MacroPolis

Greece seeks to mend fences with Austria but frets about EU-Turkey deal

12/05/2016 - 19:23

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias' decision to visit Vienna this week has been viewed as a goodwill gesture from Athens in a bid to restore its relations with Austria, which had been sorely tested by the refugee crisis.

Tsipras upbeat after vote, Eurogroup but deal details may still present problems

11/05/2016 - 14:41

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been in fan upbeat mood this week following the successful parliamentary vote on Sunday and the positive noises coming from the Eurogroup on Monday.

Greece and lenders edge closer at Eurogroup but standby measures, debt relief not resolved yet

09/05/2016 - 21:43

Greece and its creditors appeared to move a step closer on Monday to an agreement that would conclude the bailout review but questions remain about the details of some aspects of the potential deal.

Tsipras gets full support in pension and income tax vote, moves on to Eurogroup

09/05/2016 - 09:21

Greek Parliament passed the pension and income tax reform bill entailing 2 percent of GDP in fiscal measures needed to lead to the completion of the first bailout, with all 153 of the government’s MPs backing the legislation.

Davutoglu departure prompts concern about Turkish unpredictability in Athens

09/05/2016 - 09:20

Greece is keeping a closer eye on developments in Turkey as a result of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s decision to step down at an extraordinary congress of his ruling AK Party later this month following a major row with president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

EU highlights Greek border concerns but Athens concerned about Aegean

05/05/2016 - 12:10

Greece’s land and sea borders, as well as air space, are back in focus after the European Commission’s decision to extend frontier controls in the Schengen area for another six months and rising concern about Turkey’s activity in the Aegean.

Launch of new movement highlights fragmentation of Greek centre-left

04/05/2016 - 12:03

Former Interior Minister Yiannis Ragoussis is set to launch a new centre-left movement on Wednesday, highlighting the fragmentation in this part of the Greek political spectrum.

Greece looks for support as expectations for May 9 Eurogroup lowered

02/05/2016 - 23:45

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is expected to resume talks with Greek government officials on Tuesday, following the Easter break, but the country’s lenders appear to have already to set expectations low for any agreement on the bailout review by the extra Eurogroup on May 9.

EU progress on Turkish visas gives Athens hope of low refugee arrivals

01/05/2016 - 23:03

Greek concerns that slow progress in the European Union’s liberalisation of visas for Turkish citizens might undermine cooperation on the migrant issue are set to be allayed this week.

Substantial ground for Greece and lenders to cover before May 9 Eurogroup

29/04/2016 - 16:12

A Eurogroup meeting that will potentially be decisive for the conclusion of Greece’s bailout review is due to be held on May 9 but it is still not clear how Athens and its creditors will arrive at an agreement on the process of defining the extra 2 percent of GDP in standby measures needed for the negotiations to be wrapped up successfully.