As visitors return, some business owners who suffered economically during the pandemic are eyeing the luxury market. For the past 14 years, Eleni Chrysikopoulou has raised her children selling trinkets to tourists. Her shop is well situated at the intersection of two main streets in the heart of Corfu town, …
Read More »Police fire water cannon at pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Athens
Greek police fired tear gas and water cannon on Saturday to disperse pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting in Athens against Israeli attacks on Gaza. Hundreds of people shouting “Freedom to Palestine” and waving Palestinian flags marched to the Israeli embassy, which was cordoned off by police buses. The demonstration in the Greek …
Read More »EU urges Turkey to end renewed drilling in East Med
High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on Sunday urged Turkey to immediately end renewed drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. “I call on the Turkish authorities to end these activities immediately and to engage fully and in good faith in a …
Read More »Amid tensions with Turkey, Greece in joint manoeuvres with France
The French military conducted training exercises with Greek forces off the southern island of Crete on Thursday, defence sources said, as tension persisted with Turkey over disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean. Thursday’s exercise was the first manifestation of French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to temporarily reinforce his country’s presence …
Read More »France to bolster Mediterranean military presence over Turkish prospecting: Macron
France will increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, calling on Turkey to halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters that has heightened tensions with Greece. The French leader voiced concern over “unilateral” exploration by Turkey in a call with Greek Prime …
Read More »Greece floods: At least five killed after Evia island storms
At least five people have been killed in flooding caused by thunderstorms and torrential rains on the Greek island of Evia. Officials said victims included an eight-month-old baby and two people in their 80s. Rescuers found their bodies in houses in the village of Politika. Search efforts are continuing for …
Read More »Egypt, Greece sign maritime deal to counter Libya-Turkey one
Egypt and Greece on Thursday signed a maritime deal that sets the sea boundary between the two countries and demarcates an exclusive economic zone for oil and gas drilling rights. The deal is a response to a similar agreement between Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based government last year that has spiked …
Read More »France’s Macron wants EU action, sanctions over Mediterranean violations
France’s president on Thursday said it would be a serious error by the European Union to not respond to provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean and said he wanted more sanctions on those who violated Greek and Cypriot maritime space. Emmanuel Macron’s comments come after Turkey’s navy on Tuesday issued an …
Read More »Turkey rejects Greece accusation of Mediterranean violation
Turkey on Wednesday rejected claims by Greece that its oil-and-gas research vessels were encroaching on Greek waters in the eastern Mediterranean and said it would continue to defend its legitimate rights and interests in the region. A Foreign Ministry statement, however, also renewed a call by Ankara for dialogue to …
Read More »Greece protests: Violence as thousands march in Athens against bill to ban public gatherings (Videos)
Athens police were bombarded with Molotov cocktails and pelted with stones amid major protests against a new government bill limiting public gatherings. Some 10,000 people had assembled to protest across the Greek capital. Shortly after 8.30 pm local time, a group of some 200 protesters was gathered outside the parliament …
Read More »Greece move to extend migrant camp lockdown slammed
Doctors without Borders (MSF) have condemned the Greek government decision to extend lockdown for migrant camps saying it is using the novel coronavirus pandemic as a pretext. The row comes as the country is loosening lockdown measures for the general population, reopening businesses and admitting foreign visitors for the start …
Read More »Greece Extends Migrant Camp Lockdown
Greece has extended for another two weeks a coronavirus lockdown on its overcrowded migrant camps as the country gears up to revive its tourism-dependent economy. “For residents of the reception and identification centers across the country, measures against the propagation of the COVID-19 virus are extended” until June 21, the …
Read More »Refugee evictions in Greece are of deep concern: UNHCR
The moving of thousands of refugees, some of them from Greek islands to the mainland, could leave many homeless and is deeply concerning, the UN Refugee Agency said Tuesday. The UNHCR said that the government-arranged exit of some 9,000 recognized refugees from Greece’s reception system, which began Monday, is a …
Read More »Two hospitalized after gunshots fired into Greek migrant camp
Two asylum seekers have been hospitalized with light injuries after gunshots were fired into Greece’s largest migrant camp on the eastern Aegean Sea island of Lesbos, police said on Wednesday. The unknown assailant or assailants evaded arrest, while the two injured migrants were taken to the island’s hospital as a …
Read More »Greeks celebrate Independence Day from balconies amid virus spread
Greeks are celebrating Independence Day indoors, without the usual parades and rallies due to the lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of the usual parade by schoolchildren and the annual military parade, this year military aircraft flew over the country to mark the day.
Read More »Greece plans to deport migrants who arrived after March 1
Greece will transfer migrants who arrived on its territory illegally after March 1 to the northern city of Serres and plans to deport back to their own countries, Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said late on Wednesday. Thousands of migrants have made for Greece since Ankara said on Feb. 28 …
Read More »Greek troops fire tear gas at migrants gathering again at Turkish border
Greek riot police and troops fired tear gas early on Wednesday at hundreds of migrants as they made another attempt to cross the border from Turkey into Greece. The air was thick with smoke on both the Greek and Turkish sides of the Kastanies border crossing, and fire engines were …
Read More »Greek police fire teargas at protesting migrants, refugees on Lesbos
Greek police fired teargas to disperse migrants and refugees protesting on Monday about conditions in migrant camps on the island of Lesbos and the slow pace of processing asylum requests. Violence broke out near the Kara Tepe camp, a police official said, after hundreds of people marched from the island’s …
Read More »France sends warships to eastern Mediterranean in support of Greece: report
France has sent warships to the eastern Mediterranean to lend support to Greece against Turkey’s quest for energy reserves in the region, according to the Middle East Monitor news website. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was on a visit to the French capital of Paris to gather support, has …
Read More »Ankara spars with EU over fresh drilling off Cyprus: report
Turkey on Sunday called for the European Union to end what it said was the bloc’s prejudice against Turkish Cypriots, defending its launch of a fresh round of hydrocarbon drilling off the Mediterranean island, Reuters reported. Turkey began drilling for oil and gas near Cyprus last year despite warnings from …
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