The European Commission has responded to Greece’s request for assistance and has sent an anti-pollution vessel to help with the clean up of the oil spill in the Saronic Gulf. According to a statement issued by the European Commission, Greece had activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism requesting the vessel. …

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Saturday that the country’s Grexit status had changed into Grinvest as it was now attracting investors in droves. Inaugurating the 82nd International Fair of Thessaloniki (TIF), he was not able to announce measures to benefit the society – as Greek prime ministers usually …

European Commissioner for Monetary and Financial  Affairs Pierre Moscovici described  the Greek program of fiscal adjustment as a ‘democratic scandal’. In an interview to Italian newspaper Corriere dela Sera, Pierre Moscovici replied to a journalist question: “Why do you say that the program for Greece is a “democratic scandal”? “It …

The Greek ministry of Agriculture will push for a geographical protection for “Greek yogurt” considering the rising consumer demand as well as the recent dispute with Prague. Greek yoghurt is ‘Greek’, European Commission technocrats told Czechs last year. They wanted a ‘Greek-style yoghurt’ made in the Czech Republic. The product …

The first groups of refugees have received European Qualifications Passports after successfully passing an evaluation process to verify their higher education credentials. Fifty-four refugees, mostly from Syria, living in refugee camps in Attica, Greece have received the documentation through the first two rounds of the Council of Europe’s “Recognition of …

The European Commission will give Greece 209 million euros ($245 million) in new emergency aid to help refugees stranded in the country rent homes and pay for basics with a cash card, the Commission said on Thursday. About 62,000 refugees and migrants, mainly Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis headed to northern …

European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Pierre Moscovici, said that Greece needs to still legislate a few more fiscal measures but also measures to modernize the public administration and state services. He did acknowledge that the bulk of austerity measures Greece legislated in May were sufficient for the country …

The European Commission will recommend that Greece is removed from the excessive deficit procedure (EDP), European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici said on Wednesday. Moscovici, amongst Athens’ most vocal supporters on the European stage, referred to impressive efforts to keep deficits down and post memorandum-mandated primary budget …

Greek shippers intend to discuss the extension of their voluntary economic contribution to the state into 2018 in the context of an extraordinary general meeting of the Union of Greek Shipowners (EEE) scheduled for June 26. Sources told Kathimerini that the extension of this optional levy is all but certain, …

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire expressed optimism Greece and creditors are not far away from the agreement. “The next two days will pave the way for an agreement at the Eurogroup” on June 15, Le Maire told reporters after a meeting with his Greek counterpart Euclid Tsakalotos in Athens …

An international group of bankers, lawyers and stockbrokers appears to have fiddled the German tax system at 32 billion euros over a period of 15 years. Right under the nose of the German finance ministry. A report by German media state broadcaster ARD and weekly DIE ZEIT claims that the …

A Human Rights institute in Sweden accuses Greece of breach of European and International laws by sending back Turkish citizens seeking asylum in an effort to escape the purge by the country’s political leadership. According to allegations, the Greek government has started to apply these practices “as of mid-May”. The …

Europeans reportedly work on a Plan B for Greece. Who are exactly these “Europeans” I cannot tell you. The “European” creditors incl German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble? The “Europeans” of the European Commission and Commissioner Pierre Moscovici? Some other “Europeans” who have a saying but stay behind the stage? It …

US-based international aid agency Mercy Corps suspended two employees until an investigation conducted by Greek authorities concludes. The investigation follows claims that workers at the NGO had sexually harassed migrants in Greece’s reception centers and had misused funds aiming to the welfare of refugees and migrants. “Mercy Corps is investigating …

The European Commission presented on Wednesday (31 May) its proposal to “move forward” on eurozone integration with a treasury, a finance minister and several instruments to make the financial sector less vulnerable to crises. incl the issuing  of “eurobonds” that are proposed as “safe asset”. The Commission document calls on …

Decisions taken by the eurozone finance minister at the Eurogroup on Monday were supposed to be from ‘good’ to ‘excellent’. What really happened was a long meeting that ended in suspending the meeting and postponing the decisions for three weeks later. Not only there was no decision on debt relief. …

Greece struggles to reach a deal at the Eurogroup meeting on Monday, May 22 2017. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he hoped for a political agreement on Monday’s Eurogroup. However, the deal the German minister hopes to happen is not just the deal Greece and the International Monetary Fund …

The European Union has suspended funding to a non-government organization (NGO) aiding refugees in Greece pending an investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and financial corruption, a spokesman for European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides has said. “Although these remain allegations under investigation, the Commission is …

Greek government borrowing costs hit their lowest level in more than five years this week, investors speculate that Athens may soon end the exile from bond markets.  The Greek government signals return to the markets can happen already in summer 2017, short after creditors disburse the 7-billion euro bailout tranche …

The International Monetary Fund and the eurozone may need more time to reach an agreement on a debt relief package for Greece, the Fund’s managing director Christine Lagarde said on Friday. She urged eurozone lenders to be “far more specific” in their commitment to a debt-relief package for Greece. “We …