Latest News from Greece
Three key deadlines for a deal with the creditors
The government and the country's creditors have three landmark dates ahead of them in their effort to strike a staff-level agreement for the second review of Greece's third bailout. The timetable is particularly tight, with Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis saying on Tuesday that although the deadline is pressing, achieving the target remains realistic.
World Boutique Hotel Awards: Santorini hotel most romantic in the world (photos)
One of Santorini’s boutique resorts, the “Aenaon Villas”, was included among the world’s top in the “World Boutique Hotel Awards” for 2016. “Aenaon Villas” claimed top honours in the category “World’s Most Romantic Hotel”, during the glittering dinner held at the Merchant Taylor’s Hall in London, this week.
A two-pronged message
In his public statements on Tuesday in Athens, visiting US President Barack Obama sent a two-pronged message. It is important that one does not interpret it selectively.
A sad farewell to the European Union
President Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to a supportive audience in Ankara on Nov. 14 and said something about the strained relations between Turkey and the European Union. Slamming Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, who said the negotiations with Turkey would end if Turkey brings back the death penalty, Erdoğan said: "You say 'we'll stop the accession talks;' well, you're late.
Turkish jets provoke again
Continuing with a spate of transgressions in the Aegean, Turkish aircraft violated Greek air space Tuesday as Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos held talks with outgoing US President Barack Obama in Athens.
Two Turkish F-16s entered the Athens Flight Information Region shortly before 1.30 p.m. in the area between Chios and Samos in the eastern Aegean.
New Turkish infringement of Greek airspace
On the historic occasion of President Barack Obama’s visit to Greece as part of his last European tour, three violations of Greek airspace sovereignty rules were recorded by Athens FIR (Flight Information Region), and the Turkish fighter aircraft were recognized and intercepted by corresponding fighter planes on the Greek side.
Obama declares support for Greece on crucial issues
Athens on Tuesday secured the political statement it had hoped for from outgoing US President Barack Obama, who underlined the need for debt relief for Greece and for the European Union to ease off excessive austerity.
"We cannot simply look to austerity as a strategy," Obama said told a joint media conference with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
Lender Piraeus gets grip on bad debts
Piraeus Bank, Greece's largest lender by assets, cut its bad loan provisions during the summer months to improve its net profit by 52 percent over the previous quarter.
Piraeus, which is 26.2 percent owned by the country's bank rescue fund HFSF after its recapitalization late last year, said yesterday net profit was 31 million euros for July to September, up from 20 million euros.