17 Μαϊ Holding Turkey accountable for 2017 Sheridan Circle attack Over 70 members of Congress sent a letter to the Biden administration this week, urging it to hold Turkey accountable for the 2017 attack by Erdogan’s security guards against American protesters at Sheridan Circle. Members of Congress are calling on the State Department to press President Erdogan and Turkish authorities on this issue as an essential element for relations between Washington and... 10 λεπτά
16 Μαϊ From TikTok to Edi Rama: European elections heat up in Greece With European elections on the horizon, Greek political leaders are not only hitting the road to campaign across the country, but are also increasingly leaning into social media platforms in their search for voters. While New Democracy will likely maintain its dominant position in Greek politics, attention is turning to SYRIZA and PASOK, and their battle for second place. International... 13 λεπτά
15 Μαϊ 20 years later: Revisiting the Annan Plan for Cyprus This July, Turkey’s illegal occupation of the northern part of Cyprus will hit the 50-year mark. 2024 also marks another Cypriot “anniversary”, the 2004 rejection of the Annan Plan for the reunification of Cyprus. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why the rejection of the Annan plan needs to be revisited and... 13 λεπτά
13 Μαϊ North Macedonia's new president triggers diplomatic spat with Greece North Macedonia’s new president, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, has sparked a diplomatic crisis with Greece following her decision during her swearing in ceremony to refer to her country simply as “Macedonia” rather than the constitutional name “North Macedonia.” Prime Minister Mitsotakis slammed her decision, warning that further violations of the Prespes Agreement could jeopardize Skopje’s... 14 λεπτά
11 Μαϊ Europe's radical right and the upcoming elections Europe’s political landscape is changing dramatically, with the latest polls predicting that far right parties will gain across the EU in the upcoming European Parliament elections. Amid concerns over the rise of the far-right, radical-right forces are already influencing EU policies. Giorgia Meloni is the prime example, with the Italian prime minister proving pivotal in shaping Europe’s... 12 λεπτά
10 Μαϊ Is Erdogan facing a crisis of legitimacy? Having been dealt a devastating blow in the municipal elections earlier this year, Turkish President Erdogan - who campaigned tirelessly everywhere and made this election about his rule - is now looking to bounce back. This will undoubtedly have consequences on both domestic and foreign policy. Henri Barkey, the Cohen professor of international relations at Lehigh University and an adjunct... 14 λεπτά
9 Μαϊ Turkey converts Chora into a mosque as USCIRF puts the spotlight on religious freedom Earlier this week Turkey formally opened the monastery of Chora, a former Byzantine church and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Istanbul, as a mosque. The move follows the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020, and has drawn international criticism. It also comes as the US Commission on International Religious Freedom once again recommended that Turkey be put on the special watch... 10 λεπτά
8 Μαϊ Greece disrupts sanctions busting oil transfers off its coast Over the past two years an area south of Greece’s Peloponnese had become a major location to circumvent sanctions against Russian oil exports. It looks like Greece has now found a way to disrupt these operations - taking place in international waters - after the Greek navy blocked off the area for naval exercises. A factor in this story is the fact that Greece has not extended its territorial... 8 λεπτά
7 Μαϊ From the Baltic to the Aegean: Greece and the Three Seas Initiative Last fall Greece joined the Three Seas Initiative, which brings together 13 EU countries located between the Baltic, Black, Adriatic, and now the Aegean Seas. The Three Seas Initiative was initially founded with the economy in mind, to foster regional dialogue and boost investment, and with Greece’s addition, its diplomatic and economic pull now extends to the Mediterranean. Ian Brzezinski, who... 13 λεπτά
4 Μαϊ The Greeks and the American diner Anyone who has visited the United States or is familiar with shows like Seinfeld will have come across a diner, a uniquely American type of restaurant. Few may know, however, that from the 1960s onward Greek-Americans came to dominate the diner restaurant scene, especially in the Northeast and the Midwest. Professor Alexander Kitroeff, one of the leading historians of the Greek-American... 18 λεπτά
2 Μαϊ Greek aid to Ukraine in the spotlight The Financial Times recently reported that Greece and some other EU countries have been under pressure to send more aid to Ukraine, specifically air defense systems. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has ruled this out, citing Greece’s defense needs. Constantinos Filis, the director of the Institute of Global Affairs and a professor of international relations at the American College of Greece, joins... 11 λεπτά
1 Μαϊ The US reluctance to call Turkey’s presence in Cyprus an occupation This summer will mark 50 years since Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus, and for the last five decades tens of thousands of Turkish occupation troops have been present in the northern part of the island. 50 years later, the US still refuses to officially recognize Turkey’s illegal occupation as an occupation. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy... 12 λεπτά
1 Μαϊ An ocean of potential: Greece, the US, and the Our Ocean conference Politicians, scientists and organizations from all over the world were in Athens this April as Greece hosted the 9th International Our Ocean Conference. Greece, the US, and all stakeholders made some 450 commitments totalling billions of dollars for the protection of the oceans and seas, including two new marine parks in the Aegean and the Ionian seas. The State Department’s Deputy Assistant... 14 λεπτά
30 Απρ Why Erdogan called off his White House visit After originally leaking that a White House visit was in play in the lead up to municipal elections at the end of March, President Erdogan is now postponing his May meeting with President Biden in Washington, DC. No reason was cited, but, as some analysts note, the move will likely upend efforts to mend ties between the two NATO allies. Wolfango Piccoli, the co-founder of the risk analysis... 11 λεπτά
26 Απρ Elections in North Macedonia put EU and ties with Greece, Bulgaria in the spotlight Voters in North Macedonia went to the polls on Wednesday for the first round of presidential elections in a vote widely seen as a litmus test for upcoming parliamentary elections. There are some concerns the election outcome could affect North Macedonia’s relations with Greece and Bulgaria - given references to the Prespa Agreement and constitutional changes Sofia is calling for - and further... 10 λεπτά
26 Απρ Has Erdogan canceled his White House visit? Claims that Turkish President Erdogan has canceled an upcoming meeting at the White House have been circulating in Turkish media. With neither Washington nor Ankara formally denying the rumors, it is raising more questions about whether they are true or not. In the meantime, it seems Ankara is once again putting up hurdles with regard to NATO, this time over the approval of former Dutch Prime... 11 λεπτά
24 Απρ 109 years since the Armenian Genocide: Is history repeating itself? Today marks 109 years since the Armenian genocide began. With commemorations taking place across the world, there is a renewed fear that the lessons of “Never Again” have been forgotten following Azerbaijan’s attack on Nagorno Karabakh and the subsequent mass exodus of over 100,000 Armenians from the region in what has been described as ethnic cleansing. Aram Hamparian, the Executive Director... 13 λεπτά
24 Απρ Changes to Greece’s Golden Visa scheme Changes to Greece’s Golden Visa scheme are set to kick in at the end of the summer. This will see increases in the minimum amount needed to invest in order to secure a residence permit in an effort to tackle the country’s housing crisis. This move comes as golden visa programs are being phased out or shut down around Europe, and as housing has become a hot political issue. Nikos Roussanoglou, a... 10 λεπτά
23 Απρ The 'spectacular turnaround' in investments in Greece Investments in Greece have shot up over the past years, with the country outperforming its Eurozone partners when it comes to the pace with which it is attracting and increasing investments. Despite this positive picture, there are a number of myths around investments in Greece, especially when it comes to real estate and the Golden Visa scheme. Michael Arghyrou, the head of the Council of... 15 λεπτά
19 Απρ Greece's economic rebound and the challenges ahead Since emerging from its international bailouts and a decade-long economic crisis, the Greek economy is now surging, outperforming its eurozone partners with its economy expected to grow nearly 3% this year. Despite this positive outlook, there are key challenges ahead, as some economies in the eurozone have slowed down, and many Greeks hurt by the crisis are still struggling. Nikos Vettas, the... 12 λεπτά