Greek Politics
Poll suggests broad support for border closure, continued concern about islands
The first major opinion poll published since the closure of Greek-Turkish border crossings appears to back up the sense that there is strong support for the government’s decision across the political spectrum.
Broad consensus on border action holds, but concerns emerge over use of force and press intimidation
Calls for a council of Greek political leaders in recent days have revealed the degree of unity behind the government’s handling of the crisis at the Turkish border, while disagreements persist over how to address the migration issue as a whole.
Greece gets EU show of support, emergency funds for migration
The European Commission approved 700 million euros of emergency funds to help Greece cope with the ongoing border crisis arising from the arrival of thousands of migrants at the Turkish borders.
Greece waits for tangible outcome from EU's symbolic backing over border crisis
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be accompanied by top European Union officials when he visits the Evros border region on Tuesday as Athens hopes to receive more than just symbolic support in addressing the increased influx of asylum seekers from Turkey.
Athens closes border, looks for EU support to ride out migration storm
The Greek government is hoping that it will be able to rely on European support in the coming days after tense weekend on the country’s border with Turkey and on the Aegean islands.
PM faces complex challenge as Turkey threatens free passage for refugees
The government scrambled to prepare on Friday for a potential sharp influx of refugees arriving in Greece over the next few days after Turkey intimated that it would provide free passage to Syrians seeking to reach the European Union.
Island unrest puts PM in tough spot
The government finds itself having to tackle two crises: The angry reaction on Aegean islands to the attempt to build closed reception centres for migrants and the arrival of the coronavirus in Greece.
Authorities struggle with islanders' resistance to closed centres for migrants
The government went on a charm offensive on Tuesday, deploying a wide range of arguments to re-build local communities’ trust and support its plan for the establishment of closed migrant reception centres on the eastern Aegean islands.
Greece braces for potential impact of coronavirus on key economic sectors
Key sectors of the Greek economy are expected to suffer the effects of reduced travel and trade due to the spread of the coronavirus.
Tsipras challenges Mitsotakis as probe into scandal rekindles rivalry
SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has challenged Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to take him to a special court in connection to the handling of the Novartis case when the left-wing party was in power.