Politics
PM takes to stage in Davos as migration worries persist at home
As Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis took to the international stage in Davos, the now familiar problem of dealing with refugee flows was troubling his government back home.
New president receives strong endorsement, hints at areas of interest
Senior judge Katerina Sakellaropoulou was elected Greece new, and first female, president on Wednesday by the vast majority of the country’s MPs, vindicating Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s choice, but also justifying SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras’s decision to support her candidacy.
PM brings law and order back onto agenda as foreign policy issues dominate
Foreign policy issues have been dominating the domestic political agenda in Greece over the past few days, although the government has tried to shift focus back to internal matters via its law and order agenda.
Athens moves on after Berlin Conference absence, seeks more active role in Libya developments
In Greece’s absence, the Berlin Conference ended on Sunday with an agreement among all the participants to respect a much-violated arms embargo, to hold off on military support to the warring parties and push them to reach a full ceasefire.
PM trails switch in tax cuts, admits misstep in approach to migration
The interview Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave to Alpha TV on Thursday night was dominated by foreign policy issues but also included some new insight into the government’s fiscal plans for this year.
Excluded from Libya talks, Athens vows to block decisions that ignore sea border concerns
Athens has been left to watch from afar the latest international diplomatic initiatives aimed at bringing an end to the longstanding conflict in Libya.
Mitsotakis eyes multiple benefits after nominating top judge to be first female president
Kyriakos Mitsotakis has named Council of State president Katerina Sakellaropoulou as his party’s candidate to become Greece’s first female head of state in a move that counters recent criticism about the lack of women in his cabinet and puts pressure on his political rivals to back New Democracy’s proposal.
ND's electoral bill put before MPs as PM mulls options for president
MPs are due to begin debating on Wednesday the government’s proposed change to the electoral law, which is highly unlikely to gain the necessary level of support to avoid Greece’s next general election being held under the proportional representation system.
Mitsotakis sets out economic goals for 2020 as govt vies for extra fiscal space
Speaking to business leaders on Monday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis set out his government’s economic priorities for the year, reiterating New Democracy’s determination to create more fiscal space for tax cuts, a move that will also depend on the acquiescence of Greece’s lenders.
Pension bill to be unveiled as govt prepared for fifth post-MoU review
Following a week when foreign policy dominated the political agenda in Greece, the government’s attention turns to the more mundane matters of the fifth enhanced surveillance review and pension reform in the coming days.