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Friday, June 4, 2021

Prosecutor investigates professor at Athens University for sexually harassing students

The head of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office has ordered a preliminary investigation in order to prosecute a professor at the the National Kapodistrian Univesity of Athens (EKPA), who allegedly took advantage of his position to sexually harass female students. Part of the investigation will be, among others, whether he committed the crime against sexual freedom … The post Prosecutor investigates professor at Athens University for sexually harassing students appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.


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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Konstantinos Vlasis to visit Sofia (4-8 June 2021)

In the context of his responsibilities concerning the Greek Diaspora, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Konstantinos Vlasis will travel to Sofia, where on Sunday, June 6, 2021, he will attend the event of the ”Greek-Bulgarian Cultural Association “Aristotle"- Bridge of Culture". In addition, Mr. Vlasis will visit the Department of Greek Language in Sofia, while he is scheduled to also have meetings with expatriate associations, Greek-Bulgarian and business representatives, as well as with members of the Academia.


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TP controversy on funding transactions in GREECE

Elina Chronopoulou of EY GREECE discusses the application of transfer pricing principles on financial transactions.


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Jason Raftopoulos' Voices in Deep begins production in GREECE

The new film, about immigrants in GREECE, stars Australian newcomer Hannah Sims as Bobby, with a supporting cast including Greek actor Angeliki ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.cineuropa.org

Report Sees Rising US Demand for GREECE this Summer

“The ticketing data is showing some interesting tips for hoteliers and tourism organizations to seize this summer in Croatia and GREECE,” said Luis Millan, ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT news.gtp.gr

GREECE could produce 500MW blue hydrogen by 2030

LONDON (ICIS)--GREECE could produce up to 500MW of blue hydrogen by 2030, while the creation of a hydrogen index is set to attract trading interest, ...


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People in lignite areas in GREECE will be able to buy bonds for solar projects

State-owned Public Power Corp. decided to offer residents of the two coal-dependent regions in GREECE to invest in its energy transition projects.


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George Korkos, the Bucks 'first' Greek, channeled his passion for sports into bringing basketball to Milwaukee

As soon as George Korkos would walk into a room, he would say "Hey gang!" At the visitation for him Thursday, many flowers simply had notes with those two words.


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FM Dendias visits Pristina

Dendias will also have a meeting with GREEK employees of international organisations. READ MORE: Diplomatic source: Greece is not recognising ...


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Mitsotakis meets with GREEK-born Queen Sofía of Spain (PHOTOS)

Mitsotakis meets with GREEK-born Queen Sofía of Spain (PHOTOS) ... Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his wife, Mareva Grabowski, received today ...


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Should I book a holiday to Portugal, Spain, Greece, Turkey or Cyprus?

The vaccine roll-out and traffic light system will help to restart travel, but Brits are banned from holidays until late May ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.which.co.uk

Algerian Man Wanted in France Arrested in GREECE

Algerian Man Wanted in France Arrested in GREECE. Ευρωκίνηση. (File photo: Eurokinissi/Yiannis Panagopoulos). 6/4/2021. Athens News Agency.


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Giannakis

ATHENS (GREECE) - It was a formative moment, that one evening in the late 1960s in Nikaia, a district of Piraeus, GREECE, for a boy named Panagiotis ...


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The Context of the Civilization of GREECE Part II: Pastitsio

In his usual quirky and highly entertaining manner, Niko Hronopoulos created another awesome video on one of GREECE'S favourite foods – the “Greek ...


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Babcock Discussing Arrowhead 140 Frigate in GREECE

... series of meetings in GREECE with key industry figures, Government officials and supply chain companies as Babcock continues to build international ...


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The Unbelievable Views Are Only One Reason To Visit Stunning Meteora, GREECE

Meteora, GREECE, is stunning and otherworldly — and James Bond was here. Need I say more? The landscape is as dramatic as the climbing scene in ...


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Greece Supports Kosovo Over EU And Serbia Talks

The Greek foreign minister Nikos Dendias met on Friday with his Kosovar counterpart in Pristina, and stressed Athens' support to Kosovo's efforts toward joining the EU.


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Transport yourself to Greece at Estiatorio MIlos in Las Vegas

When Estiatorio Milos closed in the fall at The Cosmopolitan, a deep sigh surely was issued from all the fans of Costas Spiliadis’ Vegas restaurant, where countless dishes and dinners were served up ...


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Suspected migrant car crash in Greece kills 2, injures 6

Greek police say a car suspected to have been ferrying migrants from the Turkish border toward the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki has crashed, killing two people and injuring six ...


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Advent Technologies Welcomes U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, to the Company’s Facilities in Patras, Greece

Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADN) ("Advent") today announced that Dr. Vasilis Gregoriou, Advent Chairman and CEO, welcomed the U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, to the ...


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Betsson: GREEK market a great opportunity despite high-cost regime

SBC – Betsson's launch in Greece has been a long process – what have been some of the biggest challenges in acquiring a GREEK gaming licence?


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GREEK GDP Contracted 2.3% in Q1

ATHENS -- The GREEK economy contracted by 2.3 pct in the first quarter of 2021 compared with the corresponding period in 2020, after a 6.9 pct ...


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Boise GREEK Food Festival back as drive-thru event this year

BOISE, Idaho — For 40 years, The Saints Helen and Constantine GREEK Orthodox Church in Boise have held the Boise GREEK Food Festival.


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Chef Maria Loi shares recipes for grilled GREEK chicken, easy summer salad

Loi, who is the owner and founder of Loi Estiatorio in New York City and a global ambassador of GREEK cuisine, uses fresh ingredients to create ...


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UNWTO and GREECE to Collaborate on Maritime Tourism Research Centre

The Tourism Minister of GREECE Harry Theoharis said: “”I express my immense gratitude for UNWTO's support in this endeavour. The Research Center ...


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Greece Angry at Being Left Out from Berlin Conference on Libya

Greece expressed anger on Thursday over the decision by Germany to exclude her from the upcoming Berlin Conference on Libya Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.


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First Direct American Airlines Flight From New York Lands in Athens

The first direct flight to Greece by carrier American Airlines landed on Friday at Eleftherios Venizelos airport in Athens.  Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.


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Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ discussion on Greek foreign policy in the framework of the Regional Growth Conference (Patras, 03.06.2021)

JOURNALIST: It is a great honour for us that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dendias, has accepted the invitation to participate in the Conference. Good morning, Minister. Admittedly, you are one of the most active and effective Ministers of this government, so we are glad to have you with us. Let me start our discussion on Greek-Turkish relations. There have been many comments on Mr. Çavuşoğlu’s visit to Athens on Monday, mainly for three reasons. The first was the walk you took together from the Maximos Mansion to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The second was the joint statements in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that were nothing like the press conference in Ankara and the third was the outpouring of friendliness demonstrated during the dinner at Acropolis, but also at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So, I want to ask you, have we passed from the gunboat diplomacy to the embrace diplomacy? N. DENDIAS: First of all, on the subject of the hug that I know has been commented on. I have never made a secret of the fact that Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has been an acquaintance and friend of mine for 20 years. And I think that, exactly because of the “confrontation” in Ankara, he wanted to show that our personal cordiality had not been affected. After all, you know that it is always easier to discuss with someone who is your friend and with whom you have a personal relationship. Beyond that, it was indeed a completely different visit. But we must not be fooled by the fact that the climate was different. The climate was different because our differences were clearly articulated in public speech and I must tell you that they were reiterated during this visit. What has been done - and is a great improvement - is that I think the Turkish side has understood in the clearest way that, regardless of whether there are disagreements, whether there are completely different approaches, it must operate in a context that does not provoke the other side and does not violate international law. When this happens, we can manage our disagreements. JOURNALIST: During your discussions, both at the bilateral and the expanded talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, did the Turkish delegation raise all the issues it raises in public? For example, did Mr. Çavuşoğlu and the Turkish side raise the issue of demilitarization of the Greek islands or even issues of sovereignty? I ask you this because many times in the previous period the Turkish side, the Turkish Foreign Minister himself said that "we will raise issues of demilitarization and sovereignty." N. DENDIAS: I am not going to tell you what the Turkish side said, because that would not be proper. It was a closed meeting. However, I am going to tell you what we said, because this I have the right to do. We said everything that needed to be said, everything. JOURNALIST: Meaning? N. DENDIAS: Everything that constitutes Greek-Turkish difference and Turkish provocations from our point of view was raised and will continue to be raised. There is no way for us to depart from our firm national positions. Therefore, we have to look at things on two different levels. Yes, there is willingness to manage the significant differences between Greece and Turkey. However, these differences exist and the Greek side will continue to emphasize them. I also said that in the press conference. The tone was different of course. Nothing had been said from the other side that forced me to react. However, I said that there are important differences and completely opposite views on many serious issues. I said that. So, let us not jump to the conclusion that suddenly the Greek-Turkish differences have been resolved by waving a magic wand. They exist, they are there. We hope that in the future Turkey will refrain from provocations allowing for a favourable climate in which to discuss our differences and maybe, sometime, if Turkey changes its stance, to resolve them. JOURNALIST: Since you mentioned the press conference, there was speculation that Mr. Çavuşoğlu was coming to Greece to somehow retaliate for what happened at the press conference in Ankara. N. DENDIAS: This is not a football game. In Ankara, if you recall - now it makes no sense to interpret things - there were public statements made about issues that would have forced anyone, not just me, but any Greek Minister there, to respond. It is not an "à la carte choice" to be silent or to respond. Our country holds specific national positions, firmly based on international law. One is obliged to repeat them in public speech, when required. Otherwise, it will be considered that the country is departing from these firm positions and is embracing another perception. This cannot be allowed. I repeat this is not my personal issue. It is not an issue of the Mitsotakis Government and the position of the Prime Minister. It is purely a national issue. I believe that any Greek Minister in the same position as me in Ankara would have had the same reaction. JOURNALIST: Indeed, in the press conference on Monday Mr. Çavuşoğlu was very careful and his tone, but also his statements did not resemble at all his rhetoric in Ankara in April. However, in an interview with "TO VIMA TIS KYRIAKIS" Mr. Çavuşoğlu, among other things, had said that Turkey does not reject the extension of Greece’s territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, where conditions allow. So, I wanted to ask you if at this stage Athens is considering the gradual extension of territorial waters in the Aegean. N. DENDIAS: Greece will not discuss the extension of its territorial waters with Turkey, or with any other country. Under the Law of the Sea and UNCLOS, the extension of territorial waters to 12 miles is our national sovereign right. Greece will exercise this right when it judges that it is in its national interest. Turkey has a peculiar view of things. First, it has not signed UNCLOS. This, in my opinion, is wrong, but this is the Turkish position nevertheless. Secondly, it has made the casus belli threat against Greece, which is completely unacceptable. It is the only country on the planet - the only one, I emphasize - that has issued a threat of war, has threatened another country with war, if that other country exercises its legal right. Turkey is a minority of one in this and we should always emphasize it. We must not forget that. JOURNALIST: One of the issues you raised during your discussion with Mr. Çavuşoğlu, was the issue of casus belli, at least as we hear through diplomatic sources? N. DENDIAS: You know, it does not make sense to repeat what I have said, because I am only the instrument to voice our national positions. Every Greek Foreign Minister is obliged to do so. It is not possible to talk to the Turkish Foreign Minister and not raise the issue of the unacceptable threat of casus belli, that’s obvious. JOURNALIST: The point, however, is that they do not comply, Minister. You raise the casus belli, we talk about our rights, but it seems that Turkey pretends not to listen, pretends not to take into account the Greek positions and international law. N. DENDIAS: Turkey has a completely different approach, I already told you. I'm not going to give the impression - that’s why I'm telling you this- that everything is rosy. The point is this: Turkey should not act in a way that violates international law. What Turkey thinks concerns only Turkey. Turkey's behaviour, though, is of great importance, and so were the violations that took place last summer. Our country cannot tolerate this. What we are hoping for is that Turkey now realizes that engaging in such violations is neither beneficial for Turkey nor leads anywhere, except to aggravate and worsen our relations. JOURNALIST: You mentioned the tension we had last summer. Now – in view of the ongoing exploratory talks, the upcoming NATO Summit on June 14 and your own consultations - do you believe this summer will be calmer? Will we sail in calm waters or will we have another Oruç Reis on the Greek continental shelf? N. DENDIAS: To tell you the truth, I hope it will be calmer, because I would not want to go through the same as I did last summer. Anyway, these are the indications we have. I hope that Turkey will refrain from provocations and I want to tell you something, which we have already conveyed directly to the Turkish side, that Turkey should be as careful regarding the Cyprus issue. JOURNALIST: Prior to Mr. Çavuşoğlu’s official visit to Athens, he was, during the weekend – on Sunday to be precise, on a so-called private visit to Thrace. And although Mr. Çavuşoğlu kept a low profile and did not organise a fiesta like the ones we had seen in similar visits of other Turkish officials in the past, he uploaded a video afterwards. I would like to ask you what is your opinion about Mr. Çavuşoğlu’s visit to Thrace and how do you comment on the reaction of the Pomaks, who said that he is a persona non grata in Thrace. N. DENDIAS: Regarding what the Turkish Minister said in Thrace, there was an immediate and clear statement by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Papaioannou. Therefore, I consider this issue closed. We were told that we should not have let him go to Thrace and so on. Greece is a country with confidence, a European country, which respects international law and has nothing to fear. We are not a country that will impose restrictions. But - and that is why Mr. Papaioannou made the statement- we are a country that would clearly express its views, when the other side makes its own, completely unfounded allegations. JOURNALIST: Now, let us discuss the Cyprus issue, if you have no objection. First of all, I wanted to ask you to comment on the announcement of Tayyip Erdogan, who has said that he will go to the occupied part on July 20, the anniversary of the invasion, and there he will establish a base with armed drones. This is one part of my question on the Cyprus issue  and the second part is, how do you evaluate the opposition's proposal to link the prospect of a Customs Union revision in the EU-Turkey relationship with the recognition on the part of Turkey of the Republic of Cyprus and the prospect of having recourse to The Hague. Do you think it is a positive proposal? N. DENDIAS: First of all, I will tell you that my advice to the Turkish side, if it has any value, is to avoid further provocations in Cyprus and the Cyprus issue. In any case, Turkey is completely in the wrong, regarding the Cyprus issue. Turkey invaded Cyprus under the pretext of the Treaty of Guarantee, but has remained there as an army of occupation. Whatever Turkey is doing in Cyprus is simply aggravating an extremely thorny problem and making it even more difficult to solve. I still have hope. It is not for me to advise President Erdogan, but I hope that during his visit to Cyprus he will avoid anything that would be a breach of international law. He should avoid disregarding not only Greece or the Republic of Cyprus, but international law, the European Union, the need for a comprehensive rules-based framework to govern international relations. Now, you are asking me a series of things related to the Cyprus issue. I will tell you something more general. We are far behind anything that would allow optimism for a solution to the Cyprus issue. Unfortunately, the Turkish stance in Geneva a few weeks ago has brought us to the worst point since 1974. Why? Because from 1977 onwards there had been at least one agreed framework for discussion, as well as efforts to decide on the terms of the functioning of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. This was the first time that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side questioned this framework laid down in a number of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as supported by a common understanding of all parties until recently. So, we are at the worst point we have ever been. And the last thing we need in this very difficult situation is more provocation. JOURNALIST: Yes, unfortunately it seems that the Turkish side is not backing down but insists on a two-state solution. And that is probably why the discussions in Geneva did not have the results you would have liked, at least according to the statement you made after their conclusion. N. DENDIAS: Indeed, there were no results in Geneva, we went several steps back and I am very sorry to say that. What we are saying is that a solution for Cyprus – in fact a solution anywhere in the world – cannot exist outside the framework of international law. There are no ad hoc solutions. This is not getting us anywhere in life, either in the lives of people, or in the lives of states, or in the history of mankind. Solutions are sought within the framework provided by international law and the United Nations resolutions. This is what we are asking from Turkey, this is what we are asking from the Turkish Cypriot community and this will be the Greek position - it was, is and will be. JOURNALIST: One last thing about the Eastern Mediterranean region, I want to ask about Libya. The German Foreign Ministry announced that the next conference will be held on June 23 with the participation, for the first time, of the new transitional government of Libya. Has Athens been invited to this conference and what are your expectations, since you have visited Libya many times and are in communication with the new transitional government? N. DENDIAS: For us, the situation in Libya is very different now than it was a few months ago. We have reopened our Embassy, we have opened a Consulate in Benghazi, we have visited Libya, and we are in talks with the government of Libya. That was not the case with the Sarraj government. So, Greece is in direct dialogue and communication with the Libyan side. Nevertheless, we are extremely dissatisfied with the fact that Germany, obsessively insisting on a specific tactic, did not invite us to this meeting. I have also expressed our dissatisfaction to my German colleague and I think the same will happen at the level of the Prime Minister. I will soon meet with the UN Special Envoy Jan Kubis, just to convey the same to him, although I know that he has no responsibility for it. JOURNALIST: So, despite the fact that Athens will not participate in this conference, do you think that the issue of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum may be on the agenda? And do you think that, since it has not been ratified by the Libyan Parliament yet, its ratification should be discussed with the new transitional government? N. DENDIAS: What should be in the thought and practice of the transitional government is its non-activation. In any case, the memorandum is legally non-existent, it is a legal absurdum. It is an agreement made under peculiar circumstances, devoid of any legality and realism. What the current government can do, must do and we think will do, is to leave it in the lurch, hold elections and then the new elected government of Libya should act in compliance with international law, regarding the memorandum. But this is not the only issue in Libya. What must be decided and implemented is the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries from Libya. This is the imperative. Foreign troops and mercenaries must leave Libya - tomorrow morning if possible - and there are certain countries that are stalling and do not want that to happen. And I am referring to Turkey, to begin with. JOURNALIST: Right. Now we move further north, to the Balkans. I want to ask you if there is a scenario of border change in the Balkans on the table, because an anonymous non paper that was released a few days ago mentions something like that. So, I would like to know if you have any such information and what is the position of Athens in such a case? N. DENDIAS: The Balkans is a peculiar region. Tomorrow morning, I will go to Kosovo, the issues there are well known. Bosnia and Herzegovina is another issue. The course of the accession of the Western Balkans countries to the EU is not a given. It is a long-term and difficult effort. The last thing the Balkans really need is thoughts of border changes. The Balkans is a potentially volatile region, especially the Western Balkans. We do not need to go far back, as long as we remember what happened in the last decade of the 20th century. Things reminiscent of the Middle Ages happened a few hundred kilometers north of Thessaloniki, at the end of the 20th century, at the dawn of the 21st century. Everything we do in the Balkans must be done very, very carefully, so as not to trigger other uncontrollable developments, which unfortunately are always very near to the surface and not far from becoming real, much more so than the average person thinks today. So, I say that I do not believe in any way that this non paper came from any state, head of state or government in the Balkans. After all, everyone denied it, even the one who was blamed for it. But, in any case, any reference to a change of borders in the Balkans is sacrilegious. It is something extremely dangerous. JOURNALIST: As regards Greek-Albanian relations, I would like to ask at what stage are our consultations to have recourse to The Hague. I ask this because we see that Edi Rama still has a very close relationship with Tayyip Erdogan. N. DENDIAS: I'll tell you. There was an issue there that had nothing to do with Greek-Albanian relations. It had to do with the relationship between the Prime Minister and the President of Albania, the serious disagreement whether the President would give the Prime Minister authorization to negotiate the terms of the agreement, an agreement to which Edi Rama has publicly and repeatedly committed, so there is no problem. But I will ask you not to consider Greek-Albanian relations through the prism that the Albanians are friends with the Turks, therefore by default they are not friends of Greece. It is much more complicated. Albania has made a historic choice. The fact that it is keen to become a member of the European family, which means co-signing all the decisions of the European acquis, shows where Albania will be in 50, in 100, in 150 years from today. And you will see that Albania has a record of significant compliance with the European Union's foreign policy decisions. So, yes, Albania has close relations with Turkey, yes, Edi Rama has a personal relationship with President Erdogan, we know that. But this does not mean that there is not plenty of room for improving Greek-Albanian relations. And if you will allow me, Albania is doing what I would like Turkey to do at some point, to turn to Europe, to embrace European values and try to become a member of the European family. This will definitely bring Albania very close to Greece in the future, as long as we understand it and encourage it. And, of course, we are not going to make any concessions to the Albanian side. It must fully meet the conditions for participation in the European project, including the full protection of the rights of the Greek minority. However, I am glad to say that Albania has made its choice. It is a matter of time and effort, but it has made the fundamental choice. JOURNALIST: One last question, Minister. Regarding the developments in Belarus, we recently witnessed this spy thriller with the Ryanair flight. How do you see the European Union's relations with the Lukashenko regime and whether there is a debate about further sanctions against Belarus? N. DENDIAS: I think we need to move to further sanctions. What happened is unheard of. If we have reached the point of hijacking by states, then it means that humanity is not living in the 21st century, it is far behind in terms of law and rights and the protection of human life and the protection of freedom of transport. What happened, maybe we did not experience it as much possibly because it is far from us, but is totally unacceptable. How is it possible for a European country to land an airplane that is flying over its territory in observance of the international aviation rules and to abduct and hold a passenger?  How can this be tolerated by the international community? These things are unacceptable. First of all, we may remember the very strong statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. Mitsotakis, on the issue, which resulted in our position that "enough is enough" in the Council of Ministers and our full support to any decision to impose sanctions. And the fact that the European Union has not yet imposed sanctions on Lukashenko himself is because it wants to give him a window of opportunity to initiate a dialogue with the opposition and lead his country smoothly to elections. In the end this is what we want, to give civil society the opportunity to express itself. But this incident will not be forgotten, nor will we leave it behind. We will continue to demand, methodically and continuously, the release of the illegally detained passenger, the restoration of human rights protection in Belarus, the democratization of society and, finally, elections. JOURNALIST: You were the first Minister of Foreign Affairs to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the incident. I would like to ask if you discussed the issue and, in general, for you to comment on the level of Greek-Russian relations following your visit. N. DENDIAS: I wish to be honest with you. When our government took over, the Greek-Russian relations were not at the best possible level. Lately there has been an improvement in these relations, without of course ignoring our differences, without ignoring the fact that Greece is a member of the European Union that has imposed sanctions on Russia. Greece, however, has always historically and within the European Union argued that there should be a "dual track approach" with Russia. We need to have open channels. On the other hand, we need to fully abide by the decisions of both the European Union and the NATO military alliance to which we belong, and also to be absolutely clear on the issues of democracy and the protection of human rights. This, if explained honestly, is well understood by the Russian side. Russia is aware that Greece is a member of both NATO and the European Union. The point is, then, to have a very clear and solid explanation of what we can agree on and what we have fundamental and serious disagreements about. JOURNALIST: Thank you for your time, Minister; it was a great honour to have you in this Conference. I warmly thank you. N. DENDIAS: Thank you very much.


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Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, following his meeting with Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz (Pristina, 04.06.2021)

«Dear friend, dear Donika,Allow me to thank you for your kind hospitality today here in Pristina. I am coming back here just after a few months, and my visit here today underlines our attachment to further enhancing our relation with you. Let me stress that we wish to expand our economic relations and our trade relations. We are close. And this is the reason why, today, I am accompanied by Deputy Minister Kostas Frangogiannis, who is responsible for International Economic and Trade relations. I have asked Kostas to “put meat on the bone” of our relations.We have a significant presence already here on the ground, but we believe that there is a huge scope to develop it further. There are several areas where there is very significant potential. These include, among others, infrastructure, agricultural products and transportation.Furthermore, there is a very broad spectrum for cooperation in the energy field, by enhancing energy security and the diversification of energy sources. We believe that the whole Western Balkans should be connected to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline,through gas interconnectors. We could also provide support and know-how on reducing the dependence on lignite and expanding the use of renewable energy resources. That’s where humanity is going, because we do have to protect our environment. Another area, in which we attach great importance and we discussed it between us, and where there is huge untapped potential, is our cultural relations. We should move forward on that field as well. My presence here is also sending another message. Greece has consistently now, for two decades, been advocating for the EU integration of the Western Balkans. The government of Prime Minister Mitsotakis remains firmly anchored to this commitment. And we have taken several initiatives in this regard. We strongly support the holding of the first intergovernmental conference with Albania and North Macedonia, as soon as possible. Ideally this month. We have also made sure that the issue of the Western Balkans remains high on the EU agenda. We do this, not out of interest, but out of a firm belief that this region should form an integral part of the European experiment. We should not allow other powers to undermine the fragile stability of our region by attempting to create spheres of influence or trying to entrench themselves by referring to cultural, historical or religious affinities. To cut a long story short, we believe that the Western Balkans belong to Europe and should be an integral part of the EU.In this regard, we have steadily been in favor of visa liberalization for you, since you have fulfilled the benchmarks set out in the relevant Roadmap. We have openly taken this position in the Council of EU Foreign Ministers. We will continue supporting on these issues. And we have taken very good note of your efforts in the fields of rule of law, public administration and the fight against corruption and organized crime, and without resources. We are here to help you, if you wish so. In this regard, we value the work undertaken by EULEX Kosovo, in which several Greek officials are currently serving. I am going to see them at the end of my presence here.You are well aware that Greece follows a constructive approach with regard to Kosovo in line with the EU "status neutral" approach. We have an "Office of Trade and Economic Affairs of Kosovo” in Athens, operational since 2019, but as you were kind enough to note, recently, we moved to enhance our cooperation and facilitate the operation of this Office, it was upgraded to "Office of Interests of Kosovo in Athens." And this, we hope that it will allow the Office to broaden its contacts with Greece. It is clear - and we have said that privately again - that we fully support the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue. I take this opportunity, of my presence here today, to urge, once again, all parties to intensify their efforts, in order to reach a legally binding and viable solution. Such a solution will do miracles to stabilize the whole region, as well as bring the region closer to the European family. I am in very regular contact with my dear friend and former colleague, the EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák. And Greece actively supports all his efforts. Last but not least, I would like to underline Greece's commitment to NATO's longest standing operation, KFOR. We will continue supporting it to fulfill its mandate in a fair and impartial way. Our position is that any possible change in the Force's posture should be conditions'-based and not calendar-driven.With these words, dear Donika, allow me to thank you once again for your very kind hospitality. I am so glad to be in Pristina today. Thank you so much. »


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Order gyros for the Taxiarche Greek Church, Watertown Gyro Fest May 15

The Taxiarchae Greek Orthodox Church in Watertown is …


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.wickedlocal.com

Bulgarian and Greek Tourism Ministers Meet at UNWTO Forum in Athens

… held a working meeting with Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis during … the meeting Baltova said that Greece is traditionally one of Bulgaria …


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.novinite.com

Greece starts vaccinating refugees and migrants on islands

… ATHENS, 04 GIU - Greece on Thursday kicked off it … administered by staff of Greece's National Organization … Johnson & Johnson shot. Greece's Ministry of Migration … islands, according to Greek health officials, only 15 percent of Greece's migrant …


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ansamed.info

Volkswagen Taking Over a GREEK Island With Its EVs, Government Supports the Move

Late last year, Volkswagen announced it would be “investing” in the GREEK island of Astypalea by converting the island's mobility infrastructure from ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.autoevolution.com

Ömer Çelik: GREEK-Turkish issues are not solved by French ships in the East Mediterranean

Ankara again used provocative rhetoric regarding GREEK-Turkish issues, despite GREEK Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias' telling his Turkish counterpart ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greekcitytimes.com

EU Bans Belarus Airlines And Reroutes Flights Around Its Airspace

The move, affecting about 400 flights per day, is a reaction to the shocking arrest of a journalist last month after Belarussian officials forced his plane Greece-to-Lithuania flight to land in Minsk.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.npr.org

GREEK FM Dendias calls up Lajčak ahead of scheduled Kosovo trip

Ahead of his visit to Kosovo scheduled for Friday, GREEK Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias spoke over the phone with EU special envoy to the ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.euractiv.com

Metacon to take full control of GREEK hydrogen specialist Helbio

... converts biogas into hydrogen, has agreed to acquire the 41.13% stake it did not already own in GREEK hydrogen sector player Helbio Holdings SA.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT renewablesnow.com

GREEK minister, UAE ambassador discuss boosting agrifood exports

Strengthening imports of GREEK agrifood products to the United Arab Emirates and investments in agricultural economy were discussed between ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greekcitytimes.com

Norway vs GREECE prediction, preview, team news and more

GREECE will look to build on their most recent result as they held a star-studded Belgium side to a 1-1 draw on Thursday. After opening their 2022 FIFA ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sportskeeda.com

GREECE unhappy with German Libya conference snub

GREECE Thursday voiced its dissatisfaction to the United Nations due to Berlin's decision not to invite Athens to a conference on Libya this month in the ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.dailysabah.com

Euro 2020 warm-up results

PARIS, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Following are the Euro 2020 warm-up results on Thursday: Belgium 1 Greece 1 Ukraine 1 Northern Ireland 0 Turkey 2 Moldova 0 Switzerland 7 Liech


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.greekherald.com

Greek economy shows resilience in first quarter amid pandemic

Greece's economy expanded in January-to-March 2020 at a faster pace compared to last year's fourth quarter, helped by investments, the country's statistics service (ELSTAT) said on Friday. ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.msn.com

Greece-Russia: Charter flights to resume from June 20

... in the country is improving daily, Russian Interfax news agency reported, citing the head of the GREEK Tourism Organisation office in Russia.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greekcitytimes.com

House of the Week: Owner adds to the legacy of historic GREEK-Revival Colonial in Camillus

– During the course of the interview for this article, Patrick Donegan, owner of the GREEK-Revival Colonial at 5113 Munro Road, near Camillus, said ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.syracuse.com

Coronavirus live news: Japan gives Taiwan 1.2m vaccine doses, Fauci calls for Wuhan lab worker records

US infectious disease expert urges China to release medical records of Wuhan lab workers; Japan to donate 1.24m vaccine doses to Tawian; Australia detects highly infectious Delta variant in Melbourne * UK tightens borders and travel rules as variants spark new alarm * Joe Biden outlines plan to share 80m Covid vaccine doses with world * Explainer: Nepal Covid variant: does it exist and should we be concerned? 10.45am BST There were scenes of joy this morning in Europe’s only war-partitioned capital as Greek and Turkish Cypriots took advantage of the opening of checkpoints closed on account of the pandemic 463 days ago. Members of both communities – many older people with memories of coexistence – passed through the crossings that have kept the Mediterranean island’s two sides hermetically sealed from one another for more than 15 months. 10.40am BST By the way, if you missed it yesterday, I really would recommend our Today in Focus podcast in which my colleague Peter Beaumont talks us through why the Wuhan lab leak theory has gained traction again… Related: The Wuhan lab leak theory Continue reading...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com

Greece Begins Vaccinations at Refugee Camps

Greece launched on Thursday a mass vaccination campaign at refugee camps, months after the first shots were rolled out to the wider population Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greekreporter.com

Sound Canons Deployed by Greece to Deter Migrants Alarm the EU

The European Union has expressed concerns over Greece's reported use of sound canons to deter migrants from approaching its borders. Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greekreporter.com

Euro 2020 warm-ups: Depleted Belgium held by GREECE; Ukraine, Turkey register victories

Injury-depleted Belgium was held to a 1-1 draw by GREECE on Thursday in a friendly ahead of the European Championship, a disappointing result for ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.firstpost.com

GREECE: EU integration will bring Albania closer to GREECE, regardless of Turkey

Albania's decision to continue the path of EU membership will bring it even closer to GREECE, said Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias during the ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.euractiv.com

10 Reasons to Visit the Peloponnese Region of GREECE This Summer

The first capital city of Modern GREECE was Nafplio and until this day you will see ruins of the fortress walls up high overlooking the town from the ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greekreporter.com