Politics

Speaking in the Plenary during the debate on a bill for disaster prevention, New Democracy parliamentary spokesperson Makarios Lazaridis described the events as an “unacceptable attack” carried out by “pathological minorities” with no connection to the healthcare sector. “In democracies, protest is legitimate. Violence is not,” Lazaridis said. “Some members of the Communist Party of Greece and ANTARSYA did what they did to Mr Georgiadis. It is shameful and unacceptable. These attacks should be condemned by all parties.”Addressing the benches of SYRIZA, he added: “When some provoke incidents, they will face the reaction of the law. Period.” Zambaras: “A disgrace for the government to strike doctors and workers” Earlier, SYRIZA parliamentary spokesperson Miltos Zambaras took the f...

Tim de Craene runs Crain’s Militaria, a trading platform for documents and coins from the Second World War. Mr De Craene put the photographs, the existence of which was previously unknown, up for sale on eBay. The photographs are of an execution in the Athens suburb of Kaisariani on 1 May 1944. The controversy broke after the Facebook group Greece at WWII Archives became aware that the photographs were being auctioned. The photographs are said to show the last moments of the resistance fighters, mainly communists, just before they were shot by the Nazis. In a statement issued on Monday, the Greek government said that it would initiate proceedings to acquire the photos, “on condition that the owners can prove their authenticity or agree to an investigation by experts”. Mr De Craene has sinc...

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Seven fans of Greek soccer club PAOK died in a minibus crash in Romania while traveling to a Europa League game at Lyon, Greece’s government confirmed Tuesday.“Deeply shaken, I was informed of the tragic accident in Romania that cost the lives of seven young compatriots,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. “The Greek government and our embassy are in close coordination with the local authorities, providing every possible form of support.“In these difficult moments, together with all Greeks, I extend my sincerest condolences to the families of the victims and to the PAOK community,” Mitsotakis added. “We all share the hope that the injured will recover quickly. Our thoughts are with them.”PAOK was in direct communication with the government, coordinating su...

Political leaders meet at a summit related to the 2015 Greek bailout referendum. Minutes from the meeting were leaked. Credit: AMNA Ten years after the 2015 Greek bailout referendum under Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Syriza government (September 2015 – July 2019), the minutes of the July 6 Council of Political Leaders meeting were revealed. Leaders met the day after citizens voted “no” to international bailout terms meant to address the country’s severe economic crisis and debt. Greeks were asked to vote either in favor of or against bailout terms submitted by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Ultimately, 61.31 percent of voters rejected the proposal from creditors. Tsipras then called for a meeting of political leaders on July 6, one day after the referendum in G...

A piece of Greek political history is set to return home, as a Greek expatriate living in the Netherlands has arranged to purchase a vintage Mercedes-Benz once owned by former Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. The buyer, Pagonis Dantsios—a restaurant owner with roots in the Evros region—discovered the 1981 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE listed online just days ago. Motivated by deep political admiration and personal nostalgia, Dantsios contacted the seller immediately and plans to complete the transaction in Athens within the coming days. “I haven’t signed the final papers yet, but I’m planning to travel to Athens soon to collect it and bring it to my village,” Dantsios told iefimerida.gr. He noted that the car has already undergone servicing and tire replacement, with only the ownership tran...

Kimberly Guilfoyle, President Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Greece, speaks alongside US President Donald Trump during a Greek Independence Day celebration event in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, March 24, 2025. EPA/Samuel Corum via AMNA The appointment of Kimberly Guilfoyle as the next United States Ambassador to Greece is currently in limbo, despite her recent approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The confirmation process has been stalled by a political standoff in the Senate, where Democrats are blocking the fast-track confirmation of President Trump’s nominees. Guilfoyle is one of approximately 130 presidential nominees awaiting final Senate approval. Democrats have refused to allow a streamlined process, instead demanding a roll call vote ...

Speaking on SKAI radio on Friday morning, Afroditi Latinopoulou (president of the Voice of Reason party) strongly defended the Greek Coast Guard in connection with the recent Chios incident while sharply criticizing her political opponents. On the Coast Guard and the Chios tragedy: “Hands off the Greek Coast Guard — it is guarding Thermopylae. Of course I feel sorry whenever human lives are lost, but here we are talking about smugglers who operate undisturbed. Where are the arrests of these traffickers? I have already called on the European Parliament to reconsider introducing the death penalty across Europe for people smugglers. In the Chios incident, there was a speedboat carrying smugglers and illegal immigrants that attempted to ram authorities to avoid arrests — a standard tacti...

The agreement signed by the American company Chevron with the Greek government for natural gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean has triggered reactions in Ankara. In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said that “Greece’s unilateral activities with international companies in hydrocarbon fields south of Crete, while not directly affecting our country’s maritime jurisdiction areas, constitute a violation of international law and good neighborly relations.” The same statement emphasized that Ankara opposes “this illegal activity being attempted in violation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Jurisdiction Zones, signed in 2019 between our country and Libya, as well as the maritime zones communicated by Libya to the United Nations on 27 May 2025.” ...

File photo. Turkey’s foreign minister warned on Thursday that tensions with Greece could escalate into a crisis with “geostrategic costs” for Athens if Greek politicians continue what he described as “cheap politics” targeting Ankara. In an interview with broadcaster TGRT Haber, Hakan Fidan accused Greek officials, and particularly Defense Minister (and former foreign minister) Nikos Dendias, of fueling anti-Turkish sentiment for domestic political gain. He likened Athens’ approach to “Pavlov’s dog,” suggesting that references to Turkey were used as a reflexive tool in Greek politics. “They should stop this anti-Turkish sentiment. This fear does not benefit them. It leads them to panic,” Fidan said. “When there is a problem, there is always ...

Yanis VaroufakisI hope you will forgive me if I correct a basic misunderstanding that is embedded in the question in a way that is totally understandable. This is not how I saw or experienced things. I didn’t see the referendum as a way of continuing the fight. Sadly, Alexis Tsipras called the referendum not to win it but to lose it. He had already capitulated. Sadly, my former comrade Alexis Tsipras called the referendum not to win it but to lose it. He had already capitulated, and I was already on the way out while maintaining my position in the finance ministry. In order to explain what happened with the referendum and how we got to the third bailout program, which wrecked the Left and wrecked the Greek people and rendered Greece a nonviable social economy, I need to start right at the ...