9 Σεπ 2024 Mitsotakis sets the agenda in Thessaloniki as SYRIZA descends into further turmoil This weekend Prime Minister Mitsotakis delivered his keynote address at the Thessaloniki International Fair. While he made it clear he was not showing up with a bag of gifts, he did announce a number of programs with a 2027 horizon, and put the issue of tackling issues related to over-tourism on the table as well. At the same time in Athens, SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis lost a... 17 λεπτά
6 Σεπ 2024 Are Turkish-Egyptian relations entering a “new phase”? Are Turkish-Egyptian relations entering a “new phase”? This week Egypt’s President al-Sisi traveled to Ankara to meet with Turkish President Erdogan, a visit that came after over a decade of tensions between the two countries that spanned from Libya to the Eastern Mediterranean and saw Erdogan describe his Egyptian counterpart as a “tyrant”. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for... 15 λεπτά
5 Σεπ 2024 Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the threat of environmental catastrophe A series of attacks in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have left a Greek flagged ship, the Sounion, stranded, threatening to spill its 1 million barrels of oil into the sea. Greece has taken the lead in coordinating efforts to evacuate and tow the Sounion, but the threat of environmental disaster remains large. Bradley Bowman, the Senior Director of the Center on Military and... 14 λεπτά
4 Σεπ 2024 Is there a clear "Harris Doctrine"? Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris replaced President Biden in the presidential race, the question for many - especially in Greece and Cyprus - is what to expect from a Harris presidency on foreign policy, and who would have the ear of a potential President Harris. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Vice... 13 λεπτά
3 Σεπ 2024 50 years of PASOK: From Andreas into the 21st century Today, September 3rd, marks 50 years since Andreas Papandreou founded PASOK, a political party that came to play a key role in Greece from the restoration of democracy to the financial crisis. Harris Mylonas, an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University and the executive producer of the award winning documentary Searching for Andreas:... 16 λεπτά
30 Αυγ 2024 Greece's tourism model and the transition to a more innovative economy While summer may be winding down, water scarcity, overcrowded streets and rising housing costs are infuriating locals across southern European countries - especially those that rely on tourism. Greece is no exception, and we are seeing reactions to overtourism not only on Greece’s top island destinations, but also in cities like Athens. Professor Dimitris Vayanos joins Thanos Davelis to look... 9 λεπτά
29 Αυγ 2024 Is there an effort afoot to revive the F-35 deal with Turkey? Is there an effort afoot to revive the F-35 deal with Turkey? The issue popped up in a report in the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet, and has raised questions about whether this is being seriously considered - despite the issue of the Russian S-400s remaining unresolved - or if it is wishful thinking on the part of Ankara. Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and... 12 λεπτά
28 Αυγ 2024 An era of political uncertainty? A new poll sends shockwaves across Greece's political spectrum A recent poll is turning heads in Greece as it shows not only what appears to be a total collapse of the main opposition SYRIZA, which fell into single digit numbers, but also a noticeable decline in support for the ruling New Democracy party. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the key takeaways from this poll as we look at what message... 17 λεπτά
27 Αυγ 2024 Cyprus: Europe's frontline and the Middle East crisis Cyprus has emerged as a key player - particularly on the humanitarian front - as the ongoing war in Gaza and the broader crisis in the Middle East unfolds. While it has received international praise for its crucial role in providing aid to Gaza, tensions on the Lebanese-Israeli border saw Cyprus face threats from Hezbollah. Professor James Ker-Lindsay, who has worked extensively on the EU, the... 13 λεπτά
26 Αυγ 2024 Is Turkey a Trojan horse inside NATO? Turkey is putting up roadblocks within NATO that are raising questions about whether the alliance’s largest air exercise, which Greece is preparing to host for the first time, will move forward smoothly. The heart of the issue is the Athens flight information region (FIR), whose jurisdiction Turkey does not fully recognize. This is consistent with Turkey’s broader efforts to turn the Aegean... 13 λεπτά
23 Αυγ 2024 Mitsotakis to prioritize tackling Greece's housing challenge Making housing more affordable is going to be one of the central themes of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ keynote speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair in early September. Property prices, both to buy and rent, have come to dominate the public debate over the past couple of years, as Airbnb, the Golden Visa scheme, and other factors continue to impact the market, leaving many... 12 λεπτά
22 Αυγ 2024 A new course for NATO and European defense? This year marked 75 years since the creation of NATO, and the latest summit in Washington, DC sent a clear message that NATO is back, returning to its Cold War roots deterring the Russians and adding new members. At the same time, however, there are increasing concerns in Europe about America’s long-term commitment to their security. This has revived the notion of building up Europe’s defense... 16 λεπτά
20 Αυγ 2024 Can lessons from past wildfires help save Greece's forests? Last week Greece - and the region of Attica where Athens is located - suffered another major wildfire that threatened the suburbs of Athens and burned an area almost twice the size of Manhattan. This wildfire came a year after Greece experienced Europe’s largest ever wildfire on record, which burned over half of the Dadia National Park. John Psaropoulos joins Thanos Davelis as we return from a... 13 λεπτά
3 Αυγ 2024 50 years later, are efforts to solve the Cyprus problem at a critical juncture? In a recent interview with Politico, President Christodoulides said “We cannot afford to wait for a new effort, a new initiative,” when talking about the Cyprus issue. At the same time, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Turkish President Erdogan and Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar doubled down on their hardline position in favor of a two state solution. Menelaos Menelaou,... 14 λεπτά
1 Αυγ 2024 The US election and the stakes for Greece A few weeks ago it looked like former President Donald Trump was in the driver’s seat of the presidential election. In the last 10 days, however, President Biden dropped out of the race and Vice President Kamala Harris essentially locked up the nomination. William Antholis, the director and CEO of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how... 11 λεπτά
31 Ιουλ 2024 Erdogan's u-turn on Syria's Assad Over the past month we’ve seen reports that after more than a decade of trying to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria, Turkey’s President Erdogan is now open to resetting relations with President Bashar al-Assad. Henri Barkey, the Cohen Professor of International Relations at Lehigh University and Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos... 13 λεπτά
31 Ιουλ 2024 40 hours of crisis in the Aegean Last week, for approximately 40 hours, tensions in the Aegean hit heights we had not seen in over a year and a half as Greek and Turkish ships faced off in an area south of the Greek islands of Kassos and Karpathos. Turkish warships had deployed just outside Greece’s territorial waters in an effort to prevent an Italian research vessel from carrying out research for the future deployment of... 14 λεπτά
30 Ιουλ 2024 Foiled terror plot highlights Ankara's enabling of Hamas In an escalation of rhetoric that is raising the temperature in the broader region, the last few days have seen Turkey’s President Erdogan threaten to intervene in Israel on behalf of the Palestinians, noting military interventions Turkey has made in the past in other countries. These statements came about a week after reports that Israel had foiled a major terrorist attack orchestrated from... 15 λεπτά
27 Ιουλ 2024 Greece and Cyprus eyeing key roles at the European level With Ursula von der Leyen securing another term as European Commission President, EU members are now vying for the top positions in the new Commission. In what Politico called a show of his growing political strength, Prime Minister Mitsotakis stressed that Greece must get an important portfolio, one that reflects the country’s economic comeback and strategic position. President Christodoulides... 9 λεπτά
25 Ιουλ 2024 Greeks turn their attention to the Paris Olympics The Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday night will see more than 8,000 of the world’s top athletes - led by Greece - sail along the Seine River in a one of a kind spectacle. Aside from the excitement around the opening ceremony, where Greece and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will carry the Greek flag, there are also high expectations in Greece for all of its athletes. Nikos... 15 λεπτά