German conservative Ursula von der Leyen is the new President of the European Commission and the first woman ever on this post. Germany’s defense minister was confirmed as the successor to Jean-Claude Juncker by a majority of only 9 votes at th eEuropean Parliament on Tuesday evening after a much-criticised …
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Reunification of Parthenon Marbles is fair and essential, says Greece’s President
“Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles is fair and essential,” said the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos. The struggle to return the sculptures “is not only about Greece and its historical and cultural heritage, but also about culture as a whole, given that its result will be a real …
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ECHR elects Greek judge Sicilianos as its new President
Greek judge Linos Alexandre-Sicilianos has been elected President of the European Court of Human Rights. “His term as president will begin on 5 May 2019,” the ECHR statement said. It is the first Greek to hold the court’s presidency. Sicilianos has been a judge of the ECHR since 18 May …
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Greece’s first: Council of State to be headed by female judge
For the first time in its 89-year-old history the Council of State will be headed by a woman. Judge Aikaterini Sakellaropoulou was chosen by the Greek cabinet to be the President of the country’s Supreme Administrative Court for the next four years. Sakellaropoulou was one of the vice presidents under …
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New Democracy expels President of C&I Chamber, Michalos, over Macedonia agreement
Conservative New Democracy expelled from the party, Konstantinos Michalos, the President of the Commercial and Industrial Chamber of Athens. In fast track procedures, the Ethics Committee of ND expelled Michalos who had refused to appear at the disciplinary meeting of the committee. Citing ND officials, media report the President of …
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President of Greece’s Council of State resigns over leakages to the Press
The President of Greece’s Council of State, Nikos Sakellariou, announced that he resigns over leakages to the press about a CoS decision on the upcoming pension cuts. In a surprise decision and reading a long statement that was broadcasting live, Sakellariou said that the leakages and the “unacceptable violation of …
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Greece’s President tells Prince Charles: “We hope for the Return of Parthenon Marbles!”
It didn’t help much that the British royal couple did not visit the Acropolis in order to avoid moments of embarrassment with regards to the Parthenon Marbles, stolen by Lord Elgin in 1816 and exhibited at the British Museum in London. It was the President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis …
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Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall in historic visit to Athens
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla will be visiting Greek capital Athens in May following an invitation by the President of the Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos. The visit is considered as historic as members of the British royal family have not officially visited Athens since the 1950’s. The Buckingham …
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Anastasiades re-elected president of the Republic of Cyprus
President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades secured 5 more years at the Presidential Palace, winning Sunday’s run-off presidential election with a comfortable 55.99% of the vote, over 44.01% of the center-left candidate Stavros Malas. Anastasiades, 71, has taken credit for steering the Cypriot economy to recovery after it …
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President of state broadcaster ERT, Dionysis Tsaknis, resigns criticizing gov’t policies and workers union
Dionysis Tsaknis had submitted his resignation as President of Greece’s state broadcaster ERT after two and a half years on the post. He left criticizing the government policies on ERT as well as the powerful union of workers at the state broadcaster. According to media reports, Tsaknis decision to resign …
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IMF’s Lagarde in Athens following invitation by the Greek President
Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, is packing her luggage. For a visit to Greece. She has an open invitation by the President of the Greek Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who expressed it verbally. However, according to protocol, it is the finance ministry that formally sent the invitation …
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Father of Digital Minister appointed president of nationalized OASTH
Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis announced on Wednesday the appointment of the economist Stelios Pappas, the father of Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas, as the new president of the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH). The company was nationalized beginning of July. In a statement, Spirtzis said Pappas’s appointment was part of …
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President express “abhorrence”, PM and political leaders condemn London terror attack
Greece’s political leadership and parties of the opposition condemned the terror attack in London on Saturday night. The President of Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, expressed his abhorrence over the new terror attack in London. The general secretary of the Greek Presidency Georgios Gennimatas, following the president’s order, expressed early on …
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Trump in Brussels was kind to Greeks and nasty to everybody else. Guess why
“I am following you,” US president Donald Trump told Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras during a short face to face meeting they had at the NATO Summit in Brussels on Thursday. “You are recovering and that’s great!” the US president reportedly said further and added “Greece is a wonderful country …
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Emmanuel Macron is the new President of France
Independent candidate Emmanuel Macron, 39, is clearly the winner of the second round of Presidential elections in France. According to latest results Macron wins by margin of 65.1% to 34.9% for right-wing Marine LePen. Voter turnout set to be lowest since 1969 Abstention at 25% 12% of voters cast …
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Dijsselbloem fails to win even German support to complete mandate
A new president of the Eurogroup could be elected by the summer break, as the controversy surrounding Jeroen Dijsselbloem has almost put paid to any chance he had of completing his mandate once a new Dutch government is formed. Remarks by Dijsselbloem that southern countries blew money on drinks and …
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Greece proceeds with Constitution Revision in public consultation
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is scheduled to address Tuesday noon the special parliamentary committee overseeing the initiative of the coalition government for a review of the Greek Constitution. The process of the revision of the Greek Constitution is currently in the phase of public consultation. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras presented …
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Populist Antonio Tajani (Italy) is the new President of the European Parliament
Conservative Italian MEP Antonio Tajani was elected the 29th president of the European Parliament on Tuesday night. He replaces German Socialist Martin Schulz after he beat countryman Gianni Pittella, also a Socialist. Tajani of the European People’s Party, won 351 votes in a fourth and final round of voting. Gianni Pittella, …
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Former President Kostis Stephanopoulos passed away at the age of 90
One of the most popular Greek politician and president of the Republic, Konstantinos (Kostis) Stephanopoulos passed away at the age of 90. The conservative politician served as President of the Greek Republic two consecutive terms from 1995 to 2005. He was admitted to a hospital in Athens on Tuesday diagnosed …
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President Pavlopoulos wants sanctions against EU members closing borders
The President of Greek Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos asked for direct sanctions against those EU member countries violating the European rules. With a direct hint to EU member countries’ behavior in the Refugee Crisis, Pavlopoulos said “While in the Economic and Monetary Union, there are rules and sanction mechanisms and when …
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