Panathinaikos will be Greece’s representative in the qualifiers of next season’s Champions League after beating PAOK with a 2-0 score on Sunday to clinch the top spot in the Super League play-off mini-league, with two games left to play.
Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Tsipras urges EU leaders to reach deal with Athens
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Sunday Greece should not be blamed for not yet reaching a deal with its creditors and called on fellow European leaders to bypass technical talks and come to a political solution.
Basketball referee has his car torched
One of the country’s leading basketball referees had his car torched on Saturday, a few days before the start of the Greek basketball league finals, likely to be between champion Panathinaikos and challenger Olympiakos.
Unknown group claims prison warden's murder
A previously unknown group has claimed responsibility for murdering the warden of Domokos Prison in central Greece three months ago.
Joker lottery jackpot of 9.5 mln goes to one winner
One person has won the rollover jackpot on 9.5 million euros in Greece’s Joker lottery.
Greece key focus for G7 meeting
Greece has been a hot topic for the Group of Seven finance ministers with the US and Japan pressing Europe to strike a deal with Athens.
Crunch time for Greece as debt repayment deadline looms
A Greek flag next to a statue of Greek goddess Athena in Athens. Analysts think Greece has enough cash to avoid default on Friday, but what happens ...
WRAPUP 1-Greece, creditors agree on need for quick deal as talks continue
Greek govt had hoped for deal by Sunday. * Major issues holding up deal still unresolved-source. * Greek, German, French leaders see need for quick ...
Greek Leader in New Conference Call With Hollande, Merkel
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has had a conference call with the leaders of France and Germany to discuss progress in the talks between ...
Panathinaikos beats PAOK 2-0 in Greek league playoffs to secure Champions League berth
ATHENS, Greece — Panathinaikos secured a place in next season's Champions League by beating PAOK 2-0 in a Greek league playoff game ...
Greek Economy Minister: Agreement Within the Next Days
“Deal exists,” stated Greek Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis in an interview to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, clarifying that he foresees that “the deal will close within a few days” and a “Eurogroup to approve financing will follow.” Answering a question on whether there will be a third support program, Stathakis said: “It depends on the debt sustainability and growth project for the next three to four years, the framework is not clear yet. The aim of the agreement we want rules out the need of a new rescue program.” Regarding the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Stathakis said that “IMF’s mission to Greece ends in March 2016. There is no reason to be extended. We have tabled realistic and reasonable proposals. The key issues are the VAT reform and the reduction of the primary surplus target. We ask for 1% in 2015 that will gradually grow to 3% in 2018.” The Greek Minister made it clear that the main sectors on which the economic recovery will be based are maritime, tourism and education. “Growth can go hand in hand with social justice. In Greece we want to try it.” (source: ana-mpa)
Greek prime minister talks bailout deal in new conference call with Hollande, Merkel
ATHENS, Greece - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has had a conference call with the leaders of France and Germany to discuss progress in the talks between Athens and its lenders, officials say. The Sunday evening call with French President Francois ...
PM Tsipras to Le Monde: “Europe at Crossroads” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
Negotiators are talking, clocks are ticking, bells are tolling. But for whom? Just for Greece or the whole Europe and the Eurozone? Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wrote a dramatic appeal to European creditors through French newspaper Le Monde. Bellow the full op-ed in English: Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ article […]
Tsipras blasts monitors’ ‘absurd’ demands
Sense of chaos grows as Greek prime minister rounds on creditors
Nikos Kotzias: Whoever destabilises Greece, destabilises Europe
“Whoever destabilises Greece, destabilises Europe,“ said the Greek minister, speaking at a meeting of the leftist parliamentary group of the German ...
213 Migrants Rescued in Greece During the Night
In recent months there has been a rise in the number of irregular migrants trying to reach Greece as people flee from Libya, Syria and Afghanistan in ...
Grexit entering end game as Greece debt talks go down to the wire
Investors are bracing for a bumpy ride this week, as the long-running "Grexit" saga – Greece's potentially catastrophic exit from the eurozone – enters ...
Mustafa Ankinci advocates focus on the future for splintered Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot leader says his community must regard their Greek Cypriot neighbours not as enemies but partnersAll his life, Mustafa Ankinci has worked towards peace. There has been his language: a lexicon of feel-good words infused with the precision of a conflict resolution professor. And there has been his belief that small things can lead to big things in his splintered country. Now, at 68, ensconced beneath the arches in the white, colonial-era office that has been the headquarters of every Turkish Cypriot leader since independence, the president has his chance to act. Related: Is Mustafa Akinci the best hope yet for a solution to the Cyprus problem? | George Kyris I feel I live in a very abnormal country Related: Cyprus peace talks raise hopes of an end to a conflict that has haunted Europe It is becoming increasingly normal for Turkish Cypriots to also come over for the clubs and bars and the beach Continue reading...
Defiant Tsipras threatens to detonate European crisis rather than yield to creditor "monstrosity"
Greek premier Alexis Tsipras has accused the Europe's creditor powers of issuing "absurd demands" and come close to warning that his far-Left ...
Tsipras: Deal is Not Reached Yet Because of Lenders' Intransigence
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said it is not Greece's fault for not reaching a deal yet but creditors are to blame because of their intransigence.
Tsipras lambasts 'absurd proposals' of creditors for Greece debt-deal failure
“The lack of an agreement so far is not due to the supposed intransigent, uncompromising and incomprehensible Greek stance,” he wrote. “It is due to ...
Tsipras: Greece should not be blamed for not reaching a deal
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Greece should not be blamed for not yet reaching a deal with its creditors and called on fellow European leaders to bypass technical talks and come to a political solution. Athens and its ...
Tsipras to meet Varoufakis on Sunday
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will have a meeting with the Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis on Sunday, according to government sources. They are expected to discuss about Greece’s new International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative Elena Panaritis. Sources: enikos.gr, ANA-MPA Read ...
Greek Parliament speaker: Each child born in Greece owes €32,500
Speaker of the Greek Parliament Zoi Konstantopoulou said that each child born in Greece owes 32,500 euros and this is an injustice. Konstantopoulou took the podium at the Forum European des Alternatives taking place in Paris on May 30-31. "Austerity kills society ...
Tsipras accuses bailout monitors of making 'absurd' demands
The uncertainty has sparked large-scale withdrawals from Greek banks, with about €800m taken out in just two days last week, renewing fears of a ...
Greek govt faces internal backlash over pick for IMF representative
ATHENS, May 31 (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faced a backlash on Sunday from his leftist party lawmakers over the government's ...
EU's Juncker warns against Greek exit from euro: paper
BERLIN (Reuters) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Sunday a Greek exit from the euro zone could damage trust in the ...
Greek PM agreed with Merkel, Hollande on need for quick deal: Greek official
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras held a phone call on Sunday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President ...
Barroso warns of possible Greek “accident”
José Manuel Barroso has told politicians to stop “waiting for an accident” to happen with Greece and to work to avoid the country leaving the eurozone. Formerly the head of the European Commission, Mr Barroso accused politicians of having taken “too long” to find a solution. Greece must find €304 million to repay the International Monetary Fund by 5 June.
Greek Cops, Coast Guard, Intelligence Linked to Human Trafficking Rings
As Greece is being inundated by waves of illegal immigrants and beseeching the EU for help, the police (ELAS) Internal Affairs department has reportedly found cops, Coast Guard leaders and agents of the National Intelligence Service (EYP) to rackets helping smuggle them in. The post Greek Cops, Coast Guard, Intelligence Linked to Human Trafficking Rings appeared first on The National Herald.
Greece's Tsipras attacks creditors over 'absurd' reforms
Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Sunday attacked its creditors for insisting on what he described as absurd reforms which have only served ...
Cash-for-Reforms Deal Unlikely on Sunday for Greece: Sources
Sources say Greece and its creditors are expected to miss a self-imposed Sunday deadline for reaching an agreement to unlock aid for the cash ...
Yard show showcases Greek organizations
Gamma Alpha Omega's third annual Yard Show was held at the campus mall May 20. The Diversified Greek Council (DGC) and National ...
Greek Festival To Be Held This Week In Holmdel
The Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Festival will be held this week in Holmdel. The festival starts on Thursday and runs through Sunday at Kimisis Tis ...
Little Progress On Greece Rescue Talks; Agreement Failing Over The Same Old Things
This Sunday the Greek government is in talks with the troika, the Eurogroup, the ECB and the IMF, over the necessary bailout deal Greece needs if it is ...
A travelogue of Greece's economic ruins
Local women walk through an empty cobbled street in the early morning in the town of Fira on the island of Santorini, Greece, on Wednesday, May 20, ...
Embattled Alexis Tsipras faces down Leftist mutiny amid snap Greek election fears
Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras is facing open rebellion in his ruling Syriza party over Greece's future in the eurozone, raising the spectre of snap ...
US tells EU to fix Greek bailout soon amid market jitters
Mr Lew's direct language came in contrast to meeting host Germany, which sought to play down the role the Greek standoff had at the gathering.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Lauds the Ethnikos Kyrix “Miracle”
[The following is the English text of the letter sent by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Antonis Diamataris, Publisher-Editor of the National Herald, on the occasion of the newspaper’s 100th anniversary. The letter, including another in Greek, was read by Archbishop Demetrios of America on the gala celebration on May 22.”] The esteemed Antonis Diamataris, Publisher-Editor of […] The post Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Lauds the Ethnikos Kyrix “Miracle” appeared first on The National Herald.
Greece Closer to Political Solution on Debt Issue Amid Doubts Within SYRIZA
While technical discussions in Brussels between Greece and creditors show more signs of convergence on previously thorny issues, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will have a teleconference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande on Sunday evening in order to seek political aid to expedite an agreement. If negotiations on a technical level come to a positive completion and there is a staff level agreement, then the three country leaders will meet in person to seal the deal on a political level. The Greek government is willing to make concessions to complete the deal, Interior Minister Nikos Voutsis said on Greek television on Friday. Meanwhile, according to a Deutsche Welle report, it is likely that an agreement can be reached as early as next week. The report said that the German chancellery is determined to expedite the solution to the Greek debt problem. However, Elena Panaritis’ appointment as Greece’s representative in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has caused an uproar within SYRIZA. Panaritis was a PASOK MP when Greece had signed the first Memorandum. She was appointed by Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and his decision generated a lot of negative comments within the party. Also, SYRIZA members who belong to the so-called Left Platform do not view favorably the prospect of a deal with compromises. They insist that the government should stick to its pre-election agenda and pledges to the Greek people. Varoufakis: I am not going to resign Varoufakis received a lot of harsh criticism for Panaritis’ appointment as Greece’s representative to the IMF. The Finance Minister had a meting with Tsipras on Sunday afternoon but no comments were made after the meeting. Earlier on Sunday, Varoufakis rebuffed rumors that he is intending to resign. “Rumours of my impending resignation are (for the umpteenth time) grossly premature…” he tweeted. When asked by a follower if the key word to his statement was “premature,” he replied with “In the long run we are all dead.” J.M.Keynes. (In the medium run, those nostalgic of the troika days are stuck with me @FinMin.”
Russia Reportedly Proposes Co-Manufacturing Kalashnikov Rifles in Greece
Russia has sent an official proposal to the Greek Defense Ministry to co-manufacture Kalashnikov rifles in Greece, according to an onalert.gr report. The verbal proposal was made during the recent visit of Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos in Moscow, where he discussed several defense issues with the Russian side. According to the report, Moscow expects a formal reply by August. Allegedly, the first time such proposal was made to Greece was in 2006, when Russia had suggested the establishment of weapons production factories in Greece for exports to third countries. According to the report, Russian officials requested to visit the Hellenic Defense Systems (EAS) facilities in Aigio, Peloponnese. They found that the manufacturing facilities are efficient and reiterated the proposal. An official letter to the General Directorate for Defense Investment and Armaments (GDDIA) followed, according to the report, containing a detailed plan for the co-manufacturing of Kalashnikov rifles at the EAS factory. However, there are some substantial hurdles that will make such a deal rather difficult, onalert.gr said. First and foremost is Greece’s alliance with NATO and the United States. It will be hard for allies to accept such an agreement. Secondly, co-manufacturing Kalashnikov might mean that the Greek army will have to replace the existing G3 rifles that are designed in Germany. This will not go very well with Greece’s European allies and creditors. Thirdly, the EAS staff have been drastically reduced since the onset of the economic crisis, while there are rumors that the manufacturing facilities will be shut down altogether. However, GDDIA officials said that even the existing staff are sufficient for the arms’ co-production. Russia has given Greece enough time to respond to the proposal. The Greek government has to make a decision until August. According to the report, what might be a determining factor is that Kalashnikov rifles were given to the Greek Navy Seals to test and their response was enthusiastic.
Greece Pins Hopes on Merkel as Rescue Talks Yield Scant Progress
Greece's hopes of sealing an accord with its creditors by the end of May dimmed on Sunday, as disagreements between the two sides on budget ...
And still they come: Syrian refugees take to dinghies to make the dangerous journey from Turkey to ...
They were among thousands of migrants to arrive in the small island in the past week as the Greek authorities say they are struggling to cope.
$A traders await RBA decision, Greek talks in focus
"The (Chinese stock) market is likely going to experience massive volatility," Shenwan Hongyuan Group's Gerry Alfonso told Bloomberg. Reuters.
Barclays: Greece unlikely to pay €3.5 billion on bonds held by the ECB on July 20
Years of uncertainty and economic pain spent keeping Greece in the eurozone boils down in June to a handful of make-or-break debt repayments, while a raft of key data in the next few days will point to the ...
Negotiations at Brussels Group continue on Sunday
The deliberations on issues regarding the Greek economy continue on Sunday at the Brussels Group. Sources said that all the parameters on matters regarding taxation, the pension system, justice and markets as well as the banking system are on ...
Greece Mulls BRICS Bank Deal
Greece is preparing and will probably submit a request to participate in the new development bank for BRICS countries and has Russia's backing. The post Greece Mulls BRICS Bank Deal appeared first on The National Herald.
Greece continues talks on aid, deal unlikely on Sunday: sources
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece and its creditors were continuing talks on a cash-for-reforms deal but are expected to miss a self-imposed Sunday deadline for reaching an agreement to unlock aid, sources close to the talks said.
Germany's Schaeuble offers Varoufakis chocolate euros for his nerves
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has offered to give his Greek counterpart some chocolate euro coins as "nourishment for his nerves."
Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis denies reports of resignation
Yanis Varoufakis dismissed reports of he will soon resign after his country tumbled back into recession and scrambles to avoid defaulting on its loan ...