Dimitris

Regional authorities in seven Greek prefectures on Tuesday began assessing the impact of a Russian food embargo, chiefly on the export of Greek peaches, ahead of Thursday’s scheduled meeting of European agricultural experts in Brussels, where a broader analysis of the problem is to be carried out.

Government officials were seeking ways on Monday to minimize the impact of a Russian food embargo by attempting to secure reassurances from Brussels that Greek producers will be compensated for their losses while also preparing to branch out into other export markets.

Wrapping up his campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum in London to Greece, Italian professor Salvatore Lo Sicco on Saturday visited the Acropolis Museum, where he met with museum Director Dimitris Patermalis and other officials.

By Costas Iordanidis

The ongoing crisis has challenged the fundamentals of Greece’s political system – a situation to which parties have often responded with cheap tricks.

The omnibus bill needed for Greece to receive its next 1-billion-euro sub-tranche from its lenders was passed through Parliament on Wednesday despite containing some provisions that caused skepticism even within the government’s ranks.

In the end, though, 50 MPs in the House’s reduced summer session voted in favor of the collection of reforms and 47 against.

Members of the armed forces and emergency services protested in central Athens on Wednesday morning and voiced their opposition to plans to merge their auxiliary pension funds with others.

The merger is part of a multi-bill that MPs are due to vote on later in the day. Greece needs to pass the legislation to receive its next bailout sub-tranche of 1 billion euros.

Incoming European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, on a visit to Athens on Monday, played down the prospect of eurozone countries writing off part of Greek debt to make the country's debt sustainable.

The portfolio that Greece’s Commissioner might get next month is one of the key subjects on the agenda for European Commission president-elect Jean-Claude Juncker’s visit to Athens on Monday.

Juncker is due to meet Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at noon on Monday. The two men, who maintain a close relationship, are expected to hold a joint news conference after their talks.

European Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker is due in Athens on Monday for talks with government officials and to deliver a message of “hope” two months before he takes up his new position in Brussels.

A Greek frigate carrying 186 people evacuated from conflict-ridden Libya is expected to reach the port of Piraeus early Saturday, the Greek Defense Ministry said.