Greece
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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...
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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...
Archive
Greece to elect its first female president
On the afternoon of January 15, political correspondents covering the activity of the Greek government were notified on WhatsApp that Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the country's...
Archive
Putin, Erdogan launch TurkStream to Turkey, Southern Europe
Russia and Turkey launched the TurkStream gas pipeline on 8 January in a ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip...
Archive
Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, France call Turkey-Libya deals "void"
Greece, Cyprus, France and Egypt condemned on Wednesday the two agreements signed between Turkey and Libya on maritime boundaries and military cooperation, calling them...
Archive
Bulgaria to acquire 20% of Alexandroupolis LNG project in Greece
The Council of Ministers of the Bulgarian Government has approved the participation of Bulgaria’s state gas transmission company, Bulgartransgaz, by a percentage of 20%...
Archive
IMF to close Athens office, as Greek economy steadily recovers
The International Monetary Fund that assisted Greece throughout its international bailout process will close its Athens office in the coming months, Greek PM Kyriakos...
Archive
Foreign Ministers of Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Italy to meet in Cairo
The Foreign Ministers of Greece, Cyprus, France and Italy travelled to Cairo on Wednesday morning to participate in a five-sided meeting along with the...
Analysis
Greek Prime Minister meets President Trump amid Mid-East turmoil
The January 7 White House meeting between US President Donald J Trump and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis did not yield any new US...
Archive
Energean, DEPA sign EastMed pipeline gas purchase deal
ATHENS - Several hours before the leaders of Greece, Israel and Cyprus signed an intergovernmental agreement to construct the EU-backed gas pipeline, Energean and...
Archive
Dancing around Turkey, Greek energy chief says EastMed deal game changer
ATHENS – An agreement between Greece, Israel and Cyprus to build an undersea pipeline to carry gas from new offshore deposits in the southeastern...
Archive
Steinitz confident Israel and Cyprus can supply EastMed pipeline
ATHENS – Israel and Cyprus have enough gas to fill the proposed EastMed natural gas pipeline from the East Mediterranean to Europe, Israel’s Energy...
Archive
Greece, Cyprus, Israel jointly condemn Turkey's decision to deploy troops in Libya
After a "historic" intergovernmental agreement was signed on Thursday by Greece, Cyprus and Israel for the construction of the EastMed natural gas pipeline, the...
Archive
Greece signs deal with Lockheed Martin to upgrade F-16 fleet
Greece has signed a €280 million deal with the US defence contractor Martin Lockheed to upgrade its F-16 fleet over the next seven years.
The...
Archive
Turkey lurking, Greece-Cyprus-Israel EastMed political deal coming
ATHENS – Greece, Cyprus and Israel plan to sign an intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the EastMed natural gas pipeline in Athens on...
Albania
Greece’s Balkan diplomacy currently a sideshow
While keeping up the appearances of an active diplomatic campaign in Southeast Europe, the net impact of Athens’ recent initiatives will yield next to...
Archive
White House finally schedules Washington meeting with Greek prime minister
The White House announced on December 2 that President Donald J. Trump would be meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on January 7...
Albania
Greece champions EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans
As a consequence of French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision in October to call for a temporary hold on EU accession discussions for Albania and...
Albania
Zaev-Mitsotakis Thessaloniki meeting explores EU Enlargement delays
The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia met on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki 2019 Summit on November 14. This was their second...
Albania
Brussels casts Zaev a thin lifeline
Brussels cast a thin Italian-flavoured political lifeline to North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev over the last ten days, something sorely needed after Zaev...
Archive
Zaev fumbles after EU Enlargement let-down
North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev fumbled badly this week when discussing the relationship between his country’s now-frozen EU accession bid and the standing...
Archive
Resumption of peace talks may pause Turkish drilling in Cyprus EEZ
Incoming new EU Commission may be keener on negotiations to resolve regional East Med problemsLIMASSOL, Cyprus – The possible resumption of the dormant peace...
Albania
France unyielding on EU Enlargement, elections triggered in North Macedonia
The scenario that emerged late last week with multiple reports that France would oppose immediate decisions on EU Enlargement has come to pass.
EU European...
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US Democrats conclave in Athens
Arriving in Athens a week after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited, the US Democratic Party’s overseas arm (Democrats Abroad) is holding its 2019...
Archive
At Cairo summit, Turkey slammed for drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ
At a trilateral summit between Egypt, Cyprus and Greece in Cairo on 8 October, the leaders of the three countries slammed Turkey's drilling in...
Analysis
Greece and US ink new defence deal and extend strategic dialogue
Taking a welcome break from his involvement in the Trump-Ukraine issue, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo completed his short Balkan swing on 6...
Archive
Secretary of State Pompeo begins short Balkan swing
Despite the turmoil in Washington which has practically everything except his current European trip in focus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo departed Italy on 4...
Archive
Washington and Athens agree on new defence agreement
The US and Greece have agreed on the text of a new document which will modify the existing bilateral Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA)...
Archive
Meeting Erdogan at UN, Mitsotakis eyes calmer waters
The meeting between Greece's newly elected Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the United Nations General...
Archive
Zaev-Mitsotakis New York meeting – breaking the ice
The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia held their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)...
Archive
Mitsotakis government’s foreign policy inevitably points to Washington
In view of ongoing tension between Turkey, the EU and Washington, it was completely reasonable for the new Greek government of Prime Minister Kyriakos...
Analysis
The Name Dispute after the July 7 Greek elections
The June 2018 Prespes Agreement, which settled the so-called Name Dispute with newly-renamed North Macedonia, Greece’s northern neighbor, was an important but not the...
Albania
As enlargement discussions freeze, aspirants twist in the wind
Discussions in Luxembourg regarding EU enlargement in the Western Balkans made little headway this past week, despite the threat from North Macedonian Prime Minister...
Archive
Zaev hints at early elections
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev of North Macedonia hinted on 5 June, and again the next day, that he would consider calling early elections if...
Archive
Cyprus, Noble Energy reach deal to expedite Aphrodite development
Cyprus’ government has reached a deal to revise the contract with US-based company Noble Energy and its joint venture partners, Israel’s Delek Group and...
Archive
EIB loan to finance power cable between Crete and mainland Greece
ATHENS - The Greek island of Crete took a step closer towards energy independence and cutting CO2 emissions on 9 May, following a deal...
Archive
North Macedonia’s presidential election results calm West’s worries
North Macedonia’s presidential runoff election on 5 May produced results guaranteed to calm fraying nerves in Athens, Washington, Brussels, Paris, and Berlin as the...
Archive
US boosts LNG supplies to the EU, aiming to reduce reliance on Russia
The increased exports of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe will decrease the European Union’s reliance on Russia and boost EU energy security,...
Analysis
Name Dispute chills North Macedonia’s presidential election
What would normally be an inconsequential election for the largely ceremonial post of president in North Macedonia has crystallised into an unofficial referendum on...
Africa
Greece, Cyprus, Jordan cement East Med Gas Forum relationship
ATHENS – The leaders of Greece, Cyprus and Jordan will hold a trilateral summit in Amman on 14 April to expand cooperation in the...
Analysis
New legislation energizes US policy in the Eastern Mediterranean
Important new bipartisan legislation has been introduced by two ranking US Senators to reshape and energize US strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean, taking into...
Albania
Tsipras visits Skopje hoping to cement his Prespes accomplishments
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited North Macedonia’s capital Skopje on 2 April, his second visit to the country since signing the Prespes Agreement. ...
Analysis
Tsipras heads to Skopje to salvage his Prespes gambit
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is set to deliver on his promised trip to North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, on 2 April, which was announced...
Analysis
Name Dispute: Important issues progressing while public attention fades
While the Name Dispute between Greece and the newly-renamed Republic of North Macedonia has fallen out of the headlines, several notable developments occurred in...
Archive
US, Israel, Cyprus, Greece reaffirm regional energy cooperation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on 20 March...
Analysis
Name Dispute: Coming to terms
The Name Dispute has again fallen from the headlines in Northern Macedonia and Greece, as the public focus in Skopje is on April’s Presidential...
Archive
Pompeo spearheads US efforts to bring East Med gas to EU
ATHENS – The United States is very supportive of plans to develop gas reserves in the East Mediterranean and export them to Europe, lessening...
Archive
Delphi Economic Forum – A small US official presence, but long American shadow
DELPHI, Greece - At the February 28-March 3 Delphi Economic Forum, (DEF) entitled “The Challenge of Inclusive Growth” the long list of invited American...
Albania
Delphi Economic Forum: Intense focus on Southeastern Europe
DELPHI, Greece - Now in its fourth year, the 2019 Delphi Economic Forum (DEF) has grown into a true Davos-like venue, with groups from...
Archive
Cyprus’ new Glaucus-1 gas field can boost EU energy security
DELPHI, Greece - A major offshore natural gas discovery in the Eastern Mediterranean near Cyprus at the Glaucus-1 well by US energy giant ExxonMobil...
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