Greece

Turkey defies EU, US and NATO – Greek media

As the European Union sent out another strongly worded statement on Friday regarding Turkey’s infringements in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey continued on its path of defiance to the West with the reported missile…

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Greece, Cyprus seek more EU pressure to stop ‘provocative’ Turkey

Greece and Cyprus pushed for a tougher European Union response to Turkey's natural gas exploration in contested Mediterranean waters at an EU summit on Friday, after Ankara restarted operations of…

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Rainstorm causes major problems in Greece

A rainstorm caused major problems in several municipalities in Attica, uprooting trees and destroying property. Although it did not last for long, it was very strong and caused extensive damage,…

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Malta condemns violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, supports de-escalation attempts in Eastern Med

Malta has reiterated its support to de-escalation attempts in the Eastern Mediterranean. At a meeting for Foreign and European Affairs in Luxembourg, Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo urged all parties to…

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Greece, France in strong reaction after Turkey carries out seismic surveys in Mediterranean

Greece and France reacted angrily to a decision by the Turkish Government to send a ship to carry out seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean, prompting Greece to issue a…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Ikaria, Greece

People on the beach known as 'Seychelles' on the island of Ikaria, Greece. Via EPA-EFE/DIMITRIS TOSIDIS

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Calls to exclude convicted Greek far-right MEP Yannis Lagos from European Parliament

There have been calls for far-right Greek MEP to be "excluded from all democratic processes" in the European Parliament. Yannis Lagos, one of the leaders of the Golden Dawn political…

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Greek PM and Commission president meet

Due to the constraints and precautions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, held a videoconference on…

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Turkish, Greek foreign ministers meet for first time since crisis

The foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece met on Thursday for the first time since a dispute between the two NATO members over energy exploration and maritime jurisdiction in the…

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UPDATED: Greece Golden Dawn leaders guilty of running crime gang

Leaders of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn, the country's third most popular party in parliament during the debt crisis, were guilty of running a criminal group, a Greek appeals court ruled…

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UPDATED: Microsoft unveils investment to make Greece a regional hub for cloud services

Microsoft Corp. is to build a new data centre in Greece as it invests in cloud services infrastructure in the country, a boon to an economy weakened by a decade-long…

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Greece and Turkey set up ‘hotline’ to defuse dispute – NATO

Greece and Turkey have set up a mechanism to avoid accidental clashes in the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, part of efforts to defuse a dispute…

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Cyprus demands sanctions on Turkey as EU summit stalls on Belarus

Cyprus defied pressure to approve European Union sanctions on Belarus at a leaders' summit on Thursday, urging other members of the bloc to also punish Turkey for its oil and…

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TUI cruise ship crew in Greece negative for COVID-19

Twelve crew members of a cruise ship that docked at Piraeus port near Athens on Tuesday tested negative for coronavirus in repeat checks by Greek health authorities, the ship’s operator…

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Greece and Turkey to resume talks after weeks of tensions in East Med

The United States and Greece called on Monday for a peaceful resolution of maritime disputes in the east Mediterranean as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began a two-day trip…

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Aegean Airlines reports loss due to pandemic

Greece's largest carrier Aegean Airlines on Monday reported a second-quarter net loss of 73.4 million euros ($85.4 million) hit by the grounding of planes as part of restrictions to stem…

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Some crew on the first cruise ship to dock in Greece test positive for Covid

In Greece, a dozen crew members on the first cruise ship to dock after the coronavirus lockdown have tested positive, the coastguard said on Monday. The Maltese-flagged Mein Schiff 6…

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Greece says first migrant dies of COVID-19 since the pandemic

A male migrant died of COVID-19 on Sunday, the first reported death of an asylum seeker since the pandemic broke out in Greece in late February, a government official told…

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Turkey reserves sea area near Rhodes for live fire naval exercise

Turkey on Saturday issued a navigational telex for a naval exercise with live fire, reserving a sea area between the Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo, Greek media reports. The…

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Some Greek retail stores to close earlier to stem COVID-19 spread

Some Greek retail stores must close earlier from Saturday until Oct. 4, authorities said, further tightening restrictions amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the greater Athens area and other…

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EU sanction threat on Turkey fades after it accepts talks with Greece

The European Union is unlikely to follow through on a threat to impose sanctions on Turkey after Ankara agreed to talks with Greece over maritime claims on Tuesday, senior EU…

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Turkey, Greece agree to resume talks after four year hiatus

Turkey and Greece have agreed to resume talks over their contested maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean after a four year hiatus following weeks of tensions that culminated in a…

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Turkey may resume talks with Greece but warns against EU sanctions

Turkey and Greece could soon resume talks over their contested Mediterranean claims but European Union leaders meeting this week will not help if they threaten sanctions, Turkey’s presidential spokesman said…

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Victims from Cyclone Ianos that lashed Greece increase

The death toll after Cyclone Ianos, a rare storm known as a medicane, battered Greece, flooding streets and homes, has now risen to three. Ianos uprooted trees and caused power…

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Two dead as destructive storm hits central Greece

Two people have died as a hurricane-like storm pounded central Greece, flooding streets and homes, the authorities said. Cyclone Ianos, known as a medicane (Mediterranean hurricane), uprooted trees and caused…

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Greece ready to impose further Covid-19 restrictions in Athens

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday authorities were ready to impose further COVID-19 restrictions in the greater Athens area due to a surge in coronavirus cases. The rise…

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Malta and Spain to collaborate in easing tensions in East Med

Turkish media gave prominence this morning to a press conference held in Madrid following a meeting between the Maltese and Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministers. During their encounter, the two sides…

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Turkey pulls back survey vessel to allow for diplomacy with Greece – Erdogan

Turkey pulled back its Oruc Reis seismic survey vessel from the eastern Mediterranean to allow for diplomacy with Greece, but this not mean Turkish operations in the region are finished,…

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Erdogan cautions that Turkish drill ship did not end operations in east Mediterranean

President Tayyip Erdogan told German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a video call on Wednesday that the docking of Turkey’s Oruc Reis seismic survey vessel for maintenance does not mean its…

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Greece police moves migrants into Lesbos tent camp after fire

Greek police began moving hundreds of migrants stranded on the island of Lesbos into a new temporary tent camp on Thursday, more than a week after a fire razed Greece’s…

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Fire near Greece’s Samos migrant camp under control, three detained

Greek authorities have brought under control a fire that broke out near a migrant camp on the northeastern Aegean island of Samos late on Tuesday, fire brigade and police officials…

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Five migrants arrested over Moria Greek camp fire

Police on the Greek island of Lesbos have arrested five migrants suspected of setting a fire that destroyed Europe's largest camp of Moria last week, the minister responsible for policing…

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Positive first step by Turkey to ease tensions Greece

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday the return of Turkish survey vessel Oruc Reis back to its southern province of Atntalya was a positive first step to ease…

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Greek police fire teargas at migrants on Lesbos island

Greek police fired teargas to disperse a group of migrants protesting on the island of Lesbos on Saturday, four days after fires burnt the overflowing Moria refugee camp to the…

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Desperate migrants stranded on Greek island seek shelter, Europe weighs options

Despairing migrants left without shelter on the island of Lesbos after a fire destroyed Greece’s biggest refugee camp faced off against police on Friday as authorities began setting up hundreds…

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Turkey says EU Mediterranean statement biased, open to talks with Greece

Turkey slammed a statement by European Union Mediterranean states on Friday, saying the comments were biased and "detached from reality", but added Ankara was still open to unconditional talks with…

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Greece reports record new coronavirus cases

Greece reported 372 new cases of COVID-19 infections on Thursday, its highest daily tally since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The latest jump in cases brought…

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Germany, France to take in minors from destroyed Greek camp

Germany and France want to take in children who were left without shelter after fires gutted an overcrowded migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos this week, Chancellor Angela…

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Greece to spend 5 bln euros to phase out coal by 2028

Greece will spend 5 billion euros ($5.9 billion) to offset the impact of ditching coal in power generation by 2028 and cutting carbon emissions in line with European Union climate…

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Diplomats say Turkey-Cyprus dispute holding up EU’s Belarus sanctions

European Union sanctions on Belarus are being delayed by a separate dispute between Cyprus and Turkey over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, four EU diplomats said, in the latest…

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With nowhere to go after fire, Lesbos migrants sleep on roadsides, in fields

Thousands of migrants slept rough on the Greek island of Lesbos on Thursday after a blaze razed their makeshift camp to the ground, sending them fleeing but with nowhere to…

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Greek PM insists dialogue with Turkey is important, but on peaceful terms

The European Union must impose ‘meaningful’ sanctions on Turkey unless Ankara pulls its maritime assets from disputed areas in the eastern Mediterranean, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an…

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Residential areas evacuated as Greek wildfire rages near Athens

A wildfire fanned by strong winds forced the evacuation of a boarding school and six residential areas southeast of Athens, Greece’s fire brigade said. The settlement of Feriza and five…

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Thousands homeless after fire guts migrant camp on Greek island

Thousands of migrants were left without shelter on Wednesday after overnight fires gutted their overcrowded camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, and authorities warned that some asylum seekers who…

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Fire breaks out at Greece’s overcrowded Moria refugee camp

Fire broke out at Greece’s overcrowded migrant camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos early on Wednesday, fire brigade officials said. There were no reports of injuries so far,…

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Turkey’s Erdogan says East Mediterranean is test of EU’s sincerity

President Tayyip Erdogan told European Council President Charles Michel on Sunday the EU's stance towards the East Mediterranean would be a test of its sincerity, calling on it to take…

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Greece says 2020 spending on COVID-19 support may top 24 billion euros

Greece expects to spend around 24 billion euros ($28.4 billion) this year to cushion businesses and workers against the economic impact of COVID-19 but has the resources to increase that…

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Greece and Turkey agree to talks to avoid ‘accidental’ clashes in Eastern Med – NATO

NATO allies Greece and Turkey have agreed to talks to avoid accidental clashes in the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday. “Following my discussions with Greek and…

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Greece reports first coronavirus case in one of island’s largest camp

A 40-year-old man has tested positive in one of the largest migrant camps in Greece, reports said. The man, originally from Somalia, is living at the Moria camp in Lesvos.…

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Greece imposes negative COVID-19 test rule for visiting Russians

Greece will require visitors from Russia to show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the country between Sept. 7 and Sept. 21, its civil aviation authority announced. Under a new…

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Greece in talks with France over fighter jets, as East Mediterranean tensions rise

Greece is in talks with France and other countries over arms purchases to boost its armed forces, a government official told Reuters, as tensions grow over energy resources in the…

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Scotland imposes 14-day quarantine on arrivals from Greece

Scotland said it would impose a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from Greece starting on Thursday because COVID-19 infection rates there are too high. There has been a “significant rise”…

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Greece delays school reopening

Greek authorities have delayed the reopening of schools by a week to Sept. 14, due to a surge in COVID-19 infections, the government said. The rise in coronavirus cases in…

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Tui starts investigation into flight from Greece full of ‘Selfish covidiots and inept crew’

A flight from the Greek island of Zante was “full of selfish ‘covidiots’ and an inept crew”, according to a passenger among the almost 200 who were onboard who have…

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Entire flight from Greece to go under quarantine after seven cases on board identified in Wales

All passengers who were on a flight from Zante to Cardiff have been ordered to self-isolate after seven confirmed cases of coronavirus, Sky News reports. Passengers who were on TUI…

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15 safety measures planned by Greece for schools re-opening

Schools in Greece are getting ready to open for the new academic year amid continued controversy over health safety. Authorities are expected to announce when some 1.3 million pupils will return to…

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Turkey to hold military exercise off Cyprus amid Mediterranean tensions

Turkey said it will hold a military exercise off northwest Cyprus for the next two weeks, amid growing tension with Greece over disputed claims to exploration rights in the east…

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