Klapsis
Greece
Bad Loans Threaten Greek Banks
Under an onslaught of 63.6 billion euros in non-performing loans and many people unable to meet payments after three years of austerity measures, Greek banks said they’ve been left virtual-ly unable to lend.
As default rates on mortgages approach 23...
Economy
Greek Tax Agents Meet Hostile Crowds
Restaurant and tavern owners and customers are increasingly harassing tax inspectors at a time when Greece has intensified a long-overdue crackdown on tax evasion, but officials are determined to enforce the tax laws.
Residents in a village in Peloponnese barred...
Economy
Greek Workers Fear Coming Firings
After three years of austerity measures that created a record 27.4 percent unemployment rate and put 1.3 million people out of work – all in the private sector – Greece’s fragile coalition government is turning its attention to reducing...
Economy
ND-PASOK Alliance Takes The Reins
Moving forward after the withdrawal of one of his coalition members, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras formulated a new alliance with the other coalition partner, the PASOK Socialists, in a new cabinet that gives his partner key ministerial positions.
Samaras,...
Economy
ERT Over, Samaras' Hybrid Moves On
ATHENS - After a series of talks over the shutdown of national broadcaster ERT and the firing of all 2,656 workers, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ coalition has lost one of its partners, but he said he will finish...
Business
Greeces Hopes OPAP Sale Speeds Privatizations
Greece Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said the sale of gambling monopoly OPAP shows that Greece is serious about making reforms as a condition of rescue aid. The deal, which will give Czech-Greek consortium Emma Delta a 33 percent stake...
Crime
Ignoring EU, Greece Won’t Ban Golden Dawn
Although Greece’s government has said it will not ban the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights said there is enough evidence of the party’s support for violence to outlaw the group.
Nils Muiznieks said...
Economy
Austerity Drives Down Greek Deficit
Austerity measures that squeeze Greek pocketbooks are making an impact. Greece cut its deficit by a third last year, to 6.5 percent from 9.4 percent in 2011.
The government expects to cut the deficit to 4.3 percent by the end...
Economy
Greece Has Cautious Optimism For Recovery
Greek Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras said Greece’s economy can begin recovering this year if it adheres to the conditions set by its lenders and keeps social unrest down.
“We can make it ... if we can stick to the program...
Economy
Greece Eyes Repeal of Immigrant Citizenship
As Greece continues a sweep of illegal aliens, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is proposing to eliminate a law that grants citizenship to immigrants, many of them minors who were born in Greece, attend Greek schools and speak Greek.
With his...