Greek Politics
PM sets criticism aside, highlights unprecedented conditions behind fires
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made a televised address on Thursday night in which he stressed that authorities are prioritising saving lives over protecting property and nature as Greece battles dozens of wildfires, including a large blaze north of Athens.
Criticism of authorities' response intensifies as wildfires continue to rage
A number of large wildfires continue to burn across Greece, threatening inhabited areas and piling the pressure on the country’s civil defence mechanisms and the political leadership.
PM prioritises saving lives as govt fire strategy comes under more scrutiny
A wildfire that broke out on Tuesday north of Athens has put the government’s ability to tackle such natural disasters under further scrutiny after New Democracy promised a more professional approach than its predecessor, SYRIZA.
After wildfires, concern about power supply sparks hot political debate
As Greece braces for the peak of what is expected to be a record-breaking heatwave, public calls to limit power usage have prompted a fierce response from opposition parties to the state of the government’s planning for extreme weather events.
Wildfires rekindle longstanding political battle as heatwave forces agenda change
The annual political clash over the response to wildfires in Greece began in earnest this weekend as blazes raged in various parts of Greece, particularly Achaia and Rhodes.
Govt ploughs on with reform bills as politicians' wealth declarations draw attention
Parliament has been voting on some of the government’s reform bills but the political and media attention has mostly been focussed on MPs’ annual derivation of wealth declarations.
Schools bill vote brings differences on education to fore
The government has succeeded in passing another raft of reforms to the education system despite stiff opposition from minority parliamentary parties and teachers’ unions.
PM cautious about extending compulsory vaccinations
Despite the recent slowdown, Greece’s vaccination programme reached another landmark on Tuesday, when the number of fully vaccinated Greeks passed 5 million.
Stalling vaccination campaign, protests raise concerns on health and political fronts
Vaccination uptake in Greece is grinding to a halt, with authorities struggling to respond to a combination of vaccine hesitancy and an increasingly active anti-vaccination front.
Government compromises on 2 pct rise for minimum wage
It was confirmed at a cabinet meeting on Monday that the minimum wage will rise by 2 pct, a symbolic increase that is the result of the government’s unwillingness to leave salaries unchanged but also its desire not to come into conflict with business owners who are being tested by the pandemic.