Panayiotis Kouroublis

Two days after 16 migrants drowned off the coast of Lesvos when their smuggling boat sank, the executive director of the European Union's border monitoring agency Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, was on the island for talks with local authority officials.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday announced a series of measures regarding eastern Aegean Greek islands during an address from the island of Nisyros.

The Greek seamen's union (PNO) "temporarily" suspended its strike on Saturday, in anticipation that the government will stick to its pledge not to hike taxes in their sector.

The disruptions caused by the extended strike by Greek seamen was overcome on Friday by farmers on Naxos who used fishing boats to transport supplies including dairy products to neighboring Aegean islands, while two ferry companies (Ionian Group and Kefalonian Lines) operating the Zakynthos-Kyllini line broke the strike with two morning sailings on the pretext there was an emergency on the isla

Ferries were expected to remain tied up at ports across Greece until Sunday, after the umbrella union of Greek seamen, PNO, announced a new strike on Thursday. The industrial action was expected to start at 6 a.m. on Friday and end at 6 a.m. on Sunday.

Shipping Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis on Tuesday said that ongoing strike action by ferry workers "does not make any sense" and called on their union, PNO, to return to the table for talks.

After discussion with the minister reached a deadlock on Monday, PNO announced a fresh 48-strike that will result in Greece's islands being cut off from the mainland for a full week on Thursday.

Members of the Panhellenic Seamen's Union, PNO, take part in a rally at the port of Piraeus on Monday, as ferries across the country remained tied up for a fourth day. The union is calling on the government not to scrap a lower tax for seamen and to halt plans to merge their social security fund with others.

In protest at the latest round of pension cuts, a worsening tax status and increased job insecurity, seamen have declared a new 48-hour strike that will keep ships docked until Tuesday.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras proceeded on Friday with a long-awaited government reshuffle, moving out some ministers who have opposed bailout reforms and bringing some new blood into the administration.

Interior Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis on Monday announced the government's intention to establish a special secretariat that would allow representatives of the country's Roma community to have a greater say in the decision-making process on matters that concern them.