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Greece is at the top of the list of EU and OECD countries in antibiotics consumption. Credit: Ton Varco Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Greece leads all OECD countries (member nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) in antibiotics consumption at a time when antibiotic-resistant infections are becoming one of the fastest-growing threats to global health. When antibiotics are overused or prescribed inappropriately, diseases can develop resistance to them. Over the long term, this could mean that illnesses we now treat routinely may no longer respond to existing medications. Scientists warn that excessive use of antibiotics can lead to several key issues, most notably antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which poses a serious threat to public health. Across the EU, AM...

December 1 is observed globally as World AIDS Day, a day established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness about HIV, its transmission, prevention, and treatment. While HIV and AIDS no longer evoke the same societal fear as four decades ago, the virus remains a public health concern, and stigma persists for those living with it.HIV in Greece: Key NumbersAs of October 31, 2025, Greece has recorded 21,815 HIV cases. Among these, 4,795 have progressed to AIDS, and 3,721 individuals have died from the disease. In 2025 alone, 11,549 people with HIV received antiretroviral therapy. New HIV diagnoses remain consistent with the previous year, with 526 reported cases (5.1 per 100,000 population).However, more than half of newly diagnosed patients are entering the healthcare syst...

Greece is tackling an outbreak of a highly contagious capripoxvirus that infects both sheep and goats. More than 400,000 animals have been culled so far, and the number of animals that have to be killed has increased recently as the country’s livestock sector tries to get the outbreak under control.The disease does not affect humans but is highly contagious among animals and can cause high fatality rates in a flock. Greek authorities have implemented various restrictions on the movement, slaughter, and transportation of sheep and goats, targeting affected regions, including the major livestock region of Thessaly. Other areas, including Larissa, Xanthi, Serres, Evros, Rodopi, Achaia, and Magnesia, have also been severely affected. They have also bolstered biosecurity in certain areas by set...

In Greece, several hundred citizens are still newly infected with HIV each year. Public Domain December 1st is designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as World AIDS Day, providing an annual opportunity to raise public awareness and provide information about HIV, its transmission, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The HIV/AIDS situation in Greece (2025 Data) In Greece, several hundred citizens are still newly infected with HIV each year. Despite its reduced lethality—as it is now largely treated as a chronic disease with effective therapy—it remains a public health threat. According to data from the National Public Health Organization (EODY), while new HIV diagnoses remain at levels similar to the previous year, more than half of the people diagnosed in 2025 entered the health...

Greece has been named the world’s best retirement destination in 2026 by International Living, a company helping people move, retire, invest, and travel abroad. It is the first time the sunny Mediterranean country has taken the number one spot in the company’s Annual Global Retirement Index’s 35-year history, beating the likes of Portugal and Spain in Europe and Costa Rica and Panama in Latin America.“Greece’s rise to number one marks a shift in Europe’s retirement landscape,” Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living, said in a statement shared with Newsweek. “For years, Portugal and Spain led the way, but recent visa changes and rising costs have retirees looking elsewhere. Greece now offers what many are seeking—a beautiful, welcoming, and affordable European base with ...

Greece’s National Transparency Authority (EAD) is examining allegations of misuse of up to €500 million in EU development funds earmarked for the installation of smart water meters by municipalities and local water and sewerage companies (DEYA), officials told Kathimerini. The case is also under investigation by the Hellenic Competition Commission and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens, which has received a large dossier of complaints related to the EU-funded program. Sources familiar with the probe, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the newspaper that investigators are uncovering potentially incriminating evidence against those involved in procurement. The matter has attracted increasing attention among government officials in recent weeks. EAD confirmed it is...

“I am running for the presidency of the Eurogroup because our history is not merely national, it is profoundly European,” Pierrakakis said. Credit: AMNA Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Greece’s Minister of National Economy and Finance, has officially announced his candidacy for the President of the Eurogroup, as confirmed by the Council of the EU. His opponent is Vincent Van Peteghem, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Budget, responsible for Administrative Simplification, of Belgium. Although Pierrakakis has only been in his current ministerial post for eight months, he is reported to have gained the respect of his European counterparts, giving him a strong chance to succeed the current President, Paschal Donohoe. What is the Eurogroup Presidency? The President of the Eurogroup is a crit...

Greece’s Defense Minister, Nikos Dendias, is travelling to Brussels on Monday, 1 December, to take part in the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council in its defense ministers’ configuration. The meeting brings together defense officials from all EU member states for high-level discussions on security and defense priorities.The morning session will focus on the latest developments in Ukraine, with ministers expected to exchange views on the situation on the ground and ongoing European support. The Ukrainian Defense Minister, Denys Shmyhal, is scheduled to participate in the talks, along with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, adding further weight to the discussions.Following the plenary session, ministers will attend a working lunch dedicated to the EU’s Defense Readiness. The conversati...

Farmers across Greece intensified their protests on Monday, blocking major national highways with their tractors and signaling an escalation of their mobilizations as tensions with the government rise. Demonstrators say they will remain on the roads until authorities address the financial hardships they face.The national highway connecting Athens and Thessaloniki, a key north–south artery, was shut down near the city of Larisa after dozens of tractors entered the roadway. Farmers from several nearby regions joined the demonstration, leaving both directions of traffic blocked.Violent clashes marked the first day of protests. In the area of Nikaia, farmers broke through barriers and attempted to overturn a police vehicle as they pushed toward the highway. Police responded with tear gas and f...

Gas Exploration in Crete, Greece / Credit: Flickr, Stephen Conn CC BY NC 2-0 Gas exploration in Greece’s Ionian Sea, due to start by US energy giant ExxonMobil, in partnership with Energean and HelleniQ Energy, could offer Greece an energy bonanza for decades to come. Critics, however, charge that the deal’s terms are heavily skewed toward corporate profits and pose an unacceptable risk to the Mediterranean’s fragile marine environment. The core of the debate lies in “Block 2,” a sprawling offshore concession northwest of Corfu, where a substantial natural gas reserve is believed to exist. Block 2 lies approximately 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) northwest of the Greek island. Its western edge is adjacent to the maritime border (Exclusive Economic Zone or EEZ) between Greece and Italy, and...