Politics
Economy
Samaras, Venizelos Start Election Campaign Early
ATHENS – The date of the general election to choose a new Prime Minister will be announced next week, government officials said, but new PASOK Socialist party leader Evangelos Venizelos and his bitter rival New Democracy Conservative leader Antonis...
Cyprus
Former Banker Shiarly Is Appointed New Cypriot Finance Minister
Cypriot President Demetris Christofias, reshuffled his cabinet Monday and appointed former banker Vassos Shiarly as finance minister after Kikis Kazamias tendered his resignation on health grounds.
According to government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou two other key ministries have changed hands.
Interior Minister...
Greece
Finance Minister Resigns
Evangelos Venizelos said on Monday he was stepping down as finance minister to lead the Socialists into a general election, a day after taking over the helm of the party, which is trailing far behind its rival conservatives in...
Economy
Papademos: Greece Over Halfway to Recovery
Greece is "more than halfway" to economic recovery and should return to positive growth in less than two years, Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told the Financial Times.
In an interview published online Sunday evening, Papademos conceded that the fiscal...
Economy
Juncker: Eurozone Didn't Focus Enough on Greek Growth
The eurozone has focused on helping Greece putting its financial house in order while ignoring the vital question of growth, Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in an interview on Sunday, quoted by AFP.
"I believe we have not paid enough...
Greece
Evangelos Venizelos Becomes New Leader of PASOK
Greece's Socialists gave a strong show of support for Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos to head the party following a leadership election on Sunday.
Greek state television NET said Venizelos, who was the only candidate, garnered 85 percent support with 10...
Economy
IMF's Man in Athens: We Want More Cuts
ATHENS – Greek workers, battered and bruised after repeated pay cuts, tax hikes, slashed pensions and the coming firing of 150,000 civil servants as a condition of getting international aid to keep the country’s economy will have to brace...
Economy
IMF Says Greece May Need More Help Still
ATHENS – With fresh rescue money ready to flow into Greece as part of another international rescue package, lenders are fretful that the country will return to its profligate ways and need yet another bailout, and said they will...
Economy
If You Invested in Greece, Sucker – You Lost
ATHENS -The professional beggars in Greece, the gypsies who rent babies and drug them to elicit sympathy and money, the regulars who’ve perfected their patter and modus operandi to prey on people’s weak hearts and open their wallets, the...
Greece
'The Economist' Predicts that Papademos Will Be Vice-President of Samaras Government
In its latest article concerning Greek politics titled “Steady as she goes, surprisingly”, the Economist expresses the belief that despite the fact that bipartisanship in Greek politics will be overthrown after the forthcoming elections, the outcome is unlikely to...
Economy
Commission Warns Greeks Face Challenges to Implement Reform
Days after euro zone member states finally endorsed the new EU-International Monetary Fund programme for the country, the commission said in two separate reports that Greek leaders face a daunting challenge as they strive to execute the plan.
Matthias Mors,...
Greece
Venizelos to Become the Fourth Leader of the Pasok Socialist Party
The burly 55-year-old, who as finance minister for the past nine months battled to avert Greek bankruptcy, emerged as the sole candidate in the party leadership race last week, after two rivals failed to muster the necessary support.
He now...
Economy
Bakoyianni Says Greece Betrayed Small Investors
ATHENS – A deal for Greece to reduce its debt by $134 billion by imposing big losses on those holding the country’s bonds may have helped keep the economy upright for now, but has devastated small investors, Democratic Alliance...
Greece
Bambiniotis Suggests the Minister of Education Be Made Permanent and Supported by Successive Governments
The Minister of Education, George Bambiniotis, expressed the opinion that the Minister of Education should be permanent and supported by every elected government, in his interview with the Greek radio station, Real FM.
“Particularly in the Ministry of Education, there...
Economy
Seamen to Hold 48-Hour Strike Starting March 19
Greek seamen declared a rolling 48-hour strike starting on Monday, March 19. The seafarer union PNO announced that sailors are not willing to kneel before any political pressures that do not gratify their rights and demands.
The Union will protest...