International

The fact that Turkey’s European Union accession prospects have grown quite dim, combined with Ankara’s critical role in handling migrant flows, suggests that EU will adopt a realistic pragmatism, which will not serve Greece’s interests.

“The development plan is a roadmap for the post-bailout era, and it is based on three pillars: overhauling the productive base, supporting labour and the social welfare state, and maintaining fiscal and long-term economic balance,” said Alternate Economy and Development Minister Haritsis.

Athens and Washington have decided to use either a 1992 military cooperation agreement, or one of 100 other bilateral agreements, as the legal basis for the stationing of the drones, without requiring approval from the Greek parliament

Just days after the EU offered a stinging rebuke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over unlawful acts in the Mediterranean and the Aegean, the Turkish leader is expected to table his own demands at today’s EU-Turkey summit in Varna, Bulgaria.

Alternate Finance Minister Yorgos Houliarakis stresses that the next three months are crucial, as the over 80 preconditions for completing the programme are difficult and weighty.

Greece, unfortunately, has neither the time nor room for other choices. Now is the time, and this is the opportunity, for the country to undertake completely the commitment and responsibility of managing its economic affairs.

For the Greek government, European Union leaders’ stinging rebuke to Turkey over its aggressive posture in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean is the strongest display of solidarity with Greece in protecting its sovereign rights.

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is in Skopje today, to discuss the settlement plans that Athens and Skopje have exchanged, in talks with his counterpart Nikola Dimitrov, FYROM’s Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev, and opposition party leaders.

“The European Council strongly condemns Turkey`s continued illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea and underlines its full solidarity with Cyprus and Greece,” the text issued by the European Council stated.

The diplomatic recall was preceded by a strong statement issued by the 28 EU leaders regarding Russia’s possible involvement in the attack

Over 20 years after the Imia crisis, and after a long period of relative calm following Greece’s approval of Turkey's EU candidacy, opening the way to accession talks at the December, 1999, Helsinki EU summit, the Erdogan regime is reviving the grey zones theory with a vengeance.

FYROM’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has so far ruled out a revision of FYROM’s constitution that would enshrine, as Greece demands, the new, composite name in the country’ basic law, and eradicate irredentist territorial claims against Greece,.

European leaders attending today’s Brussels summit are expected to strongly condemn Turkey’s illegal actions in the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean and to express full solidarity for member-states Cyprus and Greece

The objective of Athens and Nicosia today is for the summit to issue a stern warning to Turkey, even as Turkish President Recep Tayyip decided to begin gas and oil exploration in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.

The situation is dramatic, and with shallow economic growth, it is not about to change any time soon. The government boasts that it has managed to create super primary surpluses, but no one considers how this taxation rampage can continue.

“If the Commission’s projections regarding the primary surplus are on target, one will not have to expedite the lowering of the tax-free ceiling, and a package of [social welfare] counter-measures will be feasible,” a European Commission source noted.

US Assistant Secretary of State Wes Mitchell reportedly broached the issue of a Greek backup for Incirlik, in the event of a possible rupture of relations with Turkey, during his recent visit to Athens.

SYRIZA’s rapporteur, former justice minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos, said that if the case is returned to the judiciary potential crimes can be prosecuted, whereas if it remains in parliament, potential crimes will be swept aside due to the brief statute of limitations.

A recent study conducted by the Berlin Institute for Population and Development projected that Greece’s population will dwindle from today’s 10.6 million residents to 9.9 million people by 2030, and to 8.9 million by 2050.

Deutsche Telekom has exercised its right of first refusal for the purchase of 24.5 million shares of common stock of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE).