Politics

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s conservative government is seeking to ban protests at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, an iconic monument outside Parliament in Athens which has frequently been the site of demonstrations. Opposition parties accuse the prime minister of intolerance and of sowing division.The area in front of the monument has become the focal point for protests by some of the relatives of victims of Greece’s deadliest train crash. The February 2023 disaster, in which a freight train and a passenger train heading in opposite directions collided after being put on the same track, killed 57 people, mostly students returning to university after a public holiday.Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government submitted an amendment to the law governing the care of the monument that ...

Greece’s government is moving ahead with a constitutional reform that will significantly reshape the country’s controversial framework governing the criminal liability of ministers.At the center of the debate is Article 86 of the Constitution, a provision that has dominated public discussion for years and frequently sparked intense political confrontation. The article in question establishes a special procedure for investigating and prosecuting ministers for offenses allegedly committed while in office. Under the current system, Parliament holds decisive authority over whether investigations proceed, effectively giving lawmakers a monopoly over the process.The government has decided that Article 86 should not be repealed. Its position is that a procedural safeguard must exist when dealing ...

Maria Karystianou has issued fresh criticism of the conservative government’s approach to relations with Turkey, targeting Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following his recent meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In a social media post on Friday, Karystianou – who is expected to launch a new political party after stepping down as president of the Tempe disaster victims’ association – accused the government of portraying what she described as a diplomatic setback as a positive development. She argued that the reception given to the Greek leader in Turkey did not reflect the level of engagement presented publicly. She also questioned references to meaningful dialogue between the two countries, citing what she described as Turkey’s longstanding violations of international l...

Of the three small right-wing parties that entered parliament in the last elections, the Spartans party is the most notable in that it includes former Golden Dawn members and received more votes than the others. As a result of the ban on the National Party-Hellenes, led by former Golden Dawn MP Ilias Kasidiaris, its candidates participated in the June 25 elections from the lists of an unnamed nationalist party called “Spartans.” In this way, the far right of the Golden Dawn line re-entered parliament after a four-year absence. Kasidiaris, who is still in prison, has signaled that he will lead a fierce opposition in parliament after the elections. However, given the recent sensitivity of the judiciary to far-right activities, the party may face judicial investigations if it pushes the bound...

More than €30 billion are expected to enter the Greek economy from EU sources by 2027, out of total entitlements of €70 billion for the 2021–2027 period. Roughly half of these resources derive from the EU Recovery Plan (NGEU), while the remainder consists of structural funds under the EU budget. According to Bank of Greece estimates, full implementation of the recovery plan could raise real GDP by approximately 7% by 2026 (Bank of Greece, 2025). The medium-term challenge, however, lies in recalibrating the mix of public and private investment to secure sustainable growth. The endogenous recovery of investment in Greece began from an exceptionally low base after the crisis (2019: 11% of GDP). Yet, invested capital appears highly productive and profitable: real GDP per unit of capital is ...

By&nbspeuronews&nbspwith&nbspΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ Published on 05/01/2025 - 17:30 GMT+1 Costas Simitis, the former Greek Prime Minister, has passed away at the age of 88. According to reports, he was found unconscious at his country residence in Agioi Theodoroi and was rushed to Corinth hospital, where doctors were unable to revive him. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT His funeral will take place on 9 January at the Metropolis of Athens. The ceremony will be held with full state honours and at public expense, in recognition of his significant contribution to Greece. In light of his passing, the Gr...

PM Mitsotakis issued a 48-hour ultimatum to farmers to lift road blockades. Credit: AMNA The standoff between the Greek government and protesting farmers intensified on Tuesday as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the removal of road blockades. Following a heated 3.5-hour meeting with representatives from fourteen blockade sites, the Prime Minister warned that authorities would intervene as early as Thursday if the disruptions persisted. Mitsotakis stated that the government’s patience has reached its limit, accusing a “partisan minority” of “blackmailing society” through illegal blockades. While the Ministry of Citizen Protection has previously avoided direct confrontation, officials indicated that police action is now on the table to restore order. He ...

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, accessed on Feb. 10, 2026. (AA Photo) February 10, 2026 12:04 AM GMT+03:00 Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias is unlikely to attend a high-level meeting between Turkish and Greek leaders in Ankara on Wednesday, citing a scheduling conflict that some sources believe may reflect deeper political positioning within the Greek cabinet.Dendias reportedly plans to attend an EU defence ministers' summit in Brussels on the same day, officials told Middle East Eye. However, sources familiar with his thinking suggest the Brussels summit serves as a convenient excuse to avoid the Ankara meeting, allowing him to maintain his stance as a hardline voice on Türkiye within the Greek government.A Greek official cautioned that the final attendee list from t...

Pavlos de Grèce responded, “a lot goes through my mind,” when asked whether he is considering founding a political party, as the last king of Bulgaria, Simeon, once did. He also reassured that “Democracy and the Constitution are absolutely secure. It’s 2026, democracy continues strongly, and there is absolutely no question of a return to monarchy.” “I have obtained citizenship and I live among you with my name. I am a Greek who grew up abroad and has returned. I want to be useful to my country; I am not asking to do anything different,” he said on ANT1 on Thursday evening. When asked about the example of the last king of Bulgaria, Simeon, whose party won elections, Pavlos de Grèce said: “A lot goes through my mind. I am very interested in politics; my life has changed because of poli...

The meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has concluded after lasting nearly 90 minutes. Following the conclusion of the leaders’ meeting, a signing ceremony for bilateral agreements took place and is followed by joint statements by Mitsotakis and Erdogan.Watch the statements by the two leaders:Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara shortly before 3 p.m. Greek time on Wednesday for the official talks.Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 11, 2026. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/PPOThe visit marks the 11th meeting overall between Mitsotakis and Erdogan. The talks were held in the framework of the 6th High-Level Cooperation Council between Greece and...