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Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Govt forecasts record year for tourism arrivals; sector officials predict lower figure

By. A. Tsimplakis [email protected] The leadership of the country’s largest tourism sector, the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), cited three conditions for a record-breaking year this season in the all-important tourism…

All defendants acquitted in decade-long Vatopedi case

“Much ado about nothing” was the final result of a nearly decade-old political and judicial furor surrounding a controversial land swap between the Greek state and a Mount Athos monastery,…

3 Greeks in Forbes billionaire list for 2017

Three Greeks were included in this year’s Forbes list of the world’s billionaires, and specifically Philip Niarchos, Aristotelis Mystakidis and Spyros Latsis, with the first and third being the scions…

Monday, 20 March 2017

Higher taxes on tobacco products sink overall tax revenue from sector

Effects of a “tax tsumani” on tobacco products reportedly had the opposite result than the one desired, with the first figures of the year showing a dramatic decrease in related…

More suspicious parcels intercepted by Greek authorities

Another eight suspicious parcels, all with recipients in other European countries, were detected by authorities and removed from a mail sorting center north of Athens this week. Greek Police are…

Govt source: Negotiations to continue in Brussels with creditors

Negotiations with creditors will continue until Thursday evening, a government source told «N» on Monday, hours after yet another Eurogroup meeting – one linked with the latest “unofficial deadline” for…

ND builds 14.6 percentage point lead over ruling leftists in latest poll

Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party continues to field a double-digit percentage point lead over ruling SYRIZA party in the latest opinion poll in Greece. The opinion poll was conducted…

Dijsselbloem: Negotiations will continue in Brussels; labor sector liberalization, tax issues pending

Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem referred to certain “key issues” that remain unresolved in negotiations between the Greek government and institutional creditors, following Monday’s Eurogroup meeting in the Belgian capital, although…

Social security spending in Greece now at roughly 29bln€; cuts of 2.2 bln€ eyed

By T. Tsiros [email protected] Greece’s closely scrutinized spending for all types of social security benefits now hovers at between 2.3 to 2.4 billion euros per month, or up to 29…

Latest ‘unofficial deadline’ now April 7 for Greek review; FinMin meeting with creditors’ reps

By N. Bellos Creditors’ top representatives and Greek FinMin Euclid Tsakalotos were holding anotherround of face-to-face meeting in Brussels on Monday afternoon ahead of a scheduled Eurogroup meeting – yet…

Air controllers strike in Itally to disrupt flights, airlines alliance warns

More than 500 flight cancellations are expected during Monday’s air traffic control strike in Italy, according to the Airlines for Europe alliance. In a press release, A4E said the four-hour…

Registered unemployment in Grece up in Feb. 2017, compared to previous month

Registered unemployment in Greece again increased in February 2017 over the previous month, another negative development over the first two-months of a year touted as the beginning of an economic…

Four labor sector issues block Greek bailout review

By S. Papapetros Labor sector liberalization continues to constitute one of the biggest obstacles in concluding the now year-long delayed second review of the Greek program, with the IMF the…

Reports: Austerity measures in Greece after 2019 calculated with that year’s GDP, not current level

The specter of new austerity measures to be imposed in 2019 — assuming gasping negotiations conclude over the now delayed second review of the Greek program — are likely to…

Bloomberg refers to ‘another missed deadline’ for Greek bailout program

Bloomberg forecasts another missed deadline for concluding the now utterly delayed review of the Greek program, as yet another “unofficial deadline” will probably come and go on Monday, March 20.…

Friday, 17 March 2017

Govt: ‘Several issues’ concluded on Friday with creditors; political solution needed for labor reform

The Greek government on Friday evening maintained that “several issues” were resolved the same day in last-minute negotiations with creditors’ top representatives, talks that were held via a teleconference.  …

Archaeologists say they’ve uncovered site where ancient Athenian fleet docked before Battle of Salamis

Greek archaeologists on Friday announced that they have uncovered the partially submerged remains of the anchorage used by ancient Athenian warships (triremes) prior to the sea battle of Salamis in…

EL.PE exploration, exploitation deal with Total, Edison

Greece-based Hellenic Petroleum (EL.PE) group on Friday announced the initialing of a exploration and exploitation concession contract for “Block 2”, west of the Ionian island of Corfu, with Total and…

Self-professed multi-billionaire who promised to pay off Greek debt with bearer bonds convicted of embezzlement

A highly controversial figure that emerged onto Greece’s populist-plagued national limelight over the recent period — by claiming to control or have access to up to 600 billion euros worth…

CNBC: IMF ‘moving closer’ to rejoing Greek bailout

CNBC on Friday afternoon cited sources as saying the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was ” “moving closer” to rejoining the Greek bailout program. The article, bylined by Silvia Amaro, nevertheless…

BoG: Greek budget’s cash primary surplus down in Jan-Feb 2017, yoy

Greece’s closely watched state budget posted a smaller primary surplus (on a cash basis) over the first two months of  2017, compared with the same period of 2016, the Bank…

EZ source: If progress doesn’t come soon, negotiations between creditors, Athens may drag on until summer

By N. Bellos & M. Hatzikonstantinou The latest “unofficial deadline” given for finally concluding the now long-overdue second review of the Greek program (third bailout), which was none other than…

Arrears to Greek state surge in Jan. 2017

By G. Kouros [email protected] Taxpayers’ arrears towards the state again surged in January 2017, as ripples from last year’s “tax tsunami” are now causing “waves” in current revenue targets. Moreover,…

Local businessman abducted, later freed by suspects after business’ safe raided

A local businessman was abducted at gunpoint on Thursday evening at his home by three gunmen, who in turn transported him back to his business in southeast Athens, where they…

Thursday, 16 March 2017

Urban redevopment plan unveiled by PM, Athens mayor includes relocation of Panathinaikos’ pitch

“Major interventions” in the Greek capital’s congested urban landscape was the “headline” assigned to a meeting between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis on Thursday, although…

Greek minister: Parcel bomb that exploded at IMF sent from Greece

The Greek government on Thursday confirmed that yet another parcel bomb, this time the one that actually exploded at the IMF’s offices in Paris hours earlier, was sent from Greece.…

Greek shipping registry falls to 3rd place in terms of Greek-owned vessels; still first in terms of tonnage

By L. Karageorgos    [email protected] A negative milestone, after many years, was revealed this week with the announcement that the Greek registry of ocean-going vessels fell from first place to…

Greek postal service points to contractor for security lapse that allowed parcel bomb to reach Berlin ministry

The Greek Postal Service (EL.TA) said it has ordered an “in-depth investigation” over possible oversights by a contracting company tasked with screening mail and parcels flown out of the Athens…

Greek unemployment up in Q4 2016, qoq, reaches 23.6%

Greek unemployment, already fixed in mid 20s range for months now, reached 23.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, up from 22.6 percent in the previous quarter. The figure…

Statement by Christine Lagarde on the Explosion in the IMF’s Paris Office

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the following statement today in Frankfurt, Germany:   “I have been informed about the explosion in the IMF’s Paris…