International

The mayor of Rafina, Vangelis Bournous, has expressed fears that the final death toll will be far above the current count of 60, and perhaps over 100

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, in a letter to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, offered the solidarity of the Commission as Greece deals with the aftermath of its most deadly wildfires.

“Despite the immediate and large mobilisation of the forces of the fire service, the increased intensity of the winds, which reached 9 on the Beaufort scale, as well as the rapidity of the spread of the wildfire, led it to immediately extend to housing areas," the Fire Service spokesperson said.

The state is obliged to be properly equipped. The firefighting mechanisms must acquire a preventive capacity and a readiness for immediate intervention exactly when wildfires break out.

The business plan of the N. Daskalantonaki Group involves the renovation and radical upgrading of several luxury hotel facilities – Corfu Imperial (Corfu), Daphnila Bay Dasssia (Corfu), Casa Marron (formerly Lakopetra Beach) in Achaia, Pella Beach (Chalkidiki), and Rhodos Royal (Rhodes).

The government had made its banner its moral advantage, and then it plunged into the privileges of power and continued charging its political opponents and their families of corruption, even drawing the judiciary into its planning

Dimitris Liakos, deputy minister to the prime minister, has underlined that a suspension of pension cuts is contingent on producing sufficient primary surpluses and the agreement of the Eurogroup.

Though there has been fiscal progress, growth remains anemic and cannot free up the country and its sorely tried citizens. Businessmen and bankers remain reserved.

The most recent events, with the tensions prevailing in Greek-Russian relations, demonstrate that the country is like a feather in the wind, navigating through a rock and a hard place.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference that 20 August – when Greece’s bailout programme ends – is “an important day”, but she also underlined that the impact of the programme on Greece will not end on that date

“The moves by the Greek side, during the year marking the 190th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and the 25th anniversary of the fundamental Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, have disappointed us,” Maslov said.

The German move to block the government’s decision to retain a VAT tax discount on five Aegean islands demonstrates the continuing tight external control of the Greek economy.

Costless pledges of handouts may serve partisan electoral motivations, yet they come up against the harsh reality that we shall continue to confront in the coming years.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias are meeting this afternoon to discuss relations with Moscow, even as an escalating war of words between Athens and Moscow threatens to bring Greek-Russian relations to an unprecedented low point.

A sharply worded Greek foreign ministry statement said that, "The evidence on the basis of which Greece acted [expelled two diplomats] had been presented in a timely manner to Russian authorities”, and that Russian authorities “know very well what their people are doing”.

“The arrest of the two Greek military officers and their unacceptable incarceration constitutes a political choice on the part of Turkey, and of Erdogan specifically,” Kouvelis told SKAI television.

The competent Greek foreign ministry cannot remain silent for so many days, with the government spokesman offering only generalities regarding the defence of national interests and a multi-pronged foreign policy.

“Athens withstood the first wave of expulsions over the Scripal affair. Many pressures ensued and we know what happened with capitals that did not acquiesce. We know who has undertaken to create a confrontation between Athens and Moscow,” Zakharova said.

“The sooner elections are held, the better. Whenever they are held, we will win. I would suggest to Mr. Tsipras to hold elections before the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair," Mitsotakis said.

The government spokesman also answered charges that due to a law drafted by former Syriza justice minister Paraskevopoulos, a court judged that the case against the Tsipras family company cannot be tried.