Greece

Artist Danae Stratou, wife of Finance Minister  Yanis Varoufakis states that she was unaware that she had to have a special seal from the National Tourism Organization (EOT) when renting out her property.

By Stathis Kousounis

Bookings for the upcoming Orthodox Easter weekend are showing a mixed picture, with numbers differing from one destination to another.

Foreign buyers spent some 250 billion euros on holiday homes in Greece last year, compared to 168 billion in 2013, as prices in the popular but debt-hit tourism destination have fallen by 50 percent since the outbreak of the crisis, Kathimerini understands.

Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis said that "meetings he had in Moscow and their results may mark a new era in the two countries energy, economic and political relations.

Vicky Stamati, wife of former defence minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, being held at Dromokaitio Psychiatric Institution after her escape has requested to testify before prosecutor Grigoris Peponis.

Minister of State Nikos Pappas, one of PM Alexis Tsipras' closest associates, expressed certainty that "all sides will meet their commitments and the European Central Bank (ECB) will restore liquidity of (Greek) financing on time."

He told the Sunday weekly RealNews that no one wants a Grexit or to provoke a ? Grexident.

As Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prepared for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Moscow on April 8-9, designed to boost bilateral ties, high-ranking European officials voiced concerns that the trip might play Russia against the European Union during negotiations with the Greek government.

The Greek government will not cut salaries and pensions, says Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, head of the small right-wing anti-austerity Independent Greeks (ANEL)  party, the junior coalition partner in the current government.

Greece is close to an agreement with its international creditors following the presentation of a new list of reforms by the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. The new agreement concerns the period until June, however there still needs to be an agreement following this period.

The Radical Left Coalition government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras decided to proceed in the first large defense deal in 10 years. The sudden move came when the modernization of five old navy jets was commissioned to United States company LockheedMartin. The agreement's price tag is at an estimated 500 mln dollars.