Tsipras government

A relevant magistrate in the financial crimes prosecutor's office on Tuesday extended, by two years, the protected status for two controversial witnesses who had leveled allegations against 10 top office-holders, including past prime ministers, of receiving kickbacks from Novartis' Greek subsidiaries.

In last year's New Year's edition of To Vima we described 2019 as a year of change. The title and content of that editorial were fully confirmed. Indeed 2019 was a year of political change as most independent analysts predicted because they discerned the trends and attitudes in Greek society.

In the first years of the bailout memorandums, in the era of untrammelled populism and irrational demands, street politics flourished.

There was a prevalent atmosphere of tensions and invective and of a general condemnation of forces that were considered systemic.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras has announced that the central bank will propose the full lifting of capital controls which were imposed in June, 2015, when Greece's second bailout memorandum had ended and the the Tsipras government was still refusing to sign a new memorandum with creditors and EU partners.

The German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung opines that a Mitsotakis government could represent a new opportunity for Greek economic development.

The government's decision to reverse its anti-bailout memorandum tactics in order to sign the third bailout memorandum is well known.

After adopting an unrealistic stance in negotiations with European partners and other creditors in the first six months of 2015, which nearly brought total disaster upon the country, the first Tsipras government was forced into a disorderly retreat.

As Moscow recognized the Republic of North Macedonia by its new official name Monday, Panos Kammenos and Nikos Kotzias picked up their bickering over the so-called Prespes accord again.

In an illuminating expose on the causes, evolution, and social impact of Greece's decade-long economic crisis, CNBC reports from Greece that society sees little light at the end of the tunnel and that an atmosphere of  pessimism prevails

The third "unnecessary" memorandum caused by the Tsipras government will be followed by a fourth "informal" one, the leader of the main opposition New Democracy party said on Tuesday.

Since the beginning of the euro crisis, Athens has longingly looked to the United States - hoping to counterbalance harsh European partners, be acknowledged as a key part of the Western security alliance, and draw the interest of American investors and multinationals.