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Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Macedonia would change its name to settle its beef with Greece

… , then Macedonia may be giving Greece a freebie.  Its prime minister … European neighbors. That should suit Greece just fine. Since the breakup … a historical northern region in Greece. Greek officials also believe Macedonia, which …


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Congress Must Note Similarities of Crises in Greece and ...

Greek Lessons for Puerto Rico Congress must learn from the IMF's costly mistakes in Greece to effectively manage Puerto Rico's financial crisis.


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Armenia and GREECE condemn Turkish support to “Islamic State”

Armenia and GREECE condemn Turkish support to the “Islamic State” organization and downing the Russian jet. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran ...


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Can GREECE do a 'Ukraine'?

GREECE, like Ukraine, faces a similar fate. The country has repeatedly been on the brink of default since the first European bailout of 2010.


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As EU Squeezes Greece, UN Calls for Global Solution to Migration Problem

  COPENHAGEN — Amid news that the European Union seeks to go around Greece’s sovereign rights to address the migration and refugee crises, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the massive flow of migrants and refugees into Europe, Asia and elsewhere shows that this is now a global issue that needs a global solution. The U.N. chief […] The post As EU Squeezes Greece, UN Calls for Global Solution to Migration Problem appeared first on The National Herald.


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GREEK Goverment Accuses Opposition of not Supporting Goverment Efforts

The GREEK Government accused the opposition parties of refusing to support the government's efforts in the insurance reforms after the European ...


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N.J.'s best diner: A diner where GREEK, Latin and American traditions collide

The Tropicana, with its island-themed murals and a menu that effortlessly combines GREEK, Latino and traditional American dishes, is one of ten ...


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Holiday getaway on GREEK wish lists

Many Greeks looking to get away this Christmas or New Year's are mulling the idea of heading to a European capital, as London, Paris and Rome are ...


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Greece risks becoming a ‘black box’ for stranded migrants ...

Greece risks becoming a vast holding pen for tens of thousands of migrants arriving by boat from Turkey as neighbouring countries close their borders, prime minister ...


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Property Turkey infographic shares bizarre tips for travelling Venezuela, Egypt and GREECE

Applaud the pilot when landing in Poland, fart after a meal in Canada and keep your fingers apart in Vietnam. These are some of the bizarre and ...


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EU: Italy and GREECE pressured for migrant detention centers

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, DECEMEBER 16 - Many delegations from the EU including France and Germany called on Wednesday for detention ...


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US LNG firm's Balkan plans via GREECE

US firm Cheniere Energy is seeking to cooperate with GREECE'S Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) and find a way into the Balkans through the country for ...


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Tsipras: It’s Europe’s Turn To Honor Their Commitments

  The Prime Minister of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Immigration Yiannis Mouzalas inspected the progress of the reception identification centers  (hotspots) in Chios and Leros.     Tsipras stressed that it’s Europe’s turn to honor its commitments. He stated that even though Greece is enduring difficult conditions the country and the


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Greek Mishandling Of Key Industries Puts Bailout Agreement At Risk – Analysis

… the plummeting fortunes of the Greek economy – a dramatic development that … mishandling of the shipping industry. Greece’s shipping industry is the … will miss its privatization target, Greece’s future is already beginning …


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Macedonia open to name change to end Greek dispute

Macedonia open to name change to end Greek dispute For 24 years Greece has accused country of appropriating aspects of Hellenic culture


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Armenian and GREEK Defense Ministers agree upon continuing cooperation in spheres of mutual ...

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and his GREEK counterpart Panagiotis Kammenos ...


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Thousands Stranded In Greek Border Camp Have Nowhere To Go

IDOMENI, Greece -- Every day, thousands of migrants and refugees arrive on a narrow patch of land near the Greek village of Idomeni. And there, many of them stop, barred from going any further. The area, located a mere 100 feet from the Macedonian border, has become the main gathering point for people from war-torn and poverty-stricken countries in the Middle East and Africa who are waiting to head north into the promise of Europe. While the picturesque village and the beauty of the region may deceive at first, the illusion doesn't last long: Nobody enjoys being stuck in Idomeni. As the number of migrants and refugees arriving on the Greek islands from Turkey rose dramatically this summer, the Greek government organized ferries to bring the new arrivals to the mainland. From there, many made their way to the Macedonian border. Some turned to traffickers to cross; others waited for official permission. A temporary camp developed in Idomeni near the border checkpoint. Following the Paris terrorist attacks in mid-November, Macedonia erected a metal fence in an effort to limit the illegal crossings and channel people through the checkpoint. The country also toughened its policy on who could enter. It started making a distinction between those it considers "refugees" -- people from the war zones in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq -- and those it considers "economic migrants." Only the "refugees" are allowed in. Despite the new procedure, people keep flocking to the area, hoping to cross. The transit shelter in Idomeni has become a makeshift refugee camp. "The place was transformed from a transit spot for refugees to a camping site for those who couldn't cross over to Macedonia because of the arbitrary and unreasonable categorization of nationalities," Antonis Rigas, head of a Doctors Without Borders team operating in the area, tells HuffPost Greece. "In the first period, you would see up to 1,000 people in the woods, and now there are days when there can be up to 9,000." Think of the Idomeni camp as a gigantic hole, in which people without a Syrian, Afghan or Iraqi passport are trapped. Railway lines cut through the camp, with tents and the temporary offices of nongovernmental organizations scattered on either side. Discarded blankets, clothes, shoes, children's toys and sanitary products -- all destroyed by rain and mud -- recall those who previously passed through. A group of people from Africa are sitting together, shucking something that looks like peanuts. They cannot cross the border as the countries they left behind are not recognized as war zones. They are looking for company but also for explanations. A man named Francis takes the role of translator. (Most people interviewed for this story did not want to give their last name for safety reasons.) "Will they open the border? Why did they close it? Why don't they let us go through like a few days ago?" he asks.   Members of the group display the documents that Greek authorities gave them when they first arrived on the islands from Turkey. The documents are a source of frustration to many. They are in Greek, and refugees often complain that no one explained to them what the papers said. Many of the documents are also riddled with errors -- people's names are spelled wrong or their birthdates are incorrect. The only way to correct the papers is to travel hundreds of miles back to Athens, since the police station in Idomeni doesn't handle such matters anymore. Refugees say there are rumors that decision was made to encourage them to leave. The HuffPost Greece team offers to translate the documents, but translation doesn't necessarily bring good news. Michael from Nigeria had hoped to join his wife and children in Dublin. Felice, who travels alone, wants to reach Norway. They're both from Nigeria. They're not allowed to cross into Macedonia, and their documents indicate they must leave Greece in 15 days. Francis, on the other hand, is relieved to hear he can stay in Greece. He's from Somalia, one of the countries in which Greek immigration authorities consider conditions to be dangerous. While he, too, can't cross the border into Macedonia, he can have his case examined in Greece. He's dismayed at Macedonia's policy. "How can Europe and the United Nations, knowing about what's going on in the African countries, think that we are able to live there?" Francis says. "Isn't this their mission to protect those in need? ... I know, they are afraid of the Africans, the Muslims, that we are going to take their jobs or hurt them after all that's happened in France. But you know, I am afraid as well, all the time, here and there." Tensions have grown in Idomeni in recent weeks, as the number of people barred from crossing continues to swell. Most of them have spent thousands of dollars to get this far, and many are angry and disappointed to find their path blocked. Last week, clashes broke out between the police and the travelers after a refugee was killed while trying to climb onto a train. Migrants and refugees protesting the border policy have also blocked the railway, stopping train services between Greece and Macedonia. Police in Idomeni have a hard time maintaining order these days. The border checkpoint is about the size of an apartment door, and every small hiccup creates hours of delays among those waiting to cross.  Officers admit they operate very much on a trial-and-error basis in managing the flow of people. "We don't have specific orders or a basic plan of action," one officer says.   "We are merely decorative here," another officer adds. "We don't have jurisdiction. Most issues are handled by the NGOs, and we only intervene in keeping the order. And that is difficult. There are people from different countries who don't get along. The buses keep bringing more, the system blocks, and there are tensions." Security forces recently started to force some of the buses bringing more refugees to wait miles away from the border in an effort to avoid further overcrowding. Police officers with helmets and shields also began to line the border fence to prevent refugees from being crushed in line. But there aren't any translators working with the officers, and they mostly try to impose order by screaming key terms in English. "Make line," an often repeated order, is rarely obeyed. "Sit down," which is delivered with the corresponding gesture toward the mud or to blankets left behind by others, is more effective. Not all the police treat the migrants and refugees with respect. "Sit down, Ali Baba!" one officer yells at someone who stood up to protest the wait. To try to reduce the pressure, the Greek government has moved some 2,300 people from Idomeni to temporary accommodations in Athens, including a former sports hall. On Tuesday, the government said it will transfer the people to another stadium and is preparing to shelter them there for the next three months. Along Idomeni's railway tracks, 21-year-old Ali from Tehran, Iran, shows off a mobile-phone video of his breakdancing skills. "I've been dancing for three years and I have been to contests. I am really good!" he says. But dancing is not what brought him to Greece. Ali left his country and his family to pursue his dream of becoming a boxer. "I am training everyday and I have taken part in the Iranian championship, but it takes money. I can't just do that and not work," he says. "My boxing teacher managed to go to Sweden. We are in touch. He writes me that he knows I am talented and that I can become better. If I manage to reach Sweden, he will take me up. I told him I have gone on this journey, and he is waiting for me." Ali's mother didn't want him to leave. "She didn't want me to be on my own. She thinks I am still little, but I am not. I get into the ring and knock out older boxers. I will make it." But Ali, too, won't be allowed to cross. Around the Idomeni camp, canteens have mushroomed to sell food to the refugees. Wandering merchants peddle cell phone SIM cards. Jehovah's Witnesses have set up stands hoping to spread their version of God's word -- they distribute brochures in English and Arabic. There are reports that restaurants in the area sell meals to Greeks and refugees at different prices. Taxis at a stand along the road that offer to take people to the nearby town of Polykastro reportedly overcharge refugees significantly.  At the gas stations where the buses ferrying arrivals from Athens to Idomeni stop for hours, everyone is complaining. The drivers claim their buses full of people get dirty when police hold them in place so long. "Something needs to be done. We can't work in these circumstances," says one driver. "Of course, you feel sorry for them too, seeing them with their babies. I am also from Albania and I have a son. I get it," he adds. The Greek government's presence in Idomeni is minimal. Apart from security, the daily needs of the people in the camp are essentially left to volunteers. Dozens of Greek and international NGOs operate in the area. They're the ones providing the refugees with information, medical care, psychological support and translation services. No state institution is coordinating aid. "For the state, it is as if this camp doesn't exist. It's not a entrance gate but an exit gate, and the involvement of the state would mean the acceptance of an illegal situation," Daniel Esdras, head of the Greek Office of the International Organization for Migration, tells HuffPost Greece. Of course, the Greek government is dealing with its own financial crisis. It has struggled to tackle the refugee crisis with a small budget and a lack of infrastructure. Mohammed Suleiman, a polite and composed 25-year-old, is waiting at the border, having traveled all the way from Syria. His excellent grasp of English makes him extremely popular among fellow refugees. Suleiman says he had been working in Lebanon as a hotel receptionist. He went back to Syria to see his parents but couldn't find a job there. So his parents convinced him to go to Germany just as his brother did some years earlier. His family members raised all the money they could and Suleiman traveled to Turkey, reached Halicarnassus and crossed the Aegean Sea to the Greek island of Kos. He doesn't want to talk about the journey here. "It's behind me now," he says. Suleiman says what he misses most are books -- they were too heavy to carry in his bag. He is relieved when he learns that as a Syrian, he is eligible to cross the border and will probably reach Germany uninterrupted. When he arrives there, he would like to go to engineering school. "If I hadn't been this old, I had wanted to become a pilot," he says. Suleiman passes through the fence and crosses over to Macedonia later that day. _This story originally appeared on HuffPost Greece. It was translated and edited for an international audience. Danae Leivada contributed to the English version. _ > READ MORE ON THE REFUGEE CRISIS IN GREECE: >  > - Life On The Island At The Frontline Of The Refugee Crisis > - Volunteers Don't Want To Abandon Refugees In Greece: 'How Can I > When People Are Drowning?' > - 7 Volunteers Whose Lives Were Changed By Refugees > - A Thousand Miles In Their Shoes -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.


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Cyprus, GREECE, Israel top diplomats meet

Cyprus, GREECE and Israel reaffirmed their mutual commitment to constantly work towards enhancing their tripartite cooperation at all levels with a ...


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A great soprano passes away

Athens, December 16, 2015/Independent Balkan News Agency By Olga Mavrou A great mezzo-soprano, Stella Doufexis, died today, Wednesday, at the age of 47 years in Berlin, defeated by cancer. She was the daughter of director Stavros Ntoufexi and she was born in Frankfurt in 1968. The German-Greek mezzo-soprano, Stella Doufexis, studied at the Hochschule der Künste in […]


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Cyprus, Greece and Israel hold trilateral meeting at FM Permanent Secretaries level

Nicosia, December 16, 2015/Independent Balkan News Agency The second trilateral meeting of Cyprus, Greece and Israel, at the level of Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretaries, took place on Wednesday, in the framework of the preparation of the Trilateral Summit at the level of Heads of State/Government that will take place in Nicosia on January 28, 2016. […]


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Anarchists vandalized  the offices of central bank system “Tiresias”

Athens, December 16, 2015/Independent Balkan News Agency By Olga Mavrou Seven Greeks have been arrested as suspects for the damages done this morning at 9.oo a.m. at the offices of the company “Tiresias” – a company that holds data and detailed archives for all the  loans in Greece. This morning fifteen men arrived there (others […]


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Final bid for the port of Piraeus

Athens, December 16, 2015/Independent Balkan News Agency By Olga Mavrou Next  Monday, on December 21 the investors who are interested in acquiring the majority stake of Piraeus Port Authority SA (Greek acronyms, OLP) will submit their binding offers in HRADF (Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund or TAIPED). The President of the Fund Stergios Pitsiorlas  said that  December 21st  is the deadline […]


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APSU GREEK adviser named to national committee

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.- Stephen Dominey, the Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs for Austin Peay University, is one of the newly appointed ...


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Five migrants, three of them children, drown on way to GREECE

FILE -Migrant whose boat stalled at see while crossing from Turkey to GREECE swim to approach a shore of the island of Lesbos, GREECE, on Sunday, ...


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Hooded Anarchists Raid Teiresias Head Quarters

According to Ekathimerini newspaper suspected members of an anarchist group raided and vandalized the offices of Teiresias, the electronic database for insolvent borrowers. A group of about 14 men believed to be members of Rouvikonas  (the Greek name for the Rubicon) arrived at the premises of Teiresias on motorbikes, around 9 a.m. The men, had


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Greece skeptical, but won’t veto Commission’s border force plan

… has been ruled out. EurActiv Greece reports. The European Commission unveiled … EurActiv Greece. Press reports in Athens suggested today that the Greek government … the right direction and helps Greece with “tough” management of its …


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The Latest: 2 drown, 83 rescued after boat sinks off Greece

… Aegean Sea off the eastern Greek island of Lesbos. The coast … Lesbos leaving two dead. The Greek coastguard says a helicopter, patrol … Frontex border agency were assisting. Greek state ERT TV said two …


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Harvest Hope gets $10000 donation from GREEK Festival

Harvest Hope is one of 25 Midlands charities receiving donations from the 29th Columbia GREEK Festival. Harvest Hope is the largest recipient with a ...


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New GREEK IDs Expected By the End of 2016

ιδ Greeks will shortly have the chance to exchange their old IDs with new ones for a 10 euro fee. These new IDs will have technologies like those ...


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Israeli, GREEK, Cypriot officials pave way for trilateral meeting of leaders in Nicosia

One of the purposes of the meeting was to plan the three way summit between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, GREEK Prime Minister Alexis ...


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Bank Workers Face Firings

As part of a consolidation that will close 180 branches demanded by creditors, Greek banks will also fire 5,694 workers by the end of 2017. The post Bank Workers Face Firings appeared first on The National Herald.


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National Bank of GREECE (ADR): What is in Store for Investors?

National Bank of GREECE (OTCMKTS:NBGGY) stock continues to decline even after major developments such as delisting, recapitalization, and ...


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Idomeni, GREECE – dead end

For those coming from GREECE through Turkey, the Republic of Macedonia is the first country of the so-called “Balkan route”. Since the summer, transit ...


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Macedonia could change name to end GREECE standoff

“We would like as soon as possible to go to dialogue with GREECE to find a solution, and if we find a solution we have to go to the citizens and organize ...


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Greek budget could be thrown off track by court decision on property values

Athens, December 16, 2015/Independent Balkan News Agency By Zacharias Petrou A top Greek court, the Council of State, has reportedly issued a ruling according to which the objective value of all real estate property must be readjusted immediately to reflect actual market value. The ruling applies retroactively from May 2015 which means that property tax […]


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Foreign Ministry spokesperson Konstantinos Koutras’ responses to journalists’ questions ...

Below are ten (10) key-point responses from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Konstantinos Koutras to journalists’ questions on the latest developments on the European level in the refugee/migration crisis:1.    Everyone acknowledges that the dimensions of the current refugee/migration issue greatly exceed the management capabilities of any one state – of any size – surpass the European level, and constitute a global crisis.2.    As everyone knows, it is absurd for anyone to demand a Greek or other national solution – or a lopsided solution that burdens only certain countries – to a global issue. But this is unfortunately what is being done by...


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European Commission: Greece Lacks Plan to Tackle Migrant ...

Greece does not have a comprehensive strategy for the return of economic migrants to their country of origin and lacks sufficient detention centers in ...


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University of Missouri's assistant GREEK Life director back

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A University of Missouri employee has resumed working after her videotaped clash with a student photographer during campus ...


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Mixed outlook for GREECE'S crucial tourism sector in 2016

ATHENS, Dec 16 (Reuters) - GREECE'S leading tourism association expects a rise in flight arrivals next year but global security fears, tense ...


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Cheniere Energy eyes stake in Greek LNG project

ATHENS, Dec 16- Cheniere Energy, a U.S-based liquefied natural gas exporter, is interested in a minority stake in a new LNG terminal that will supply gas ...


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Greeks Watch Passively as Government Drains Them Dry

If one had asked any Greek exactly one year ago, that the full of promises SYRIZA party would come to power to finish off the crisis-stricken Greek economy and drain his personal wealth, with his blessing, he would have called them a lunatic. Yet, a year later, the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition has legislated measures and reforms that


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2 Greek men convicted for joking remarks that sparked ...

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – A Danish court has sentenced two Greek businessmen to three months each in prison — two of which are suspended — for making ...


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The Latest: Rescue Operation off GREECE for Migrants

Hundreds of people have been temporarily housed in the stadium after being removed a few days ago from GREECE'S northern border with Macedonia, ...


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GREECE'S Other Deficit

OAKLAND – For the past decade, much attention has been paid to GREECE'S public finances. And when, in November, the country faced the first review ...


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National Bank of Greece Due Diligence

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / December 16, 2015 / National Bank of Greece S.A. shares closed at $.345 up 6.32% in yesterday’s session. Trading volume was ...


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Greece passes bad-loan bill to unlock fresh funds

Greece's parliament has approved a controversial bill allowing banks to sell non-performing loans to the private sector, paving the way for the next payment of ...


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Thousands reach Greece despite Turkey-EU refugee deal

More than 45,000 people arrived in the Greek islands from Turkey since the beginning of December, monitor says.


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GREEK consumers can receive Azerbaijani gas in 2021

Greece will get direct supply of Azerbaijani gas in the amount of one billion cubic meters via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline in 2021, the Natural Gas ...


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Is GREEK football in crisis?

The Athens derby between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos was called off last month after a player was struck by a flare from the crowd. Have the ...


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GREEK two-year govt bond yield tumbles after reform bill passed

The yield on GREEK two-year bonds fell as low as 7.64 percent, its lowest level in almost two weeks, and down 150 bps on the day. (Reporting by ...


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