Greece

Greece says it aims to clinch by Sunday a deal with creditors to get more rescue loans.

Government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis told reporters at a briefing on Thursday that "we are going into these negotiations with the aim to have a deal by Sunday."

Greek authorities say the coast guard has picked up 216 people in the Aegean Sea who entered the country illegally by sailing from the Turkish coast to nearby islands overnight, raising the total this week to more than 1,500.

China’s ambassador to Greece Zou Xialoi said on Wednesday that there are strong prospects between Greece and China in the tourism sector during his speech at the Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum on Wednesday. He underlined that there is prospect for a further increase in flows between both countries.

Alternate International Economic Relations Minister Euclid Tsakalotos on Thursday refuted that he spoke of a bailout program in his interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) dated May 27.

The Greek government is considering action to attract foreign movie productions. “Greece has all the advantages that can render it a unique center of international productions,” said Alekos Flambouraris, State Minister for Co-ordinating Government Operations.

By Costas Iordanidis

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Wednesday that a deal with creditors was ?close? and government officials said an agreement was being drafted but representatives of the country?s creditors made it quite clear that they do not share such optimism.

Opposition parties urged Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday to seal an agreement with Greece?s lenders as soon as possible but also to inform them of what it plans to agree to.

Greek government officials’ optimism over a deal with institutional creditors to unblock more than seven billion euros left over from the second bailout was not apparently shared on Wednesday throughout euro land.

The Council of State will have to rule on whether the recent hail of conditions for entry into model and experimental schools are in line with the Greek Constitution.

The parent of an elementary school child challenged the changes introduced last month by the government and is calling on Greece?s highest administrative court to deem the new entry process unconstitutional.