International

About two to three people in Greece succumb to the latest influenza outbreak on a daily basis, raising the death toll to 64 in the past couple weeks. In most cases, the victims had not been inoculated against the flu, despite doctor recommendations. The Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis explained that people must remain calm […]

The Minister of Administrative Reform Kyriakos Mitsotakis is going to meet with the heads of the troika by tomorrow in order to discuss the current suspension and dismissal plans. So far, the Ministry has carried out 4,000 dismissals in 2013, after agreeing upon an extension with the troika in November. This includes the 2,500 ERT […]

The Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is banking on support from other European leaders in the upcoming elections for the European Parliament, in order to counter pressure from the troika, which has cast doubt over Greece’s achievements. While the coalition government and the troika disagree on a number of critical subjects, such as the primary surplus […]

The privatization process for the Port Authority of Piraeus (OLP) will be discussed today in Parliament, with the MPs expected to formally announce the initiation of the sale via TAIPED, while the nationwide federation of dockyard employees OMYLE goes on a 24-hour strike in protest. The Minister of Shipping Miltiadis Varvitsiotis is expected to appear […]

The employees of steel industries Halyvourgiki and Hellenic Halyvourgia have agreed to mobilize, after the management of Halyvourgiki announced its intention to suspend 95% of its staff for six weeks. Employee representatives from the two industries are going to visit the Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change Yannis Maniatis in order to discuss the […]

The much-touted return of the troika in Athens has not turned out to be as the Greek side expected, as the IMF, ECB and EU representatives have apparently increased their demands for more austerity. According to Finance Ministry officers participating in the negotiations the troika, they “suddenly raised the issue of the 2014 budget gap, […]

The center-left faces a new “crisis” of sorts, as it was revealed yesterday that the “Initiative of 58” will not formally participate in the upcoming European elections under the “Olive tree” banner as previously though, but rather they will help in the organization. The rumors circulating on Tuesday suggested that the 58 and PASOK had […]

A 4.1 magnitude earthquake caused some concern to the people living in and around the city of Kozani at about 3.42am on Wednesday morning. According to the Geodynamic Institute of Athens, the earthquake’s epicenter was determined to be 17km southwest of the city and at a depth of 5km.

The State natural gas company and the Russian energy giant Gazprom have announced that they have to an agreement for the price of natural gas. The new deal will see the price of natural drop from 460 to 393 euros per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas, marking a 15% reduction. Furthermore, the deal is […]

The election results of the Athens Bar Association have confirmed a trend that emerged in the elections of other prominent scientific associations and union organizations. In these elections, the people and factions who can defend the interests of their professional sector are elected and chosen above those who chose to focus on their partisan allegiances […]

According to a report by the Avgi newspaper, 21 high school students have been summoned by the courts to address charges of obstructing the operation of a public school, in reference to school occupations that took place in 2011 and 2012. The courts have specifically summoned 8 students from a high school in Volos and […]

The farmers in Peloponnesus have announced their intention to hold the roadblocks until Friday, when their coordination committee is scheduled to hold an assembly to decide the future of their actions. At present the farmer road blocks are set at Gargaliani in Messinia; Vlachioti, Sykia, Molai, Limni and Sparta in Laconia, as well as at […]

Greek statistics authority ELSTAT published data regarding the trade balance deficit in 2013, which was estimated to be 19.34 billion euros and was 11% less than in 2012, when it was 21.72 billion euros. When excluding oil products from the equation, the deficit was found to drop by 8.1%, namely 1.14 billion euros/ The total […]

SYRIZA MP and member of the opposition party’s financial planning committee Giorgos Stathakis to Vima 99.5 about the negotiations with the troika, SYRIZA’s financial policies and the possibility of a new bailout. Regarding the possibility of a new bailout, Mr. Stathakis noted that it is unlikely, as it is unnecessary; the MP noted that the […]

The European Commission is expected to submit a new report containing its prediction for the progress of EU member (and perspective members) economies today, where it will revise its estimation of the Greek economy in 2013, 2014 and 2015. According to the last Commission report on the European economies, which was published in November 2013, […]

The Minister of Growth Kostis Hatzidakis gave an interview to the Bloomberg news agency and spoke about the investment and growth opportunities that lay with the port of Piraeus. While the port of Piraeus is currently the 11th European port in size, thanks to Cosco’s management, Mr. Hatzidakis believes that Piraeus could be amongst the […]

The Deputy Minister of Public Radio and Television Pantelis Kapsis commented on Vima 99.5 that the new public television broadcasting service NERIT would go live by the 27th of April. Mr. Kapsis admitted that there were serious delays in the payment of compensation towards all the ERT employees, with about half of what is owed […]

While the Prime Minister insists upon praising the efforts that resulted in achieving a primary surplus beyond all expectations and predictions, the troika is not convinced, as evident by its Monday visit to the Ministry of Finances. The total sum of the primary surplus will then determine two other essential matters; first whether new measures […]

The Minister of Labor Yannis Vroutsis is meeting with the troika representatives this morning in order to discuss mass dismissals, a 3.9% reduction of employer contributions and the abolition of third-party taxes. The Greek side is concerned that the proposed 3.9% reduction of employer contributions will create a 700 million euro deficit in the insurance […]

The leader of DIMAR Fotis Kouvelis appeared on SKAI TV and ruled out the possibility of his party cooperating with either New Democracy or PASOK in upcoming elections. Mr. Kouvelis was critical of PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos “who claimed he would do what DIMAR said and a few days later he would retreat” and accused […]