“The retail sector could open again sometime in mid-March,” Alternate Interior Minister Stelios Petsas said over the weekend. Speaking to Skai TV, he said “we are nearing the end of an unprecedented drama,” and noted that “this year’s Easter holiday will be different to last year.” If Greece proceeds with …
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Greece: 1269 new coronavirus cases, 36 more deaths, intubations rise to 391
The end of February finds Greece in the fourth month of nationwide lockdown with increasing number of infections, death toll to have surpassed 6,500 and hospitals in Athens and Attica reaching 90% of their capacity. On Sunday, health authorities announced 1269 new coronavirus cases by much fewer tests due to …
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Tourists’ arrivals in Greece amounted just 7.9 million in 2020
The worst year for global tourism saw Greece suffer an even worse decline in arrivals than the global average, the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) said on Friday. Against a mean international reduction of 74% from 2019, Greece posted a drop of 76.5%, welcoming only 7.4 million visitors …
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Authorities extend hard lockdown in Athens/Attica, place more regions in stricter measures
Greece’s Civil Protection extended the hard lockdown in Athens and Attica for one more week, until March 8, 2021, as daily number of new infections remained high and intensive care units treating patients with Covid-19 were close to capacity. At the same time, authorities extended hard lockdown in several regional …
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Scandal in Thessaloniki: Prosecutor investigates off list vaccinations in children institutions
The public prosecutor of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, investigates complaints according to which children with special needs at two institutions in the city did not receive Covid-19 vaccinations; 24 people were inoculated instead, bypassing the priority list of the national program. The scandal touches also two elected officials at the Municipality …
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Εxhibition in National Garden marks anniversary of Greek Revolution of 1821
An outdoor exhibition on the 200 years since the Greek Revolution of 1821 is being displayed in the National Garden in the center of Athens, next to the Parliament. The exhibition gas been organized by the National Historical Museum, the Sylvia Ioannou Foundation and the Municipality of Athens. The exhibition, …
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EU leaders agree on digital “vaccination certificate” but not before summer
Digital vaccination certificates enabling people to travel in Europe despite the coronavirus pandemic will probably be available before the summer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after a virtual EU summit on Thursday. Germany was one of the opponents of the certificate. “Everyone agreed that we need a digital vaccination certificate,” …
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“Greece’s goal is to reach at least 50% of 2019 tourism levels,” says PM Mitsotakis
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed hope that the tourism season in 2021 “will be much better than last year”, in an interview with the German newspaper “Süddeutsche Zeitung” published on Thursday. “Our goal is to reach at least 50 pct of the 2019 levels,” he pointed out, expressing the belief …
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Greece sets up #MeToo website, proceeds with penal code changes for minors’ protection
The Greek government has set up a #MeToo website where citizens can submit complaints get information on sexual harassment and abuse as well as power-based violence, actions taken against abusers and links where victims can seek help. The website metoogreece.gr will soon host announcements concerning initiatives designed to help people …
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Greece in talks with UK to allow Britons with or without vaccination to travel from May, says Tourism Minister
Greece is in “technical” talks with the UK over allowing Britons carrying a vaccine passport to travel to its tourist hotspots from May, Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis told several British media on Tuesday. The announcement comes despite concerns in Brussels and other EU capitals. Theoharis said he hoped to “dovetail” …
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Hard lockdown for Regional unit of Arcadia, Nafplio in “increased surveillance”
Greece’s Civil Protection placed the regional unit of Arcadia, Central Peloponnese, in hard lockdown and the Municipality of Nafplio, eastern Peloponnese, in “increased surveillance”, that is regions and municipalities marked “‘red” in the country’s Covid-19 map. Hard lockdown for Arcadia will go into force at 6 a.m. on Thursday, February …
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Greece denies Turkey’s claims fighter jets harassed “Cesme” in the Aegean
Greece’s General Staff has dismissed the Turkish claims that Greek fighter jets harassed the vessel “Cesme” conducting research in international waters in the Aegean Sea. Claims by Turkish media that fighter jets of the Greek Air Force harassed Turkey’s vessel ‘Cesme’ “bear no relation to reality”, sources at the Hellenic …
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SMS to <13032>: New five-digit phone number for retail shopping in Greece
Greece’s government has found a new tool to enable citizens to do their shopping in retail stores with sms to a different five-digit number, other that the one they usually use to exit their homes. The new number will be used exclusively for shopping in retail, Digital Governance Minister Kyriakos …
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Greece: New coronavirus cases spike to 2147, intubations rise to 357
Daily coronavirus recorded a huge jump on Tuesday and reached 2,147, a new record since beginning of December 2020 and thus on the 110th day of lockdown. According to Greece’s health authorities also intubation increased to 357. Another 22 Covid-19 patients died in the last 24 hours. Death toll has …
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Greek doctors protest ‘suffocating’ conditions at COVID-19 clinics
Greek hospital doctors went on a day-long strike on Tuesday and dozens marched in Athens to protest “suffocating” conditions at hospitals on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic. With around 6,000 deaths, Greece has fared better than much of Europe in containing the pandemic and prevented its health service, battered …
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Turkey claims Greek fighter jets harassed research vessel Cesme in the Aegean
Turkey’s Defense Ministry has claimed that Greek fighter jets “harassed” research vessel “Cesme” conducting “scientific and technical research” in the international waters in the Aegean Sea. 4 F-16 fighter jets belonging to Greek Air Forces harrassed Turkey’s TCG Çeşme vessel on duty to conduct scientific and technical research in the …
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UK, UAE passengers must undergo Rapid Covid-19 test upon arrival in Greece Feb 22-Mar 8
All passengers arriving from the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom between February 22 and 06:00 on March 8 must submit to a rapid test for coronavirus at the airport, the Greek Civil Aviation Auhtority (CAA) said on Monday. The CAS said that the air directive (notam) on the …
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Greece improves its compliance record with European Court of Human Rights decisions
Greece has reduced by 38.5 percent its outstanding cases of coming in line with decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, Deputy Justice Minister Giorgos Kotsiras said in the Parliament on Monday, citing the Court’s annual report. He noted that the ministry “is fully aware and is working toward …
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Greece: Coronavirus intubations rise to 346, new cases 880, deaths 24
Coronavirus intubations rose to 346 in the last 24 hours, Greece’s health authorities announced on Monday. New daily cases are 880 by much fewer tests due to Sunday. Another 24 Covid-19 patients lost their lives. Death toll has reached 6,321 and the total cases stand at 180,672. Daily Cases Intubations …
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Prosecutor probes alleged involvement of NGOs for unaccompanied minors in Lignadis case
The public prosecutors’ office on Monday launched a preliminary investigation into allegations made on social media and various media articles that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in charge of unaccompanied refugee minors were involved in the case of former National Theatre director Dimitris Lignadis during the period 2017-2018. The head of the …
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