With 152 YES votes, coalition government lawmakers from left-wing SYRIZA and nationalists Independent Greeks approved the privatization of the water companies in Athens and Thessaloniki. Replying to sharp criticism form opposition parties and the society, the government insisted that “indebted state-run enterprises would hardly find an investor” and that the …

The Greek government tries to persuade opposition parties and society that the transfer of utility companies in the Privatization Fund does not automatically mean that they will be sold. Three government ministers – Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Transportation Minister Christos Spirtzis and Energy Minister Panos Skouletis -, insisted in claiming …

Greece’ utility companies but also the Metro and other state companies will be trasnferred to the new Privatization Fund to go under the hammer so that the Greek government can receive the €2.8 billion bailout tranche. A multi-bill containing 15 prior actions is to be submitted to the Parliament today, …

Miracles happen! A 78-year-old man who had been missing since the stormy weather stroke Greece last week, has been found and rescued. The man had been missing since September 7th, when he left the area of Ilia in Peloponnese to drive to his home in a suburb of Athens. At …

Some cry, some are desperate and just look helpless when the teams of Greek Public Power Company (DEH) comes to cut the electricity supply due to accumulative debts. However, a tavern owner of a tavern in Chasia, in Ano Liosia suburb of western Athens decided to hinder the upcoming outage …

Greece’s Public Power Company (PPC/DEH) is selling a part of its share together with 400,000 of its customers. Manolis Panagiotakis, the CEO of PPC, announced this innovative step during the Economist conference in Athens. PPC will establish a subsidiary company that will be available for sale to private electricity suppliers …

Competitiveness is good – if it is real. With seven private company active in the energy sector, Greece’s Public Power Company (DEH) sees itself obliged to adjust to the new market conditions. As of 1. July 2016, PPC will grant 15% reduction to those private and business customers who pay …

The “Hellenic Company for Assets and Participation” (EDIS) is the name for the new  Privatization Super-Fund that will claim ownership of all assets of the Greek state including 70,000 real estate properties, all major state-run enterprises like utility companies (electricity, water) and public transport (buses, metro etc), state shares in …

A visit with heavy political weight. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected in Athens on May 28th 2016. Expectations in bothe countries are high, with Russia to eye a partner in promoting its new geopolitical strategy and Greece to try to use the “Russian card” as a pressure tool in …

The Greek government wants to boost the use of plastic money as a means to combat tax evasion. But the banks do not share the government enthusiasm and keep their charging rates high. A vendor, a restaurant owner or a lawyer has to pay 3% or even higher commission to …

Greece’s Power Public Company (DEH) is angry. The amount of unpaid bills by its customers has reached the astronomic 2.5 billion euros. The PPC is so angry that it plans to cut the power to those with outstanding debts as soon as possible. Of course, many Greeks cannot afford to …

A case of suspected cholera infection is being currently treated in a private hospital in Athens. According to Greek media, a 79-year-old Dutch tourist was transferred from the island of Kos to Athens for tests and treatment on Sunday and he is is the Intensive Care Unit under strict hygienic …

I know, I know. And the Greek government ministers know it. That by signing the July and August3. bailout agreements, Greece committed to privatize everything that belongs to the state and has the privilege to stand, swim or crawl in Greece. But now, a week after the elections, Energy Minister …

An unidentified number of Greeks seem to suffer from heavy deficiency of “collective consciousness“.  They absolutely refuse to share common beliefs and moral attitudes which usually operate as a unifying force within a society, especially in times of a crisis, and it is often expressed in form of solidarity. I …

It was a shock late last night when some of creditors austerity demands were leaked to the press. They were included in a 5-page draft plan European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had handed out to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during their emergency meeting in Brussels in an effort to strike …

Creditors did not manage to agree on a joint position towards Greece at an emergency meeting Monday night in Berlin. Officially, all they decided about was that “work had to speed up”. No statement was released. But the Greek government is angry as it was waiting for a political decision …

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said it clearly Monday night on political program on private STAR TV. There will be a flat Value Added Tax of 18% for cash-transactions and a 3% discount – ie. 15% V.A.T. –  for payments with credit or debit card. He assured that “the low …

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said that the government could propose a referendum or new elections if the Eurogroup partners reject his reforms proposal. The statement comes a day before the Eurogroup meeting on Monday, where the Europartners will discuss the Greek reforms proposals. In an interview to Italian daily …

Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis declared absolute negative towards privatizations in Greece’s energy sector. “There is not going to be any privatization in DEH [Public Power Company] in DEPA [natural gas distribution operator ] or ELPE [Petroleum Company]. I repeat what I have said until today,” Lafazanis told daily TA NEA. …

A good news for a change, a wonderful Christmas present for citizens and families without electricity! Attica Prefect Rena Dourou will come up for the cost and reconnect economically weak households to electricity network. The program “Electricity for all” will help households that had their electricity supply been cut by …