Greece

This column on April 18 analyzed the foreign policy section of the ruling Justice and Development Party?s (AKP) election manifesto and found that the government is not promising a change in its diplomatic line. Today?s column will study the main opposition Republican People?s Party?s (CHP) plan for foreign policy under the title ?the vision for citizens and value-based foreign policy.?

Bulgaria is to host on Wednesday a trilateral working meeting on the construction of a vertical gas corridor with Romania and Greece.

Both the high-level and expert working groups on the vertical gas corridor will hold their first meetings on Wednesday, daily Dnevnik reports.

 Xeros, Maziotis put on list as Athens tries to ease concerns over prison bill

Tensions between Greece and the US grew Tuesday after Washington placed two convicted Greek guerrillas on a terrorism blacklist amid concerns that a third could soon be transferred from prison to house arrest under the conditions of a new prison law.

By Alexis Papachelas

The responsibility for an agreement between Greece and its lenders and for keeping the country in the eurozone rests solely with the government in Athens, according to European Central Bank executive board member Benoit Coeure.

Alternate Finance Minister Dimitris Mardas was present at the emergency meeting called by the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) following a government decree for public bodies to transfer funds to the Bank of Greece (BoG). Mardas explained that the government hopes in this way to cover a "gap" in its finances worth 552 mln euros.

By Sotiris Nikas

Greece?s Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) on Tuesday revised this year?s growth estimate from 3 to 1 percent, while its head, Nikos Vettas, described the possible lack of agreement between the government and its creditors as ?an extraordinarily big failure.?

By Stathis Kousounis

The political and economic uncertainty is having a growing impact on tourism in Greece, with bookings from Germany and Britain showing worrying signs in March.

 Gazprom agrees to the creation of a consortium for the construction of gas pipeline?s Greek extension

By Chryssa Liaggou

The leap forward in Greek-Russian relations that the government had been hoping for did not happen on Tuesday during Gazprom chief Alexey Miller?s visit to Athens.

Statements, comments and speculation throughout Europe on the "Greek issue" continued unabated on Tuesday, given that no deal appears on the horizon, at least this month.

Greece will reach a deal with its international lenders although this may not happen in the upcoming meeting of eurozone finance ministers, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Tuesday citing signs of convergence.