Democratic Left
Economy
Desperate Greece Set to Raise Retirement Age to 66
ATHENS – Looking to slash government spending everywhere it can to satisfy the demands of international lenders, the coalition led by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is mulling whether to force Greeks who were set to retire to work at...
Economy
Samaras Will Boot New Democracy MP for Tweeting Criticism
ATHENS – A former Deputy Labour Minister under the ruling New Democracy party who stepped down last month to protest Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ decision not to try to renegotiate harsh terms of bailouts with international lenders as he...
Greece
Greece Finds the Answer – Arrest All Debtors (If They’re Poor)
ATHENS - Not content with taxing the poor to protect the rich, Greece is putting the arm on the penniless, starting with the arrest of an unemployed Cretan father of seven, whose wife was also jobless. He owed the...
Economy
Greek Coalition Partners Disagree, But Back More Austerity
ATHENS –After a tense showdown that threatened to break up an already uneasy coalition government, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Aug. 1 that he had convinced his reluctant partners, PASOK Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left...
Economy
Cash Running Out, Samaras Meets Troika for Urgent Budget Talks
ATHENS – With signs that his coalition government is fraying, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras met for urgent talks on July 31 with officials from international lenders who are pressing him to make more cost-saving measures. Samaras was unable...
Economy
Greek Coalition Budget Talks Stymied, No Details on Cuts
ATHENS – Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his coalition partners missed their own deadline on July 30 to reveal the details of a $14.16 billion savings plan demanded by international lenders to keep rescue loans coming as the...
Economy
Samaras Says Greece Needs More Time But Won't Ask
ATHENS – With new estimates that a five-year-recession worsened by austerity measures demanded by international lenders has created a $37 billion gap in recovery plans, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has given Greece’s creditors a letter explaining that the country...
Economy
Greece Set to Slash Health Care, Welfare, Pensions, Salaries
ATHENS - Backtracking from campaign promises to hold the line on more austerity measures, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was set to meet on July 27 with international lenders providing critical bailouts to Greece as his government is reportedly ready...
Economy
Barroso Tells Samaras: We Want Results, Not Words
ATHENS – European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, in his first visit to Greece in three years, told new Prime Minister Antonis Samaras that international lenders want results in implementing more reforms if the country wants to keep rescue...
Economy
Another Delay in Deciding $15 Billion in Budget Cuts
ATHENS – After vowing during the campaign before the June 17 election to hold the line on more austerity measures demanded by international lenders in return for bailouts, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ uneasy coalition government has reportedly agreed...