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This week kicked off with two former prime ministers and leaders of New Democracy - Antonis Samaras and Konstantinos Karamanlis - launching maybe the most severe criticism of Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his leadership that we’ve heard so far, touching on foreign and domestic policy. Their criticism comes amid broader political uncertainty among Greece’s leading parties following disappointing...

13 λεπτά

With the US in the midst of an intense diplomatic push to prevent a war between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, Turkey has also waded into the mix. While it’s still unclear what Turkey is looking to achieve should a conflict erupt, it looks like a policy is taking shape, especially after Ankara followed up on Hezbollah’s threats to Cyprus with its own “warning”. Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos...

11 λεπτά

With SYRIZA on the brink of civil war, PASOK facing a new leadership fight, and New Democracy still reeling from the aftermath of the European elections, it seems like a period of uncertainty has set in among Greece’s top political parties. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the challenges facing Greece’s political leaders amid the...

13 λεπτά

Earlier this month, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew - along with many other countries and organizations - attended the Ukraine Peace Summit. Nearly 80 countries issued a statement calling for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war. The Ecumenical Patriarch’s signature was originally on that document. Then an outraged...

9 λεπτά

Greece is moving toward a six-day workweek, with regulations coming into effect on July 1 that make this possible for certain industries. The government hopes this move, which comes as other Western countries and companies are considering shorter office hours, will help deal with a labor shortage and, among other things, fight black market labor. Dr. Jens Bastian, an expert with the German...

11 λεπτά

With another summer tourism season in full swing, the question of over-tourism and sustainability - particularly in tourist hotspots like Athens and the Cyclades islands - is once again at the forefront. It seems the government is also beginning to address these concerns, with Prime Minister Mitsotakis announcing plans to limit the number of cruise ships visiting popular islands. Yannis...

12 λεπτά

All eyes in Athens were on North Macedonia this weekend, as its new government and prime minister were sworn in. While Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski referred to his country as “North Macedonia” when taking his oath, his statements regarding the Prespa Agreement have not been reassuring, and Greece has warned that the a la carte implementation of Prespa is a violation of the agreement....

16 λεπτά

Greece sent its frigate “Psara” to the Red Sea this week to join Operation Aspides, the EU’s mission in the Red Sea to protect merchant ships from Houthi attacks. The Psara is replacing the Hydra, which completed a three month deployment in the Red Sea, at a time when the Houthis are escalating their campaign. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to...

12 λεπτά

Days after the US and Cyprus announced the launch of a strategic dialogue, a historic step that takes the bilateral relationship to a new level and highlights Cyprus’s strategic role in the region, Hezbollah’s leader issued a threat against Cyprus amid rising tensions with Israel. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break...

14 λεπτά

Over the past 30 years, Greece has lost some 250 square kilometers of its beaches. This is expected to rise as climate change and rising temperatures continue to push up sea levels. Experts warn Greece is in the “red zone” because measures to stabilize the country’s beaches are long overdue. Costas Synolakis, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Technical University of...

12 λεπτά

The aftershocks of the European elections are still being felt in Greece, as none of the big three parties reached their stated goals. The country’s attention has turned to the center left, particularly PASOK, where several party officials are calling for a leadership change. At the same time, there are growing internal discussions in PASOK and SYRIZA regarding forming a coalition. Political...

12 λεπτά

In the northern Greek port city of Kavala, an ultra-luxury Greek hotel owned by Egypt and built by Mohammad Ali Pasha has become a base to not only explore Kavala, but also Greece’s historic ties to the Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the broader Middle East. Sean Mathews, a Greece-based journalist covering the broader region, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how Kavala can serve as a...

15 λεπτά

Greece and the whole region have been hit by an unseasonably early - and intense - heat wave, prompting warnings, fire hazards, closures of schools and archaeological sites, and even leading to deaths. In the meantime, with a number of tourists reported either missing or found dead after hiking in the heat, experts have expressed fears that tourists are not fully aware or being properly...

14 λεπτά

In a month we’ll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus. For five decades, Turkish troops have occupied the northern part of the island. With this dark anniversary on the horizon, Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how Turkey’s continued...

12 λεπτά

Following decades of worry, have US policymakers finally overcome their fear of “losing Turkey”, coming to terms with a Turkey that is neither friend nor foe? Nicholas Danforth, an editor at War on the Rocks and the author of The Remaking of Republican Turkey: Memory and Modernity since the Fall of the Ottoman Empire, joins Thanos Davelis to answer this question and break down his latest piece...

13 λεπτά

The European elections this past weekend saw far right parties gain ground in a number of countries. Greece was not an exception, with the party Greek Solution more than doubling its support since the last elections. Beyond the far right’s gains, the ruling New Democracy did not hit its target, describing the results as a “pyrrhic victory”, while the battle for second place between SYRIZA and...

14 λεπτά

Sunday’s European elections saw not only a strengthened far right emerge, but also saw French President Macron call for snap parliamentary elections in response to the victory for the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen. Center-right and far-right parties are now set to take the largest number of seats in the most populous nations. Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and...

14 λεπτά

diaNEOsis, which has been monitoring the attitudes and perceptions of Greek society for a decade, just published an all-encompassing three part survey looking at what Greeks believe on a variety of issues - from climate change to politics, trust, and the economy. Fay Makantasi, the director of research at diaNEOsis, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the key findings from this survey and its...

11 λεπτά

Turkey is set to join the nuclear energy club, with the Akkuyu plant expected to go online at the end of the year. It has plans for two more nuclear energy sites. Given the strong link between nuclear energy programs and the proliferation of nuclear weapons, many are asking whether there is a risk here as well. Eleni Ekmektsioglou, a postdoctoral fellow in Technology and International Security...

13 λεπτά

The fight for the return and reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures is back in the spotlight after a Turkish official said that no "firman" - an Ottoman legal document - exists that legitimizes Lord Elgin’s actions to break up the sculptures and take them to Britain. Greece’s culture minister said the comments strengthen Greece’s argument that the sculptures were illegally removed. Dr. Irene...

11 λεπτά