Politics
Covid-19 puts pressure on health system, forces govt into more restrictions
As the pressure on the national health system grows due to an increase in Covid-19 patients, the government has introduced new restrictions for the greater Athens area and officials are not ruling out further measures to prevent the disease spreading.
Mitsotakis seeks to reassure on foreign policy, spending plans
A day after his traditional address to industry representatives at the Thessaloniki Expo Forum where he laid out the government’s economic programme for the year ahead, Mitsotakis gave a wide-ranging press-conference which offered him the opportunity to state the government’s positions on a number other policy areas.
Athens hopes for letup in Turkey friction, but talks still in balance
Ankara’s decision to not extend the NAVTEX for the Oruc Reis research vessel is the outcome of intensive diplomatic activity, which took place behind the scenes over the last couple of days.
Defence spending, economic support plans dominate PM's policy speech
Covid-19 meant that Kyriakos Mitsotakis delivered the prime minister’s annual keynote economic policy speech to a reduce audience on Saturday.
Athens encouraged by Med7, Macron support in Turkey dispute
The Greek government is satisfied with the outcome of the Med7 summit in Corsica, chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has taken a leading role in efforts to rally opposition to Turkey’s actions in the East Med.
More fires at Moria add to pressure for effective response to asylum crisis
Hundreds more refugees and migrants were left without shelter on the island of Lesvos on Wednesday night, after a series of fires burned through the informal encampments which had survived a catastrophic fire that burned the Moria asylum centre the night before.
Moria fire propels migration issue back to top of political agenda
Just as the Greek government was expecting some relief from the refugee challenge that has caused it political problems since it came to power last summer, a large fire at the Moria camp for asylum seekers on the island of Lesvos has brought the issue back into sharp focus.
Parties debate pandemic response as public approval deteriorates
The parliamentary season kicked off on Monday with a special session on the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
PM prepares for low key policy speech as poll suggests support for govt still high
The government is trying to dampen expectations ahead of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s speech in Thessaloniki on Saturday – a task made easier by the fact that the first major opinion poll since the summer break has indicated that support is still strong for his New Democracy party.
Diplomatic efforts to get Athens and Ankara talking gather pace, but face obstacles
Serious diplomatic efforts got underway this week with the aim of defusing tension between Greece and Turkey.