Politics

The Greek government is facing growing pressure over rising fuel and food prices as lawmakers prepare to debate a temporary cap on profit margins in the energy and retail sectors. The measure is expected to be submitted for approval in parliament on March 19.Officials in Maximos Mansion, the office of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, are closely monitoring the impact of price increases on household budgets, amid fears that inflation could undermine the government’s economic narrative of gradually improving incomes.Profit Cap on Fuel and Supermarket GoodsThe temporary measure, introduced through emergency legislation, places limits on profit margins for businesses in the fuel supply chain and applies to dozens of supermarket products.Under the regulation, fuel stations are allowed a maxi...

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A Greek-flagged oil tanker was damaged in a suspected drone attack in the Black Sea while approaching the Russian port of Novorossiysk, authorities said. Greece’s shipping ministry said the attack occurred early Saturday, causing material damage, but the 24 crew members were unharmed and the vessel’s seaworthiness was not under threat. The Maran Homer, chartered by U.S. oil giant Chevron, was traveling from Thessaloniki in northern Greece to the Black Sea port and was due to sail on to Istanbul. It was struck by a missile or drone before picking up Kazakh oil, according to Greek government officials and the vessel’s Greek operating company. Greek Maritime Affairs Minister Vassilis Kikilias said Athens would lodge a “strong complaint” with the country deemed responsib...

Is the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) submarine power cable project dead in the water? The GSI project, which is worth €2 billion ($2.36 billion), seeks to build a subsea electric cable connecting Greece and Cyprus and later Israel. The aim is to integrate the Republic of Cyprus into the European electricity transmission system and bolster the energy security of EU member states Greece and Cyprus. But although the project was launched in October 2022 with the aim of completing it by the end of 2023, it is currently not clear whether it will ever actually come to fruition. Project faces multiple challenges There are several reasons for the current uncertainty. Not only is the GSI an expensive project, it is also technically difficult and faces massive geopolitical challenges. What's mo...

[Intime News] Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday Greece will recognize a Palestinian state when the time is right, and defended the country’s close relations with Israel amid its ongoing military operation in Gaza. “Greece will recognize the state of Palestine. The question is when, how and the timing that we will choose as the right one, so as to provide an additional push for what I believe should be the final aim of this effort, which is a two-state solution,” he said during a press conference at the 89th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), where he elaborated on the government’s future political and economic agenda. Mitsotakis defended Athens’ close relations with Jerusalem, saying the country’s strategic relationship w...

It was late on the night of January 25, 2015, when the crowd in central Athens erupted into cheers. Greek flags waved against the glow of floodlights, and a raw rock anthem, “Rock the Casbah”, blared through the speakers; its title as unexpected as the political moment itself. A 40-year-old engineer-turned-activist emerged from the tunnel of the auditorium stage: Alexis Tsipras. He raised his fist, the crowd roared. For a country battered by years of crisis and austerity, the scene felt like a collective exhale; a promise that something new might finally begin. To understand why that night mattered, you have to understand the man at its center. Alexis Tsipras had built his career on the promise of rupture; a clean break from the Greece of bailouts, corruption and political dynasties. He w...

Greek authorities have increased security at the ports of Patras and Katakolo in the Peloponnese following renewed protests directed at MS Crown Iris, a cruise liner carrying Israeli tourists on an 11-day voyage through the Mediterranean. The decision came after demonstrations in Kalamata earlier in the week, where local activists gathered to denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza despite the ceasefire that came into effect on October 10th.The incident was not the first of its kind. In July, passengers aboard the same vessel were prevented from disembarking on the island of Syros after a protest in solidarity with Palestine forced the ship to divert to Cyprus.Witnesses in Kalamata reported that the atmosphere was tense as protesters gathered near the harbour while passengers, escorted by armed ...

Weeks after being sentenced to more than 126 years in prison for his role in a massive domestic wiretapping scandal, the founder of the commercial spyware company Intellexa has stated that his firm provides its surveillance technology exclusively to authorized government agencies.Tal Dilian, a former Israeli intelligence officer, made the comments in a written statement to the Greek television program "MEGA Stories."Asked directly by the program whether Intellexa collaborated with state agencies or private individuals to surveil at least 87 Greek targets, Dilian distanced his company from the software's deployment."We operate strictly under European and international export regulations, providing technology exclusively to authorized governments and law enforcement agencies," Dilian said in...

Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis discusses his past experiences and views on drug use during a recent podcast interview. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Olaf Kosinsky / CC BY SA 3.0 Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis offered a candid look into his personal history and views on recreational drug use during a recent podcast interview, revealing that he had once taken ecstasy. Speaking openly and with a reflective tone, he also emphasized his broader concerns about addiction, social attitudes, and the role of personal responsibility. Yanis Varoufakis reflects on past experiences in interview The Former Finance Minister of Greece described trying recreational drugs earlier in his life, including a one-time experience with ecstasy that he characterized as memorable but ult...

Alexis Tsipras in Ithaca in the summer of 2018 as he made a televised address on the occasion of the end of the third bailout. Credit: AMNA The forthcoming release of former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ political memoir, titled Ithaca, is being closely monitored, as it coincides with a pivotal shift in his career: his resignation from Parliament and reported plans to establish a new political movement. Set for publication in the second half of November by Gutenberg, the book, whose title references the journey and return theme of Homer and Cavafy, purports to offer an insider’s perspective on one of Europe’s most turbulent political periods. Ithaca: Key claims and themes The 11+1 chapter volume primarily covers Tsipras’ time as Prime Minister (2015-2019), navigating the peak of the Greek...

A heated political debate unfolded on a Greek morning show as representatives from the ruling New Democracy party, PASOK, and SYRIZA exchanged views on the economic impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Central to the discussion was the surge in prices affecting households and businesses across the country.Opposition Calls for Immediate SupportPASOK spokesperson Kostas Tsoukalas criticized the government’s previous policies, highlighting the risk of oil and natural gas supply disruptions. He argued that the state must urgently support households and businesses, noting that the cost of energy is disproportionately high compared to Greece’s purchasing power.“Despite the Prime Minister’s statements about tackling the new wave of price increases with past determination, the govern...