 28 when Turkish officials announced that they would no...
Archive
Frontex to launch rapid border intervention at Greece's external borders
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has agreed to deploy a Rapid Border Intervention Team (RABIT) at Greece's sea borders in the...
Archive
Erdogan warns Europe to expect millions of migrants
Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Monday that "millions" of migrants would soon head for Europe.
He was accused by EU leaders that he...
Archive
Clashes erupt as Turkey allows thousands of migrants to head for Greece
Thousands of migrants have gathered at Turkey's border with Greece, after the Turkish government last week allowed their passage to Europe, saying it had...
Archive
Brussels calls for extraordinary meeting on Idlib, following Greek MFA request
EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell called on Sunday for an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council to discuss the situation in Idlib, following a request by...
Archive
Energean to acquire Total’s stake in Western Greece
Greece’s Energean Oil and Gas announce on 27 February that it has signed an agreement
for the acquisition of Total’s stake in Block 2, offshore...
Archive
Turkey says will not stop Syrian refugees reaching Europe
Turkey is "no longer able to hold refugees" following a Syrian attack in Idlib, a spokesman for president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP party,...
Albania
Amidst crises, Greece finds time for renewed Balkan diplomacy
Despite the multiple crises Greece is currently facing – a continuing refugee deluge and massive public reaction on some islands, the spreading coronavirus threat,...
Archive
France reports first coronavirus death, as epidemic spreads in Europe
The French Health Ministry reported that a 60-year-old man died of a COVID-19 (popularly known as coronavirus) infection overnight on Wednesday, February 26 in...
Archive
Greece reports first Coronavirus case
A 38-year-old woman in Thessaloniki is the first confirmed case of Coronavirus in Greece, according to a Health Ministry spokesperson.
The woman, who had recently...
Archive
Commission calls on Romania, Greece and Malta to adopt national air pollution control programmes
Romania, Greece and Malta need to adopt their first national air pollution control programmes to limit their annual emissions, according to a warning issued by the...
Analysis
North Macedonia takes a small step forward and one backwards this week
Since being installed in early January in preparation for the country’s April 6 elections, Caretaker Government Labour Minister Rashela Mizrahi, from the ultranationalist VMRO-DPMNE...
Analysis
Greek government offer details about closed facilities for migrants
The Greek government has opted to speed up the process for establishing closed facilities on the country’s islands that are still dealing with the...
Analysis
Greek authorities place NGOs under online scrutiny
At this point, more than 20,000 asylum seekers find themselves stuck on Greece’s North Aegean island of Lesbos. The island has been at the...
Archive
The myth lifts in Corinthia, nature calls skiers, hikers, tourists
TRIKALA, Corinthia – According to legend, the nymph Maia gave birth to Zeus’ son Hermes in a cave near Lake Dasios on beautiful Mount...
Albania
France scores victory on Enlargement rules
The EU Commission released new proposed rules on February 5 which substantially modify the current Enlargement process but also allow EU member states to...
Archive
Greece steps up military presence on its border with Turkey
Greece has boosted the number of police and soldiers along its border in an effort to stop the arrival of new waves of refugees...
Archive
EU Commission approves €223 million fund to boost ultrafast broadband in Greece
The European Commission approved on Friday a €223 million funding of an ultrafast broadband project in Greece that will provide fast internet access to almost...
Analysis
Greece ratifies new defence deal with Washington
Late on January 30, the Greek parliament voted to ratify Greece’s new defence agreement signed with the US last October during the visit of...
Archive
Greece ex-captain Zagorakis expelled from political group amid football turmoil
Thodoris Zagorakis, MEP of European People's Party (EPP) was expelled from Greece's ruling party of New Democracy group in the European Parliament, following a...
Archive
Macron accuses Erdogan of breaking promises on Libya
French president Emmanuel Macron accused his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of breaking the promise and meddling in the Libya conflict.
"I want to express...
Archive
EU's Asylum Agency signs deal on expanding operations in Greece
The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and the Greek government signed a deal on Tuesday to boost EASO's operational deployments in the country, which...
Archive
EIB to help Greece enhance energy efficiency and tackle climate change
The European Investment Bank on 23 January agreed to continue support for new priority investment across Greece intended to enhance energy efficiency and tackle...
Archive
EU eyes hydrogen for zero emissions energy
ATHENS – The Commitment of the new European Commission to a clean energy transition that includes an important role for hydrogen is very clear,...
Archive
US diplomatic engagement helps reopen Kosovo-Serbia flights
Representatives of Serbia, Kosovo, the US, and Lufthansa Group signed a milestone agreement on January 20 to establish an air link between Serbia and...
Archive
East Med Gas Forum makes Cairo HQ
Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and Palestinian Authority signed in Cairo on 16 January the East Med Gas Forum (EMGF) foundation charter, creating...
Archive
Sale of Piraeus Bank's Bulgarian subsidiary to Eurobank did not breach EU state aid rules, EU Commission says
After examining a complaint received in January 2019 that led to the opening of a formal investigation procedure, the European Commission confirmed on Wednesday...
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