Latest News from Greece
Bill to stop owners of illegal buildings from renting them out
A new bill drafted by the Environment Ministry foresees an overhaul of laws relating to illegal buildings in Greece, obliging owners to legitimize their properties before renting them out while reducing financial penalties for offenders and allowing them to pay their dues in a larger number of installments.
Groundless expectations
Greece's left-wing prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, is trying to convince his European peers that he is moving toward the political center. But his recent decisions and the overall demeanor of his government suggest otherwise.
$6.16 bln has taken flight since 2011
Divestment from Greece has amounted to $6.16 billion in the last six years, with the worst period being that from 2014 to 2015, when the Greek economy lost more than $5 billion, according to an annual report on investments published on Wednesday by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Gov't to seek arbitration over Eldorado investment
Greece will seek arbitration to settle its differences with Canada's Eldorado over a gold mine investment, the Energy Ministry said on Thursday.
Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis has requested that the state's legal advisers prepare for the arbitration process to begin, the ministry said.
FYROM ready for "name compromise" to join NATO by the spring of 2018
Photo: AFP
NATO plans to accept Macedonia (FYROM) by the spring of 2018, Sputnik has been told by a source familiar with Skopje's membership negotiations.
"NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg plans to visit to Skopje in mid-July and discuss this. The goal of NATO is for the country to be accepted to the alliance by the spring of 2018," the source told the news agency.
Kammenos says US is Greece's best international ally
Washington is Greece's only true international ally, Defense Minister Panos Kammenos insisted on Thursday, and accused the country's European partners of showing a lack of respect.
"The Greek people are well aware that the United States has been the country's only genuine ally," Kammenos said.
As MPs prepare to vote on prior actions, creditors oppose education bill
As MPs brace for another vote in Parliament on Friday, aimed at approving the final batch of so-called prior actions demanded by Greece's creditors, new concerns have arisen over the objections of foreign officials to a new education bill perceived as plunging universities into the past.
Athens Mayor nixes neo-Nazi event
Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis has emphatically refused to grant permission to extreme-right party Golden Dawn to stage an event at the Chorofylaki park in the suburb of Goudi.
"There is no way that Golden Dawn will be granted the park," Kaminis told a meeting of the city council Thursday.
Five convicts appeal fresh indictment over defense kickbacks
A former senior Defense Ministry official, two brokers and two entrepreneurs have appealed to Greece's Supreme Court to overturn a ruling indicting them for allegedly pocketing kickbacks from old defense deals.
The shield of law and humanism
It is difficult to believe that after Greece's judiciary offered protection to eight members of the Turkish military, rejecting Ankara's request for their extradition, the government would agree to the illegal, secret and inhuman expulsion of people who requested asylum here. Yet unease grows.
Greek police bust large drug network
Greek police have dismantled an 11-member drug trafficking ring in the prefect of Ilia in the Peloponnese. The gang had set up a delivery network transporting large amounts of narcotics, including cocaine and marijuana over the past six months in Amaliada and Athens. The suspects included 10 Albanian nationals aged between 22 and 40 and a 30-year-old Greek.
Washington is country's 'only genuine ally,' Kammenos says
Washington is Greece's only true international ally, Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos has said while accusing the country's European partners of a lack of respect toward crisis-hit Athens.
"The Greek people are well aware that the United States has been the country's only genuine ally," Kammenos said.
Vassilis Spanoulis among 10 European players who failed in NBA (photos)
Many European basketball players have a dream to make it big in arguably the greatest league in the world, the NBA. But it is not an easy transition, as there are a number of obstacles to overcome. Site fadeawayworld.com listed the top 10 European players who failed to leave their mark on the NBA.
UN agency concerned at alleged Greek pushbacks of Turks
The United Nations refugee agency is expressing deep concern at reports that Turks seeking asylum in Greece have been forcibly returned to Turkey by Greek authorities.
The UNHCR said Thursday it is "of vital importance" that Greek authorities comprehensively investigate the allegations.