He also revealed he has sent letters outlining Greece’s positions to his European Union counterparts, and European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Archiv: Greece
Greek PM threatens veto over Libya as Haftar visits Athens
Meanwhile, Libya’s Khalifa Haftar, commander of the eastern Libyan forces, arrived in Athens on Thursday night and held an informal meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias ahead of their official talks on Friday. He will also hold talks with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Parliament.
Foreign Affairs Minister pays official visit to Greece
Cyprus Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Christodoulides pays an official visit to Greece, on Monday, during which he is expected to sign with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations and Technical Cooperation and will be received by Greece`s President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Netanyahu Accidentally Calls Israel a ‚Nuclear Power‘
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accidently referred to Israel as a „nuclear power“ during a cabinet meeting Sunday, immediately correcting himself to „energy power.“
Speaking about a trilateral summit in Athens over the weekend, where Israel signed a deal with Greece and Cyprus for the construction of the EastMed natural gas pipeline to Europe.
Netanyahu to Depart to Athens to Sign Gas Pipeline Deal With Greece and Cyprus
Accompanying Netanyahu to Athens will be Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz. The two will meet with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Netanyahu will also meet with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.
Greece Signs Deal with Lockheed Martin to Upgrade F-16 Fleet
The U.S. company will also supply information and continuous technical support for the operational autonomy of Greece’s F-16 fleet and expand its operational capability.
Turkey-Libya maritime deal rattles East Mediterranean
Egypt and Israel, which have invested heavily in energy exploration in the region, are alarmed by the Turkey-Libya move, which may threaten their ability to export gas to Europe. Egypt has called it “illegal and not binding”, while Israel has said it could “jeopardize peace and stability in the area”.
Jordan, Greece discuss bilateral ties, regional developments
They also reaffirmed commitment to boosting cooperation within the framework of the Jordanian-Cypriot-Greek coordination framework.
Lebanese president urges UNIFIL to investigate Greek vessel’s violation of Lebanese waters
President Michel Aoun on Tuesday urged the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to investigate the reasons behind the Greek oil exploration vessel’s violation of, operating for the Israeli army, Lebanon’s territorial waters for seven hours, a statement by the President’s office reported.
„Lebanon rejects any violation of its legitimate rights within its territorial waters; Israeli naval violations of Lebanese sovereignty are no less dangerous than land and air violations which Israel continues to carry out,“ Aoun said during his meeting at Baabda Palace with UNIFIL Chief Stefano Del Col.
Turkey renews military pledge to Libya as threat of Mediterranean war grows
Ankara ready to defend government in Tripoli in latest policy to inflame tensions with US, EU, Greece and Middle East countries
Spotlight: Active military involvement in Libya serves no Turkish interest: analysts
A senior navy officer from the Tobruk-based rival forces reportedly said he was ordered by Haftar to sink any approaching Turkish research vessels.
Haftar, who failed to capture Tripoli in a major attack earlier this year, announced late Thursday that the „decisive battle“ to seize Tripoli began.
Turkish ships said to force Israeli research vessel out of Cypriot waters
According to TV report, Turkish navy intercepts Israeli boat, orders it to leave; Turkey’s recent maritime deal with Libya has fueled regional tensions over drilling rights
Turkish drones escorting drill ships to fly from Turkish Cypriot airport: report
The breakaway Turkish Cypriot cabinet has designated an airport on the disputed island as a base for Turkish drones escorting ships seeking hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean, a news agency said, a move likely to increase tension with the European Union.
Marches underway in Athens, Thessaloniki to commemorate teen’s killing
(06.12.2019)
Leftist organizations and anti-establishment groups marched in central Athens on Friday evening to mark the 11th anniversary since the 2008 shooting of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos by a former police officer.
Turkey Announces Naval Exercise in the Aegean on Monday
Turkey announced a 4-hour naval exercise in the Aegean for Monday, to take place in international waters south of Rhodes and east of Karpathos.
Greeks march to mark anniversary of 1973 student revolt
At the front of the procession, due to end at the U.S. embassy, youths held a blood-stained flag that belonged to the students engaged in the 1973 revolt. Protesters resent Washington for its support of the 1967-1974 military dictatorship.
Tight security in Athens before annual November 17 march
The November 17 demonstration commemorates the uprising at the Athens Polytechnic which set into motion a chain of events that toppled the US-backed military government – known in Greece as „the Junta“ – in 1974.
International experts attend hostage situation seminar
Police officers from Greece and other European Union countries took part in a four-day training seminar in Veria, northern Greece about dealing with hostage situations involving terrorists.
The seminar, which ended on Friday, was organized by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) and was attended by 29 certified negotiators from EU member-states, experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US, Scotland Yard and French officers
US and Greece Sign New Defense Pact
The US military is expected to expand the Sixth Fleet’s base on the Greek island of Crete and also build new drone bases in central Greece.
Barzani, Greek Ambassador Discuss Kurdish Diaspora in Greece
Discussing the large Kurdish diaspora in Greece as a strong cultural tie between the two nations, Barzani and Kontovounesios welcomed the efforts to further develop the relations between Erbil and Athens in every area of potential cooperation.
Tensions grow as Cyprus says Turkish drilling ship violates its rights
Turkey says some of the areas where Cyprus is exploring are either on its own continental shelf or in zones where Turkish Cypriots have equal rights over any finds with Greek Cypriots.
UK commanders join Israel’s largest-ever naval exercise
(16.08.2019)
The exercise included ten navies, mainly from Nato. In addition to Israeli missile-boats, there were ships from the United States, Greece and France. Britain’s Royal Navy — along with representatives of Canada, Germany, Italy, Cyprus and Chile — was involved at a headquarters level, with observers and experts taking part in the planning of missions.
Greece, Cyprus, Israel, US pledge to boost energy cooperation
Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States are deepening their cooperation in the energy sector, officials from the four countries said Wednesday
Greek police find body of missing Briton on Ikaria island
Greek police have found the body of a missing 35-year-old British astrophysicist and peace activist in a ravine on the Greek island of Ikaria, they said on Wednesday.
Skouries mine
The majority of the local population has opposed the project, citing tremendous environmental impact, resulting to the complete desecration of tourism and agriculture in the area (those industries make up almost all financial activity in the area). The local population demonstrated over the years, even shutting down national roads, but the construction is still going on.
Greece seeks to kickstart stalled Eldorado gold mine investment
In September, the company said it would seek 750 million euros ($836 million) from the government in damages it attributed to the delays
Turkish Cypriots propose cooperation over Cyprus gas, Turkey says
Akinci “presented a new comprehensive cooperation proposal prepared by the Turkish Cypriot side for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon resources around the island of Cyprus to the Greek Cypriot side through the United Nations,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The proposal said that Turkish and Greek Cypriots “are equal partners on the island, have equal rights, so should share the income and cooperate in the area of hydrocarbon resources and benefit from these resources simultaneously,” the ministry said.
Greece, MARC/Alco/Metron Analysis/MRB exit poll: European Election ND-EPP: 34% SYRIZA-LEFT: 27% KINAL-S&D: 8% XA-NI: 6% KKE-NI: 6% EL-*: 4% MeRA25-LEFT: 4% EK-ALDE: 2% ANEL-ECR: 2% Potami-S&D: 2% #EP2019 #Ευρωεκλογές2019 #ekloges2019 #εκλογες_2019
SYRIZA plays down defeat seen in exit polls
Governing SYRIZA “did not sustain the strategic defeat that New Democracy was looking forward to,” government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said on Sunday after exit polls gave the conservative opposition a solid lead over the leftist party.
Europeans furious at EU’s Brexit handling: Shock poll shows citizens turn back on Brussels
An average of just 38 percent of those asked by Pew Research Center approve of how the EU has dealt with Britain’s departure from the bloc. The Netherlands and Germany had the highest approval ratings but they were still only at 52 percent and 51 percent respectively. Italy and Hungary had the joint lowest at 31 percent, with Greece close behind at 32 percent in the poll published yesterday.
Israel, Greece Constructing New Radar System on Crete, Report Says
The paper said the new surface radar will be able to track at long range, beyond the horizon, and both Israel and Greece will have access to its enhanced coverage.
The report added that the project is part of the broad political alliance among Israel, Greece and Cyprus.
Conflict-ridden Eastern Mediterranean: Syrian war, disputed waters hinder solutions for hydrocarbon resources
In the last few years hopes for the commercialization of hydrocarbon resources in the Eastern Mediterranean have dimmed as diplomatic and military tensions rise in the region along side the unending Syrian war
A reminder that Greece remains in debt bondage under the Troika’s boot. The EuroWorkingGroup (the Troika’s lair) decreed that the return to Greece of its own money (ECB profits from trading in Greek bonds) will be withheld unless home evictions and auctions are accelerated.
Former Greek Finance Minister @yanisvaroufakis says he was “hoping that it [Brexit] would be a cause within the EU to rethink our democratic deficit” but instead Brussels chose to avoid those conversations about reforming the EU – it will NEVER change!
Eastern Mediterranean countries to form regional gas market
The others involved are Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and the Palestinians. Other Eastern Mediterranean countries and transitory countries may join the forum later, the ministry said in a statement.
Greek new defense minister sworn in ahead of confidence vote to gov’t
Former head of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff admiral Evangelos Apostolakis was sworn in on Monday as the country’s new Defense Minister ahead of a confidence vote to the government which is scheduled for Wednesday evening, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.
Greek police fire teargas at protesting teachers in Athens
Teachers’ unions say state schools are under-staffed and are demanding the creation of more permanent jobs for teachers.
Greek protesters clash with police during Merkel’s visit in Athens
Protesters said Merkel was not welcome in Greece as she played a „leading role“ in impoverishing the Greek people.
Macedonia’s NATO accession protocol to be drafted after Prespa Agreement ratification: minister
On July 11, 2018, NATO leaders agreed to invite Macedonia to begin accession talks to become NATO’s 30th member state, though its people must first back the deal with Greece in a referendum. Under an accord signed by Greece and Macedonia on June 17, the official name of the country will become the Republic of North Macedonia.
Jordan, Cyprus and Greece determined to further their trilateral cooperation, Ambassador El-Fayez tells CNA
Jordan, Cyprus and Greece are determined to implement the goals of their trilateral cooperation in all fields, having as their main objective peace, prosperity and security for the region, says Mohamad Sharari El-Bakhit El-Fayez, the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Cyprus.
Israel-Greece-Cyprus friendship flourishes with creation of ’secretariat‘ to oversee ties
US strongly supporting enhanced ties; Friedman may take part in trilateral meetings.
‘The left must fight for a real Brexit’: Former Syriza MP Costas Lapavitsas on the left-wing case against the EU.
spiked: Many on the left say we should reform the EU, rather than leave it. What is your view on this?
Lapavitsas: Reforming the EU is a long-standing dream of many on the left. It is something the British left has adopted quite recently compared with the rest of Europe. The British left used to be very Eurosceptic – that was a good thing.
I understand where this dream comes from. It comes from a wish to see a community of solidarity and support, to see a shared progressive outlook on economic and social policies across Europe.
But I must assure those who hold this view that they misunderstand the beast they are faced with.
Greek police clash with protesters on anniversary of police shooting of teenager
Greek police clashed with protesters on Thursday after demonstrations to mark the 10th anniversary of the killing of a teenage boy by police, which triggered the country’s worst riots in decades.
24-hour Greek media blackout ahead of broader strike action
Greek journalists walked off work for 24 hours Tuesday ahead of a broader nationwide strike that is expected to cripple transport services as austerity-weary labor unions press for salary and pension raises and tax cuts. No news programs were being broadcast on TV and radio, while newspapers will not be printed on Wednesday, the day of the strike called by GSEE, the country’s biggest labor union.
Cyprus, Israel, Greece, Italy close to East Med pipe line deal: report
Four Mediterranean countries, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Israel are close to an agreement to construct the world’s longest undersea pipeline to transfer natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean energy fields to Europe, a Cypriot government source was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Banner in Greek and English: „The peoples have the power and never surrender. Organize counter-attack“.
(28.6.2011)
Yanis Varoufakis: “The EU declared war and Theresa May played along”
In 2016, shortly before the EU referendum, Yanis Varoufakis warned that the UK was destined for a “Hotel California Brexit”: it could check out but it could never leave. The former Greek finance minister spoke from experience. In 2015, his efforts to end austerity – “fiscal waterboarding” – were thwarted by the EU (a struggle recorded in his memoir Adults in the Room: My Battle With Europe’s Deep Establishment).
Debate: Is Italy going the way of Greece in 2015?
The Italian government elected this summer has a number of similarities with the SYRIZA-Independent Greeks coalition that came into office in Greece in early 2015 and jolted the eurozone with its apparently defiant policy that led to a three-week shutdown of the country’s banks, the imposition of strict capital controls, a divisive referendum and a fresh bailout program worth 86 billion euros. Now it is Rome that appears to be pursuing a quasi-defiant policy toward the eurozone.
Genocide of the Greek Nation
The political and media coverup of the genocide of the Greek Nation began yesterday (August 20) with European Union and other political statements announcing that the Greek Crisis is over. What they mean is that Greece is over, dead, and done with. It has been exploited to the limit, and the carcas has been thrown to the dogs.
Turkey proposes Russia ‘joint production of S-500 missiles’
(14.6.2018) “Besides [the S-400s], I have made a proposal to Russia for the joint production of the S-500s,” Erdoğan said in a televised interview late June 13.
The S-500s are still under development and believed to be deployed by 2020 as a supplement but with a longer range to the existing S-400s sophisticated surface-to-air missiles. Turkey will procure the S-400s to augment its air defense by July 2019.
In reaction to some countries’ opposition against the Turkish purchasing of S-400s, Erdoğan recalled that Greece has an earlier version of Russian air defense systems, the S-300s, on its soils.
EU have killed the Economies in Greece, Italy & Spain. Southern Europe is in a mess. Have you seen the unemployment figures for people U/24? 40-50% out of work. The Euro has been an utter disaster, caused poverty, all cos the EU want to turn Europe in a State. Bolloxs to them.
Cyprus, Israel, Greece pledge deeper military ties
(22.6.2018) Cypriot Minister Savvas Angelides and his Israeli and Greek counterparts Avigdor Lieberman and Panos Kammenos said they also seek to expand cooperation on cybersecurity, joint military drills and search and rescue operations in the eastern Mediterranean.
Two charged with crime, misdemeanours over HAU attack
The prosecutor charged them with the crime of theft and the misdemeanours of disturbing the peace, damaging property, illegally possessing a weapon, causing bodily harm and insubordination.
Is Italy the Next Greece?
European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi helped end the 2012 crisis by promising to do “whatever it takes” to stabilize markets. But Marcus Ashworth notes the ECB is treating Italy’s agita like a parent reacts to a kid’s demand for ice cream – by saying, “We’ll see.” Until the ECB puts its money where its “whatever” is, contagion will continue, Marcus warns.
‚This is a sellout‘: Anger as Greece approves power plant sales
Union leaders in Greece fear hundreds of jobs could be lost when the country’s biggest public electricity company sells some of its power stations.
MPs have already approved the sale, which is a condition of Greece receiving its third bailout from international lenders in August.
Athens expects staff level agreement with creditors by Saturday
Speaking to Greek media on Thursday, Finance Ministry sources confirmed that talks with the inspectors representing the country’s official lenders have culminated in an agreement to reduce pensions in January 2019 as agreed, and slash the income tax-free threshold in 2020.(…)
Remaining stumbling blocks reportedly include delays in the selection of new general secretaries for Greek ministries, over which the government was warned by troika representatives.
Turkey condemns Greece for inclusion of disputed territories in Natura 2000 program
Turkey condemns Greece’s decision to include the disputed islands of Imia (Kardak) in the Aegean Sea in the EU Natura 2000 environmental program, official representative of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Hami Aksoy said.