Latest News from Greece

Greece offers concessions in talks with creditors

By Robin Emmott and Jan Strupczewski

Greece offered concessions on Friday on some key reforms demanded by international lenders in exchange for new funding for the country as Athens quickly runs out of money.

Searching for the best syrtaki… like you’ve never seen it before (8 videos)

The popular syrtaki (from the word syrtos, meaning dragged), initially choreographed by Giorgos Provias for the 1964 film Zorba the Greek is not a traditional Greek folk dance but a mixture of slow and fast versions of the Greek hasapiko dance. Accompanied by Mikis Theodorakis’ music, the dance has come to embody all that is Greek.
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Secret meeting on Greece in Washington D.C.

A meeting in Washington D.C. on Friday, April 17, looked at Greek debt and how it should be handled. Present at the meeting were:

1) International Monetary Fund Chief Christine Lagarde

2) European Central Bank President Mario Draghi

3) Eurogroup Chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem

4) German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble

5) French Finance Minister Michel Sapin

Bulgaria, Romania to Hold Joint Cabinet Session

The governments of Bulgaria and Romania are due to sit together on Friday in the southwestern Romanian town of Craiova, officials have said.

After the joint session Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is set to meet his Romanian counterpart Victor Ponta and then the Serbian head of government, Aleksandar Vucic.

Greek FinMin silent at Eurogroup arrival, but then there's the blog?

It had been a while since Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis last blogged, but he came back with a vengeance in Thursday's on the eve of the Eurogroup meeting. His entrance disappointed journalists expecting one of his usual "titillating" comments, but his lengthy blog post describes exactly how he feels about the negotiations between Greece and its international creditors so far.

Eurogroup arrivals: Schaeuble dampens climate, Varoufakis disappoints (videos)

- Eurogroup Chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem told reporters that there was "great urgency" for a deal to be reached, however pointed out that "April isn't over yet."

- Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis disappointed everyone by sweeping in without making comments.

Crucial Eurogroup meeting kicks off, not much optimism: Watch live

The crucial Eurogroup meeting for Greece takes place in Riga, Latvia at 9 a.m. The government is optimistic that a decision will be reached in mid-May or before June, but there appeared little optimism in the markets ahead of the meeting.

Merkel, Tsipras Discuss Greek Debt in Brussels

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras has called for faster-pace negotiations on a new agreement between Athens and international lenders.

Tsipras met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Brussels after an extraordinary EU Council session dedicated to finding an answer to the mass influx of asylum seekers from Africa led to Europe by traffickers,

Merkel: Everything must be done to prevent Greece running out of cash

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday said everything must be done to prevent Greece running out of money before any bailout extension deal is achieved with its international and EZ partners. "Everything must be undertaken to prevent that."

Her comments came after a private meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, which she described as "constructive".

Second Med Yacht Show to take place in Nafplio

The historic city of Nafplio, in the eastern Peloponnese, is set to host next month?s 2nd Mediterranean Yacht Show, organized by the Greek Yachting Association, thus establishing itself as a destination on the Greek yachting map, as Nafplio Mayor Dimitris Kostouros stated on Thursday during a presentation for the event.

Taiwan's Yang Ming picks PCT

By Nikos Roussanoglou

Another international container shipping company, Taiwan?s Yang Ming Lines, is about to expand its use of the installations of Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT), the local subsidiary of China?s Cosco Pacific. Yang Ming follows the example of MSC, Maersk and Cosco itself, while other firms, such as France?s CMA CGM, occasionally use Piraeus too.

Tsipras, Merkel fail to agree on key issues

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had ?constructive and positive? talks on the sidelines of an immigration summit in Brussels on Thursday, Greek government sources said, noting that there was a ?convergence of views? on the level of Greece?s primary surplus target this year and next year and as regards privatizations.

Merkel, Tsipras eye 'interim agreement' by April 30; differences remain

 

Prospects for an "interim agreement" to achieve a loan extension before April 30 reportedly dominated talks between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greek PM Alexis Tsipras on Thursday, as the two leaders met on the sidelines of an extraordinary EU summit in Brussels.

EU leaders agree to step up efforts on migration

At an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday European Union leaders agreed on a series of measures aimed at addressing the growing flows of migrants to Europe, which have become an increasing challenge for Mediterranean countries like Greece to deal with.

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