Latest News from Greece
Major oil reserve of 80-100 mln barrels discovered off Patra coast
A significant oil reserve in the Patraikos Gulf near Patra, on a par with that at Prinos off Thasos island, has been confirmed by a study of seismic surveys conducted by Hellenic Petroleum, which is about to be completed in the coming weeks in London.
Brussels allows PYD congress
The Eighth Congress of the European wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Ankara accuses of being an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), was held in Brussels on Sept. 24.
Bulgarian Male Arrested in Greece for Human Trafficking
A 21-year old Bulgarian man has been arrested in Northern Greece on charges of human trafficking, reported Ekathimerini online edition.
Twenty seven illegal migrants were discovered in the truck driven by the Bulgarian. All of them are Syrian.
The vehicle has been confiscated and the Bulgarian man is expected to be indicted by a prosecutor.
Bulgarian PM Borisov: I Offered That All EU Borders Be Closed
"The closing down of the Balkan route does not merely mean the closing down of the Bulgarian-Turkish border. The external borders of the EU must be dear to everyone as much as their own national frontiers.
Decades-old taboos being smashed
Something positive is happening in Greece: taboos and stereotypes that dominated the post-dictatorship mentality are being abolished in a sensational and swift manner. Who will ever again speak out against large-scale privatizations after the last few months?
Tsipras: Refugee crisis is a common problem for Europe
The refugee crisis is a global and European crisis and Europe should see it as a common problem and face it collectively, said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in his statements after the completion of the EU Summit on Migration in Vienna on Saturday.
Bulgarians Abroad Sent BGN 1 B Back Home in 2016
Bulgarians abroad have sent over BGN 1 B to their relatives in the country since the beginning of 2016, reported bTV, citing BNB data.
The largest amount of nearly BGN 200 M was sent by Bulgarians in the USA, followed by Spain and Greece with BGN 174 M and BGN 68 M, accordingly.
Desecrated Bulgarian Memorial Plaque 'Was Illegal', Skopje Says
Macedonia's Foreign Ministry has declared "illegal" a Bulgarian memorial plaque placed on Kaimakchalan peak, at the Macedonian-Greek border, which a journalist from Skopje claims to have demolished.
In a statement [MK], the institution notes that it expects of Bulgaria to respect internationally recognized procedures used to place memorials on foreign territory.
EU Council Head Calls for Stricter External Border Control
European Council President Donald Tusk has said Europe needs to work out ways to achieve a more effective control on its external borders.
"We have to guarantee in practice and politically that the Western Balkans route for illegal migrants is closed forever," Austrian daily Die Presse quotes Tusk as saying.
Bulgaria Should Prioritize Gas Links with Greece, Romania - EU Official
Bulgaria should work to complete the interconnectors linking its gas transportation networks with Greece and Romania, the EU Commission spokesperson for Specific Energy Union Projects has said.
Illegal migrant smuggler caught in Orestiada
Police in Orestiada, northeastern Greece, arrested a 21-year-old Bulgarian man on charges of human trafficking on Friday, it was announced on Saturday.
According to reports, the suspect was detained after officers conducting traffic checks discovered 27 illegal migrants hidden in the truck he was driving.
All of the migrants are thought to be Syrian nationals.
Anti-austerity parties join forces
Panagiotis Lafazanis, a former minister and SYRIZA defector who last year launched a party called Popular Unity, has joined forces with Alekos Alavanos, one-time mentor of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who leads another small party, Plan B, which supports Greece's return to the drachma.
A noisy distraction
"The matter of the Church of Greece is one for the Greek people and not for a minister," Archbishop Ieronymos, the head of the Church of Greece, wrote in a letter addressed to Greek Education Minister Nikos Filis.
Greek positions on refugee crisis at Vienna mini-summit
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will be among the Balkan and European Union leaders that gather in the Austrian capital on Saturday for a mini-summit on the issue of migration along the “Balkan corridor.”
Greece has a clear agenda that was presented during the United Nations meetings on migration in New York and would open on a European level on Saturday.
Bulgaria's PM to Call for Migrant Centers out of EU at Vienna Meeting
Curbing the flow of migrants into Europe will be the focus of a meeting held by the leaders of ten countries on Saturday.