International

It is beyond reason that the capital, which is supposed to be the mirror of the country, is falling prey to a few hundred enraged individuals, who think they are staging a revolution by destroying and terrorising.

While recognising that there is a definite enlargement fatigue in the ranks of EU member-states, Juncker indicated that the prospect of accession is important for avoiding a potential tinderbox in the backyard of the EU, and he even brandished the frightful prospect of a Balkan war.

The new Economy Minister stressed that the next sixth months, until Greece completes the current fiscal adjustment programmme, are critical, as they may affect developments over the next decade.

“There is an arsenal of new tools for reducing non-performing loans (NPLs),” Dragasakis said, noting that the government does not rule out the creation of a bad bank, if it turns out that the rate at which NPLs are being reduced must be expedited.

Questions remain about how the so-called objective tax values can be revised to reflect the current commercial values of properties, when the market has come to a standstill and the data on which one might draw comparisons is quite limited.

The major Canadian medical cannabis manufacturer Aphria is proceeding with an investment in Xanthi, northeastern Greece, on 5,000 hectares of land.

In a period in which the government needs to make strides in order to manage the exit from the bailout memorandum, as well as regional, geopolitical challenges, the prime minister remains trapped with a government of limited capabilities.

The major surprise in the reshuffle was the appointment of Fotis Kouvelis as alternate defence minister, replacing Vitsas.

The finance ministry’s decision to further rollback capital controls was published today in the Government Gazette and will be in effect as of tomorrow, 1 March. The capital controls were instituted by the Tsipras government in July, 2015, when the ECB cut off liquidity for Greek banks. The decision raises the ceiling on monthly cash […]

The three-member Appellate Felony Court of Athens has ruled that 36 businessmen and stock brokers are innocent of charges of fraud and money-laundering during the Greek stock market bubble of 1999.

“Good evening Alexis. I believe you understand that it is difficult for me to remain in the government. For that reason, I am giving you my resignation. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me to serve the country,” was the outgong economy minister's message.

Ministers in crucial ministries that relate to Greece’s international economic and diplomatic relations will remain untouched. They include Finance Minister Euclid Tsaakalotos, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, and Defence Minister Panos Kammenos.

The credit rating agency Moody's has upgraded the long-term deposit ratings of Piraeus Bank and the National Bank of Greece by one notch, from Caa2 to Caa3.

Trust in the government and in the opposition is at exceptionally low levels. But there are growing extreme right and anti-systemic forces, with untrammeled populism, that pretend to be the uncorrupted parties which will clean up political life.

As for amending his country’s constitution, which he had firmly ruled out earlier, Zaev appeared a bit less adamant. He said the question that remained was whether there was “a real need” to change Macedonia’s constitution, according Reuters.

The drilling is being conducted by the Italian-French consortium ENI/TOTAL, and this time the drill was accompanied by two frigates, one French and one Italian, according to a report in the Cypriot newspaper Politis.

Yannis Stournaras reiterated that it is preferable to have a precautionary credit line, in order to be able to confront all eventualities after the completion of the ongoing, third bailout programme.

The fourth evaluation involves a whopping 88 preconditions, including new fiscal measures, revamping the handicapped benefits system, revising the Katseli law, promoting privatisation – mainly in the energy sector – and changing the ENFIA real estate tax system.

Tsipras finally decided to abolish the law which his party had passed and which allowed extra-parliamentary ministers who were not permanent residents of Athens to have the state cover their rent. There was no income criterion for issuing the handout.

Those who are considered certain to remain in their current posts include Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Alternate Finance Minister Yorgos Houliarakis, and Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias