Politics
Government cracks down on sun lounger sprawl as public mood towards tourism sours
With the holiday season in full swing, a growing swell of public protest against the over-expansion of businesses on beaches has forced the government to promise stricter enforcement of the rules on the use of public space.
PM heads to Egypt with eye on broader movements in East Med
Athens is keeping a close watch on Ankara’s intention to improve relations with countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly Egypt and Israel.
Government offers free holidays, bigger fines and more hirings in evolving fire response
The government is maintaining its dual line of defence against criticism about the handling of forest fires over the past few weeks by blaming the effects of the climate crisis, but also arsonists, for the scale of the challenge that Greek authorities have had to meet.
Opinion divided in Greece over seeking ICJ settlement with Turkey
A recent comment by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about referring a dispute with Turkey over sea zones to the International Court of Justice has ignited a public debate in Greece.
SYRIZA leadership contest off to slow start, as ND rushes to contain political damage from fires
The contest to succeed Alexis Tsipras at the helm of SYRIZA looks set to gather momentum with the launch of a campaign aimed to generate engagement in view of the September leadership elections.
Minister's resignation deflates government after series of missteps
A series of embarrassing moments for the government connected to the recent wildfires was extended and heightened on Friday, when Citizens Protection Minister Notis Mitarakis was forced to resign after a newspaper report suggested he had been spotted on an island break while efforts to contain blazes around the country were still in full swing.
Wildfire threat to air base puts government in embarrassing position
The ongoing struggle to contain the myriad wildfires that have broken out in Greece amid a record heatwave took an embarrassing turn for the government on Thursday, when a blaze approached the Nea Aghialos Air Force Base in central Greece.
Government tries to deflect criticism over wildfires with appeal to patriotism
Wildfires continued to burn in many parts of Greece on Wednesday, casting a shadow over the government’s determination to pursue its legislative agenda at the start of its new term.
Fires cast growing shadow as new shipwreck probe is announced
Parliament was set to vote on the government’s economic bill on Wednesday in the shadow of the ongoing forest fires, which also claimed their first lives this summer.
Mitsotakis faces down critics over handling of forest fires
Opposition parties demanded answers from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the authorities’ handling of catastrophic forest fires that continued to burn on various fronts, after a weekend of destruction which made global headlines with the evacuation of thousands of holidaymakers on the island of Rhodes.