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Thursday, 17 January 2019

PPC CEO: Power rate hikes necessary for utility to deal with rising operation costs, debt restructuring

By K. Deligiannis [email protected] The head of Greece’s dominant power utility, the ATHEX-listed but still state-controlled Public Power Corp. (PPC), on Wednesday said an increase in electricity rates is “required”.…

Moscovici in Athens: Managing Greek banks’ ‘bad debt’ now the priority

By E. Sakkelari [email protected] EU Commissioner Pierre Moscovici pointed to “bad debt” plaguing Greece’s four systemic banks as the main priority that the country must now tackle on the economic…

Wednesday, 16 January 2019

Tsipras govt achieves razor-thin vote of confidence, as expected

The Tsipras government on Wednesday evening scraped together a razor-thin majority in Parliament to gain a vote of confidence, all ahead of the submission of the contentious Prespra agreement in…

Hefty pay hikes for employees of greater Athens area water utility, union claims

By T. Igoumenidi [email protected] Public sector-related spending hikes, amid the current election year, will reportedly come in the form of pay increases for employees of the greater Athens-Piraeus area’s water…

OECD: High taxes in Greece a break on economic growth

The OECD was the latest international body this week to sound the “warning bells” over the heavy tax rates now imposed on thrice bailed-out Greece, in two separate studies, one…

Tuesday, 15 January 2019

Sources: Tsipras govt intent on tabling Prespa accord to parliament for ratification on Fri. or Sat

By G. Kampourakis [email protected] The Tsipras government aims to submit the provisional Prespa agreement to Parliament for ratification immediately after Wednesday’s vote of confidence, according to reliable reports. The agreement…

Impressive ‘electrical storm’ over eastern Aegean isle of Samos

An “electrical storm” was recorded over the eastern Aegean island of Samos on Sunday evening, with repeated lightning bolts and thunder impressively turning the night into day for brief moments.…

Political shakeup continues amid looming vote of confidence in Parliament this week

A deputy from the centrist Potami party late on Monday reiterated his pledge to cast a vote of confidence for the leftist Tsipras government in Parliament this week, a statement…

Monday, 14 January 2019

Latest high-profile Russian intervention heaps criticism on Prespa accord; looming NATO entry for fYRoM

Russia’s foreign ministry on Monday referred to the “will of the people” in directly criticizing the recent decision by the Parliament in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) to…

Mitsotakis reiterates opposition to Prespa agreement; says rupture of SYRIZA-AN.EL coalition a sham

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) president Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday evening emphasized that the previous day’s political “breakup” between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his one-time coalition partner, now ex-DM…

Four out of seven AN.EL MPs expected to ‘break ranks’ and offer support to Tsipras govt

One-hundred and fifty-one deputies, out of 300, is now the “magic number” that the Tsipras government must tally this week during a vote of confidence in Parliament, after the collapse…

Notorious inmate stabbed to death

A convicted felon charged with separate attempted homicide charges was stabbed to death on Monday in the greater Athens area’s biggest lockup, shortly after he had been transferred from a…

Minister Kountoura says she’ll support, remain in govt; expulsion from AN.EL parliamentary group

Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura, one of seven deputies of the right-wing Independent Greeks (AN.EL) that up until Sunday served as leftist SYRIZA’s junior coalition partner, resurfaced on Monday morning to…

Sunday, 13 January 2019

Greek political parties vilify Tsipras, now ex-coalition partner Kammenos

The opprobrium heaped against the Tsipras government on Sunday by the political opposition, in the wake of the dissolution of the coalition binding the former’s leftist SYRIZA with the small…

Vote of confidence probably on Wed.

A proposal for debate in Parliament over a vote of confidence for the Tsipras government to commence on Tuesday and conclude on Wednesday afternoon will be tabled by Parliament president…

Kammenos: No to vote of confidence for Tsipras govt

Outspoken Greek politician Panos Kammenos, the defense minister and junior coalition partner up until Sunday morning, said his remaining deputies will vote against the Tsipras government if a no confidence…

Junior coalition partner exits govt, new DM announced; Tsipras promises vote of confidence

The small right-wing Independent Greeks (AN.EL) party will leave the ruling coalition, outgoing Defense Minister and party president Panos Kammenos said on Sunday, immediately after his concluded meeting with leftist…

Saturday, 12 January 2019

Tsipras-Kammenos meeting on Sunday morning

A closely watched meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, whose small right-wing party is the now shaky junior partner in the current “strange bedfellows” coalition…

Govt to present creditors with plan allowing big ‘haircut’, instalments for self-employed professionals’ arrears to funds

A new installment plan allowing self-employed professionals in Greece the opportunity to repay arrears to social insurance funds, as well as a distinct possibility for major “haircuts” of debts, is…

Friday, 11 January 2019

Merkel to business executives: Cut taxes in Greece, but not at expense of fiscal targets

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly called for an easing of tax rates in thrice bailed-out Greece, but without such a prospect affecting annual primary budget surplus targets — a post-bailout…

Mitsotakis: I explained ND’s opposition to Prespa pact to Merkel

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) president Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday spelled out his center-right party’s reasons for opposing the provisional Prespa agreement, during a meeting with visiting German Chancellor Angela…

NBG ready to sell-off 3bln€ portfolio of ‘bad debt’ – business and consumer loans

National Bank of Greece (NBG) is ready to sell-off roughly three billion euros worth of “bad debt”, mostly loans towards extended to businesses (two billion euros) and one billion euros…

Bakoyannis a candidate for CoE gen-sec

Former Greek foreign minister and Athens mayor Dora Bakoyannis is among the candidates for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE), the organization announced on Friday.…

Tsipras-Kammenos meeting cancelled, latter says

Defense Minister and junior coalition partner Panos Kammenos on Friday said a scheduled and highly anticipated meeting with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been cancelled. He made the announcement while…

Another jail breakout reported in central Athens

Six foreign nationals held in a lockup in central Athens vanished from the facility in the early morning hours of Friday, the latest incident involving escapes from jails in the…

DM Kammenos denies he’s near exit from Cabinet, coalition

Mercurial Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos on Friday vehemently denied that he has tendered his resignation and is, essentially, an outgoing Cabinet member. Kammenos, the outspoken head of a small…

Merkel: Germany fully assumes responsibility for its history, crimes committed in Greece by Nazis

Visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel continued her very high-profile working visit to Athens on Friday with a meeting with the country’s ceremonial head of state and the laying of a…

Thursday, 10 January 2019

Merkel warmly greeted in Athens by Greek PM Tsipras; latter says ‘difficult moments’ now surpassed

A beaming Alexis Tsipras greeted Angela Merkel with “open arms” on Thursday in Athens, referring to what he called a dramatically different country from the one visited in 2014 by…

Merkel praises Tsipras in Athens for Prespa agreement; cites ‘North Macedonia’ three times

Visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel directly cited the Prespa agreement on Thursday afternoon immediately after her talks in Athens with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras, praising the prospective resolution of the…

Light quake recorded SW of Zakynthos isle

A light earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale was recorded southwest of the Ionian island of Zakynthos just before 8 p.m. (18.00 GMT) on Thursday. The quake was pinpointed…