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☆ Greeks go on general strike demanding higher pay
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ATHENS — Ships docked at Greek ports, and railway and bus services were disrupted on Wednesday as transport workers, hospital doctors, school teachers together with construction workers joined a nationwide strike to protest squeezed living standards and demand higher pay. Many Greeks saw their wages and pensions slashed in return for bailouts worth 280 billion euros ($297 billion) during a 2009-2018 debt crisis which shaved a quarter off Greece’s economic output and nearly pushed the country out of the eurozone. Workers were expected to protest in central Athens later on Wednesday. The strike comes as the government submits later on Wednesday its final 2025 budget to the 300-seat parliament for debate before a vote due next month. The draft budget sees economic growth of 2.3% next year and higher tax revenues thanks to expanding digital payments and booming property sales.

Persons: Kyriakos Mitsotakis, ”, Greece —, Mitsotakis Organizations: ATHENS — Ships, Workers Locations: ATHENS, Greece, Athens

☆ Greece doubles down on its anti-cruise rebellion
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Nora Redmond | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Greece will charge cruise passengers €20 ($22) to visit some of its most popular islands. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, Kyriakos Mitsotakis Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Greece, Venice, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Athens

☆ Greece is in the middle of an anti-cruise rebellion, with locals complaining about over-tourism and trashed streets
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Boats full of tourists who arrive on the island, crowd the streets, and leave trash have led to the "worst season" ever, locals say. AdvertisementIn Athens and Greek islands, such as Santorini, there's a similar sentiment growing. Crowded monumentsVivian Antypa, an archaeologist and tour operator in Athens, told Business Insider that she loves working in tourism and meeting people from all over the world. Harris Doukas, the mayor of Athens, told Euro News that "Each visitor brings €0.40 to the city." "If the government takes action toward the right direction, we can make tourism better for the tourists and the locals."

Persons: —, Vivian Antypa, hasn't, Antypa, Fortune, overtourism, Beata Zawrzel, Harris Doukas, Nikos Drosos, Drosos, ARIS OIKONOMOU, Drosis, Richard Krieger, Krieger, ARIS OIKONOMOU Krieger, Greece's, Kyriakos Mitsotakis Organizations: Service, Business, Bloomberg, Euro, Santo Luxury, ARIS, Sky, Tourists Locations: Greece, Europe, Barcelona, Athens, there's, Pangrati, Santorini, Mykonos, Peloponnese

☆ ‘Worst season ever’: How things got ugly on Santorini, Greece’s ‘Instagram island’
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s even earned the nickname “Instagram Island” because of its perfectly saturated “no filter” splendor. When evening comes, however, the crowds melt away, and some complain the island goes from Times Square to ghost town. Visitor cap coming in 2025Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos has proposed a cap on cruise ship passengers, down to 8,000 a day. Cruise ship passengers are valued and much needed, as are those longer-stay visitors coming by boat or plane, but he says the feeling among locals is that something has to give. Currently, nearly two-thirds of cruise tourism in Greece takes place in Piraeus, Santorini and Mykonos, CLIA said.

Persons: CNN —, it’s, It’s, Nikos Zorzos, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, megaphones, Xavier Duvot, Hans Lucas, ” Gianluca Chimenti, “, ”, Christos Stylianides, Maria Deligianni, CLIA, Katie Haslam, Rob, we’d, ” Love Organizations: CNN, Fira, Bloomberg, Getty, CNN Travel, Cruise Lines International Association, “ Locations: Oia, Europe, Spain, Netherlands, Venice, AFP, Santorini, Greece, Mykonos, Piraeus, Rochdale, England

☆ Cyprus marks 50 years of division with Greeks grieving, Turks celebrating
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Turkish military helicopters fly over the military parade in the Turkish-occupied area of Nicosia on Saturday. Petros Karadjias/APPeace talks are now stalled at two seemingly irreconcilable concepts - Greek Cypriots want reunification as a federation. Turkish Cypriots want a two-state settlement. In Turkey, state television focused on violence against Turkish Cypriots prior to the invasion, particularly on bloodshed in 1963-64 and in 1967. Turkey’s invasion took more than a third of the island and expelled more than 160,000 Greek Cypriots to the south.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Petros Karadjias, Mitsotakis, ” Erdogan, Erdogan, ”, Nikos Christodoulides, Loukas Alexandrou Organizations: Reuters, Air, Turkish, NATO, UN, European Union, Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot Locations: Cyprus’s, Nicosia, Turkey, Greece, Turkish, Cyprus, “, Britain, Republic of Cyprus, ” Turkey, Northern Cyprus

☆ WAF Awards 2024: World’s best new architecture revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Spanning 18 categories, from housing and offices to health facilities and sport venues, the shortlist was announced by organizers of the annual World Architecture Festival (WAF) on Monday. 2024 World Architecture FestivalChilean architecture firm Contexto was recognized for its serene A-framed hotel, TAWA Refugio. 2024 World Architecture FestivalLocated on the European shore of the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, the original 17th-century structure was severely damaged during WWI. 2024 World Architecture FestivalThe circular OLM Nature Escape, designed by Andreas Gruber Architects, is a boutique hotel nestled in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains. 2024 World Architecture Festival

Persons: Hadid, Sydney’s, Paul Finch, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Contexto, Kyriakos Tsolakis, Andreas Gruber Organizations: CNN, Australian Embassy, Washington DC, Singapore’s, Airport, of XXI Century Arts, Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences, National Star Observatory of, Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects, Civic, 3NX Architects, Andreas Gruber Architects Locations: Dubai, Cyprus, Turkish, Washington, China’s Zhejiang, Rome, Copenhagen, Germany, TAWA Refugio, Delhi, National Star Observatory of Cyprus, Ezhou, Turkey, Aarhus

☆ Greece becomes first EU country to introduce a six-day working week
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A church in Anafiotika neighborhood, a part of the old historical neighborhood called Plaka, in Athens, Greece on March 16th, 2024. Greece has controversially introduced a six-day working week for some businesses in a bid to boost productivity and employment in the southern European country. The regulation, which came into force on July 1, bucks a global trend of companies exploring a shorter working week. The change means a traditional 40-hour workweek could be extended to 48 hours per week for some businesses. Food service and tourism workers are not included in the six-day working week initiative.

Persons: Kyriakos Mitsotakis Organizations: Labor, CNBC Locations: Anafiotika, Athens, Greece, London

☆ Greece's plan for a 6-day workweek to boost productivity may not work
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The shift is notable because it runs counter to the companies and countries that are experimenting with a four-day workweek. The extra hours will come with a 40% jump in pay for Greek workers who add two hours to their day or take on an extra eight-hour workday. He previously told BI that he and his management colleagues began looking into a four-day workweek after seeing successful pilots in Japan and other countries. They wanted to make sure we keep doing the four-day workweek," he said. AdvertisementBasis Technologies, an advertising software company, shifted its workweek to four and a half days after years of experiments with a four-day workweek and other approaches.

Persons: —, Adedy, Zachary Toth, Toth didn't, Toth, Emily Barron, Barron, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Aris, Germany's Organizations: Service, Business, Guardian, Research, Metex Corporation, Technologies, Aris Kazakos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Germany's DW Locations: Greece, India, Toronto, Japan

☆ Rich tourists rejoice! Greece is finally doing something about the cruise ship problem.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewTourists headed to the expensive hotels of Mykonos and Santorini: rejoice! About 36 million people visited Greece last year, up 20.8% from 2022, according to data from the Bank of Greece. Advertisement"In Santorini, even tourists complain about the great number of tourists," Greece's ombudsman said in a report released on Thursday. In fact, Koru, the superyacht owned by Jeff Bezos, has already made its way to Greece for the summer.

Persons: —, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Louis Vuitton, Mykonos, Georgios Hatzimanolis, Jeff Bezos Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Business, Bank of Greece, Bank of, Greek Tourism, Louis Locations: Mykonos, Santorini, Greece, Bank of Greece, Soho

☆ Erdogan turns up the heat on Israel as his party’s popularity wanes
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Scott Mclean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Beyond the sputtering Turkish economy – many pundits blamed the electoral setback on his stance on Israel and its war in Gaza. There are no sanctions, no concrete steps taken, trade with Israel still continues,” said New Welfare’s leader Fatih Erbakan in March. For Erdogan, ‘Hamas is Palestine’Experts say the comment made by Erdogan in the presence of the Greek leader may have in fact been intended for an audience closer to home. Chris McGrath/Getty Images“For Erdogan, Hamas is Palestine. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) and state officials in Ankara, Turkey on October 29.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, –, Hitler, Erdogan, Erdogan’s, ”, Fatih Erbakan, Israel, Seda, “ Erdogan, Ismail Haniyeh, Handout, Murat Cetinmuhurdar, ” Erdogan, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, ” Mitsotakis, misspoke, Gazans, ‘, Evren Balta, Chris McGrath, ” Balta, Ozgur Ozel, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, “, Ekrem Imamoglu, they’ve, Fabrice Pothier, Jens Stoltenberg, Akif Cagatay Kilic, Haniyeh “, hasn’t, Benjamin, Netanyahu –, isn’t, Hakan Fidan, Fidan, Antony Blinken, Adem Altan, Balta, Turkey isn’t, Pothier, it’s Organizations: Turkey CNN, Palestinian, NATO, New Welfare, New, Isik University, CNN, Welfare, Israel, International Court of Justice, of Independence, Anadolu, Getty, TRT, Greek, “, Turkish Ministry of Health, Ozyegin University, West Bank, CHP, Rasmussen Global, German Press Agency, Hamas, Turkish, Qatar, Turkish Foreign Ministry Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, Gaza, Israel, Turkish, of, Ankara, “, ”, Palestine, NATO, Palestinian, Washington, Tehran, AFP, Iran, Qatar

☆ Zelensky assassination plot: Two Ukrainian security officials detained over plan to kill president
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Olga Voitovych | Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Two Ukrainian security officials have been detained for planning to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the country’s State Security Service (SBU). Two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels have been detained and are accused of leaking classified information to Russia, the SBU said Tuesday, after it “exposed a network of agents” belonging to Russia’s state security service (FSB). A woman from the southern Ukrainian region of Mykolaiv was arrested in August 2023 in connection to a plot to assassinate Zelensky. She was accused of gathering intelligence about Zelensky’s planned visit to Mykolaiv in order to plan a Russian airstrike to kill him. The plot was uncovered by Ukrainian authorities and the man was later detained and charged in Poland.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Zelensky, SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, Kyrylo, Zelensky’s, Prosecutors, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis Organizations: CNN, country’s State Security Service, State, Ukrainian, Defence Intelligence Locations: Russia, “, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Mykolaiv, Russian, Polish, Republic of Poland, Jasionka, Poland, Odesa

☆ Spain to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine amid mounting pressure from EU and NATO allies, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It follows Ukraine's urgent plea to NATO for more air defense systems. AdvertisementIt comes after German defense minister Boris Pistorius hit out at Spain and Greece for not having sent their Patriot systems to Ukraine. Spain has decided not to send any of its launchers for the Patriot system to Ukraine, however, the El Pais report said. It currently has three Patriot systems, all purchased from Germany in 2004 and 2014, the report added. "However, from the very beginning, we stated that we cannot give out defense systems that are crucial for our deterrence capabilities," he added.

Persons: —, El, Boris Pistorius, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin, Zelenskyy, El Pais, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Olaf Scholz, Scholz Organizations: NATO, Service, EU, Spanish Ministry of Defense, Business, Patriot, Telegraph, Patriots, El Locations: Spain, Ukraine, El Pais, Spanish, Turkish, Syrian, Greece, Germany, Soviet, Ukrainian

☆ A NATO country is refusing to give Ukraine its Patriots because it says it needs them for itself
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Greece's prime minister said his country cannot give Ukraine its Patriots due to security concerns. Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country needs them to protect its own airspace. Ukraine has spent months begging its allies for Patriots to help fend off Russian attacks. AdvertisementOne of Ukraine's European allies is refusing to hand over Patriot air-defense systems because it says it needs them to protect its own airspace. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the prime minister of Greece, said in an interview with Greek news outlet Iefimerida that his country would not provide Patriots or S-300 missile systems to Ukraine.

Persons: Greece's, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, —, Mitsotakis, Ukrainska Organizations: Patriots, Service, Ukrainska Pravda, Business Locations: Ukraine, Greece

☆ Zelenskyy fires more aides in a reshuffle as Russia launches drones and missiles across Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine is speaking during a joint briefing with Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis outside the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was destroyed by Russian shelling, in Odesa, Ukraine, on March 6, 2024. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed a longtime aide and several advisers on Saturday in a continuing reshuffle while Russia unleashed fresh attacks overnight. Zelenskyy dismissed top aide Serhiy Shefir from his post of first assistant, where he had served since 2019. Ukraine's air force said Saturday that Russia launched 12 Shahed drones overnight, nine of which were shot down, and fired four missiles into eastern Ukraine. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in recent days, causing significant damage in several regions.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, Serhiy Shefir, Oleksii Danilov, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Centrenergo, Serhiy Lisak Organizations: Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, National Security and Defense Council, Russia, Gov Locations: Ukraine, Greece, Odesa, Russia, United Kingdom, Kharkiv, Poltava, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk

☆ Russia hit a Ukrainian port city using one of its more brutal tactics, a double-tap missile strike that kills emergency workers too
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewRussia launched multiple missiles at the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Friday, killing and wounding dozens of civilians, including emergency responders who were looking for survivors. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said after an initial strike hit the city, its rescue workers quickly arrived at the site to search for wounded civilians, sort through the debris, and extinguish fires. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services work at the scene of a Russian attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Friday, March 15, 2024. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services help their comrade injured during a Russian attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Friday, March 15, 2024. Ukrainian Emergency Service via APThe attack is the latest on the strategic port city of Odesa.

Persons: —, Oleh Kiper, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Ukraine Bridget Brink Organizations: Service, Emergency Service, Business, Regional, Ukrainian Emergency Service, AP, Civilian, Southern Defense Forces, United Nations, Greek, Ukraine, NATO Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Odesa, Ukraine, Crimean, Syria, Russian, Europe

CNN —A Russian missile strike hit civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian city of Odesa, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens of others, Ukrainian officials said Friday. “The Russian missile attack killed a paramedic and a rescue worker who had arrived at the scene after the first explosion to provide assistance. ET), striking a civilian building and causing a fire to break out, Ukraine’s emergency services said. As well as the 14 killed, at least 46 people were injured, including seven emergency services personnel, Kiper said. Emergency services try to extinguish a fire caused by the Russian missile strike.

Persons: “, ” Oleh Kiper, Vladimir Putin, Rescuers, Kiper, Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Zelensky, Mitsotakis, ” Organizations: CNN, Emergency, Russian, Emergency Service of, Reuters, NATO Locations: Russian, Ukrainian, Odesa, Russia, Ukraine, Emergency Service of Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Greece's S-300 missiles could bolster Ukraine's air defenses at a critical moment
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewGreece is reconsidering sending Ukraine its Russian-made S-300 air defense missiles, a turnabout that comes after a Russian military struck close to its leader during a visit to Ukraine. The conversation around the Greek S-300 is changing, said George Tzogopoulos, a senior fellow at the Centre International de Formation Européenne. As long as Greek defense needs are satisfied, the policy of swap deals will continue. A Russian missile exploded a mere 500 meters from the convoy he was traveling in with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky. "If radars and spare interceptors are also included in the package, that would be a significant addition to Ukraine's air and missile defense," Borsari said.

Persons: —, George Tzogopoulos, Tzogopoulos, Frederico Borsari, Borsari, Ukraine's Odesa, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: Service, Business, Center for, Patriot PAC, Patriot, Russian, Patriots, Greek, Ukrainian, Kyiv Locations: Greece, Ukraine, Russian, Cyprus, Crete, Turkey, Athens, Russia, United States, Germany, Netherlands, Pokrovsk, Mar, Ukrainian

☆ Russia keeps threatening world leaders when they go to Ukraine. What happens if someone gets hurt?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In the two years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion, allied dignitaries visiting Ukraine have been harried by strikes — and in one case, a drone — in the cities they've visited. "Definitely, I think Russia has been trying to be quite aggressive and intimidate Western leaders," he told Business Insider. President Joe Biden with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an unannounced visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 20, 2023. NATO's principle of collective defense — Article 5 — doesn't apply to armed attacks in this scenario as they would not be in NATO space, Loss told BI. Russia is 'greasing' a slippery slopeRussia is testing NATO's attitude to risk, Loss told BI, and the incidents involving leaders visiting Ukraine can be read as part of a much wider strategy of provocations.

Persons: —, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis, Vladimir Putin, they've, Joe Biden's, Josep Borrell, António Guterres, Frank, Walter Steinmeier, Cristian Nitoiou, Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Evan Vucci, Annalena Baerbock, scurrying, Nitoiou, Rafael Loss, Ukraine's, we've, JOHN THYS, Emmanuel Macron's, Putin Organizations: Service, Business, Reuters, UN, UK's Loughborough University, European Union, German Defense, European Council, Foreign Relations, NATO, Getty Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Odesa, Mitsotakis, Ukraine, Kyiv, United States, Russian, Mykolaiv, Moscow, Poland, Baltic, Polish, AFP

☆ Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Ukraine says it’s rebuilding for counteroffensives; EU condemns 'reckless' and 'vile' Odesa attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) inspect the functioning of the 'grain corridor' in the Black Sea in the port of Odesa, Ukraine on March 06, 2024. European Union leaders have sharply criticized a deadly Russian missile strike on Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa, near to where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a meeting. Zelenskyy and Mitsotakis met in Odesa on Wednesday to pay tribute to the 12 people killed by a Russian drone strike on the city last week. During the meeting, Mitsotakis said the pair heard the sound of sirens and "an explosion that was very close to us." A Ukrainian navy spokesperson said five people were killed in the strike, according to Sky News.

Persons: Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Greece Kyriakos, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis, @ZelenskyyUa, Josep Borrell, Ursula von der Leyen, Sam Meredith Organizations: European Union, Sky News, Union, European, Russia's Defense Ministry, Wednesday Locations: Ukraine, Greece, Odesa, Russian, Ukrainian

☆ Zelensky: Russian missile strike hits near Ukraine and Greek leaders in Odesa
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A Russian missile struck Odesa on Wednesday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in the Black Sea port city with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Zelensky was not wounded but said he was close enough to have seen and heard the strike and confirmed a number of people had been killed and injured. “We saw this strike today. You can see who we are dealing with, they don’t care where they strike. I know that there were victims today, I don’t know all the details yet, but I know that there are dead and wounded,” Zelensky said from Odesa on Wednesday.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Zelensky, “, ” Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Greek Locations: Russian, Black, Odesa, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow

Greece has become the first majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage under civil law. Public opinion in majority Orthodox countries has mostly been opposed, too. Civil unions may become more common among Orthodox countries gravitating toward the European Union. Greek Orthodox showed relative tolerance, with half of Orthodox saying homosexuality should be accepted and a quarter favoring same-sex marriage. As head of the Russian Orthodox Church, he oversees the world's largest Orthodox flock.

Persons: ”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “, George Demacopoulos, ” Demacopoulos, —, Vladimir Putin, “ perversions, Putin, Kirill, Moscow, Tiny Montenegro, Aleksandar Vucic, ″, ___ Smith, Yuras, Stephen McGrath, Illia Novikov, Veselin Toshkov Organizations: European Union, Pew Research Center, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University, Ukrainian, of, of Human, Russian Orthodox Church, Kremlin, Russia’s, Levada, MONTENEGRO Serbia, Balkan, Serbian Orthodox Church, of Human Rights, Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Associated Press, Gec, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Greece, Montenegro, Cyprus, Russia, Eastern Europe, Washington, New York, European, UKRAINE, Ukraine, RUSSIA, Russian, BELARUS, Belarus, SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, Serbia, ROMANIA, MOLDOVA Romania, Romania, Bucharest, Moldova, BULGARIA, Bulgaria, Pittsburgh, Tallin, Estonia, Belgrade, Kyiv, Sofia

☆ Greece legalizes same-sex marriage in a first for an Orthodox Christian country
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Elinda Labropoulou | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Athens, Greece CNN —The Greek parliament on Thursday passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage, in a landmark victory for human rights in Greece and making it the first majority Orthodox Christian country to establish marriage equality for all. Now, same-sex parents can both be recognized as legal parents to their children. A recent poll carried out by Metron Analysis showed that although 62% of respondents said they were in favor of same-sex marriage, 69% were against same-sex parenthood. The same-sex marriage bill has drawn the wrath of the influential Greek Orthodox Church to which more than 80% of the population belong. All three voted against the same-sex marriage law, and the legislation could still push some angry voters to the right ahead of European elections in June.

Persons: Greece CNN —, Andrea Gilbert, “, ”, Katerina Trimmi, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Sergio Berezovski, Mitsotakis, Alexis Rafailides, Stefanos, ” Kasselakis, Tyler McBeth, Kasselakis, Elias …, ” Stelios Pandazopoulos, Angelo, – Organizations: Greece CNN, Athens Pride, CNN, Greek National Commission of Human Rights, Rainbow, Computer, EU, Metron, New Democracy Locations: Athens, Greece, surrogates, Thursdau, ”, Syriza, American, Karditsa

☆ Greece Promises Extra Aid for Grieving Farmers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament that the measure would cost the state 82 million euros ($89.31 million) in 2024 and announced more steps to appease the protesters. Farmers have been setting up blockades in central and northern Greece, echoing grievances from farmers across Europe, who have staged hundreds of tractors blockades in France and Brussels where EU leaders met on Thursday. A group of them lined up their tractors in the northern city of Thessaloniki on Thursday, surrounding the Agrotica trade fair venue. PPC, Greece's biggest power utility, will also offer an extra 10% rebate on electricity for farmers from May to September, Mitsotakis, who met protesting farmers in central Greece this week, said. Mitsotakis said that the state will spend in total 3.3 billion euros over the coming years to repair damage in Thessaly.

Persons: Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis, Lefteris Papadimas, Angeliki Koutantou, Renee Maltezou, William Maclean Organizations: Farmers, EU Locations: ATHENS, Greece, Europe, France, Brussels, Thessaloniki, Thessaly

☆ Biden appears to have found a workaround to the GOP Ukraine aid block — routing weapons via Greece
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewJoe Biden appears to have found a way around the Republican Party's blockade of Ukraine aid using a little-known presidential power. AdvertisementAccording to the report, Greece has weapons such as the S-300 missile-defense systems and Hawk surface-to-air missiles that would prove valuable to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Kurt Volker, a former US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, wrote for the European Center for Policy Analysis recently that the Excess Defense Articles law was one of a number of tools available to Biden to keep weapons to Ukraine flowing. The value of weapons that can be transferred under the Excess Defense Articles law is capped at $500 million. According to reports, Ukraine is running low on vital supplies of ammunition and equipment as it battles a Russian offensive.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Antony Blinken, Bradley, Forbes, Blinken, Kurt Volker, Biden, Volker, Mark Cancian Organizations: Service, Republican, Excess, Business, Foreign Armed Forces Financing, Russia, European Center for, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Ukraine, Greece, Athens

☆ Biden administration tells Congress it intends to sell Turkey F-16s after Erdogan approved Sweden’s NATO membership
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The State Department also sent Congress a formal notification of its intent to sell $8.6 billion worth of F-35s to Greece. Blinken, in turn, told the Turkish president multiple times that members of Congress would not approve the sale of jets until Turkey allowed Sweden to join NATO. The Turkish Parliament finally voted in favor of Sweden’s NATO accession Tuesday, and Erdogan signed off on the instruments of ratification Thursday. The US official said this was to assure Congress there was no way for Turkey to back out of the deal. Hungary still must approve Sweden’s NATO bid for the nation to finally become a member.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Erdogan, Hakan Fidan, Fidan, Robert Menendez –, Turkey –, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Menendez, Sen, Ben Cardin Organizations: CNN, NATO, The State Department, Turkish, Foreign, The New, Greek, House Foreign Affairs Committee, State Department Locations: Turkey, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Vilnius, Lithuania, London, The New Jersey, Turkish, Hungary

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