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Thursday, 27 April 2017

Statistical bureau: Greek households’ disposable income unchanged in Q4 2016 from same quarter in 2015

Greek households’ disposal income over the last quarter of 2016 reached the same level as the corresponding period of 2015, according to figures released on Wednesday by Greece’s independent statistical…

Reports: Negotiations between creditors, Athens may extend into next week

The possibility of creditors’ representatives remaining in Athens beyond May 1 — which is a quasi-holiday in Greece — appeared on Wednesday, given that no face-to-face meetings occurred during the…

Wednesday, 26 April 2017

Greek PM to receive PRC Communist Party Sec’t Liu on Thurs.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will receive the secretary of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee Secretariat, Liu Qibao, on Thursday. Liu is responsible for cultural issues. His visit to…

Dep. Minister cites Cosco interest in two Greek shipyards

By A. Tsimplakis [email protected] Chinese multinational Cosco’s perceived intent to enter Greece’s shipbuilding and ship-repair sector was cited by a deputy economy and development minister this week, during a meeting…

IOBE: Greek GDP to reach 1.5% in 2017

By J. Kanoupakis [email protected] The Athens-based Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE) this week described a mixed picture and stagnation in the Greek economy over the first part of…

Basketball team’s owner provides bus ride back to Athens from Istanbul after Tuesday’s loss, elimination

The owner of the Panathinaikos Athens basketball team reacted angrily to the team’s defeat in Istanbul on Tuesday evening at the hands of Fenerbahçe, ordering that players return to the…

Commission sources: Juncker warns against Greek pension cuts beyond those agreed to this month

By Vassilis Kostoulas [email protected] Commission sources on Wednesday told “N” that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned against greater pension cuts in Greece “beyond what was recently agreed to in Valletta”.…

Govt spox confident negotiations with creditors will be successful this week

The Greek government spokesman on Wednesday again appeared confident that whatever unresolved issues in negotiations between Athens and its institutional creditors will be overcome during talks this week. In comments…

Negotiations between Athens, creditors continue over energy sector liberalization, privatizations

Negotiations between the Greek government and creditors’ representatives will continue on Wednesday over the four primary draft texts that have been given to the former before talks resumed this week,…

Tuesday, 25 April 2017

Tsipras on prime-time newscast: Austerity measures won’t be taken unless debt relief extended

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took to the prime-time airwaves on Tuesday evening to again warn that his coalition government won’t implement a new round of austerity measures if debt…

More airspace violations by Turkish warplanes reported on Tues.

No less than 71 violations of Greek airspace was reported on Tuesday over the eastern Aegean by Turkish warplanes, while four engagement between Greek and Turkish fighter planes were cited.…

Second NOME electricity auction on Wed. as creditors push for partial breakup of Greek power utility

The second NOME electricity auction of the year by the state-run power company, PPC, is scheduled for Wednesday, coinciding with resumed negotiations in Athens between the government and creditors over…

Reported Trump quip on Greece: ‘They are in such a terrible situation there. It’s awful’

US President Donald Trump offered understanding for still recession-battered and debt-laden Greece on Monday evening, during a press briefing at the White House, where he exclaimed “Greece… “They are in…

PPC requests 735 mln€ from state for supplying cheaper electricity to isles, low-income consumers

The Public Power Corp. (PPC) on Tuesday requested higher rates to the tune of 735 million euros from the state for cheaper electricity it supplied to islands off the national…

Appeals court rejects second extradition request by Ankara for 3 Turkish servicemen

A second extradition request by Turkish judicial authorities for three out of eight Turkish military servicemen that fled to Greece last July in the wake of an unsuccessful coup in…

Union reacts negatively over reports creditors want prohibition on Sunday store openings abolished

A union representing private employees in the country, including staff in retailers, on Tuesday reacted angrily to a series of press reports claiming creditors are pressing for a complete liberalization…

Creditors to resume negotiations in Athens in wake of IMF statements over ‘down payment’ in terms of more reforms

The return of creditors’ mission chiefs to Athens on Tuesday to conclude the second review of the Greek program comes a day after the WSJ reported that IMF Europe chief…

SZ: Schaeuble eyeing ‘European Monetary Fund’ for over-indebted EZ members; default clause included

Suddeutsche Zeitung on Sunday reported that powerful German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is promoting the creation of a “European Monetary Fund” which will, according to the same report, act as…

Monday, 24 April 2017

Energy issues on agenda of creditors’ reps in Athens on Tues.

Creditors’ top auditors and negotiators return to Athens on Tuesday for high-level talks aimed at finally concluding the second review of the Greek program (third bailout), with the latest “unofficial…

‘Operation change agenda’ apparently underway by pressed Tsipras govt

By Y. Kampourakis [email protected] Greece’s leftist Greek government and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras appear bent on reacquiring the political initiative in the country ahead of the “final stretch” towards concluding…

Direct, indirect tax collection beats targets for Q1 2017; VAT remittances slump

Tax revenues exceeded a first-quarter 2017 target by 228 million euros, reaching 9.516 billion euros in total. Based on Greek finance ministry figures, the over-performance is primarily due to additional…

Privatization fund announces high bidder for majority stake of Thessaloniki Port Authority

Greece’s privatization fund (HRADF) on Monday declared a consortium comprised of Deutsche Invest Equity Partners GmbH, Belterra Investments Ltd. and Terminal Link SAS as the highest bidder in an international…

Μultiple deaths reported as smuggler’s vessel reportedly sinks off Lesvos

Up to 16 bodies have been recovered off the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos (Mytilene) on Monday morning, as authorities blamed the drowning deaths on the sinking of a smuggler’s…

Tsipras congratulates Macron

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke by phone on Monday with the first round winner of the French presidential election on Sunday, centrist Emmanuel Macron. According to the Greek premier’s…

Greece’s ‘4+1’ defaults: How ongoing debt crisis was fueled by low competitiveness, spendthrift state

By Vassilis Kostoulas [email protected] When trying to analyze the implosion  of the Greek economy, beginning in late 2009 and continuing into the present, along with its painful political and even…

Greek public debt at 314.89 bln€ at end of 2016

Greece’s public debt reached 314.89 billion euros in 2016, rising from 311.66 billion euros at the end of 2015, Greece’s independent statistical service (EL.STAT) announced on Monday. In its quarterly…

WSJ: IMF wants more reforms for Greece

The WSJ reported on Monday that the IMF continues to press recession-battered Greece for more structural reforms, regardless of whether European creditors come to an agreement with Athens over debt…

Creditors’ rep return to Athens on Tuesday to conclude staff-level agreement

By T. Tsiros [email protected] The updated itinerary for finally concluding a delayed second review of the Greek program has creditors’ auditors returning to Athens on Tuesday with a goal to…

Sunday, 23 April 2017

Mitsotakis: Tsipras leading country to 4th memorandum, one without financing

Main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Sunday evening warned that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, his political rival, will be forced to come to Parliament and explain why he’s “committing…

Tight margins for Athens, creditors to meet May 22 date for concluding second review

An ever-tightening time-frame to finally conclude the long-delayed second review of the Greek program emerged from Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos high-profile meetings over the weekend at the annual World…