Author: Despoina Calatou

The more Russia mires into the Ukrainian crisis, the more Armenia reveals its long-hidden intention – to get away from Russia as far as possible. It is well known that Armenia owes everything that it has today to Russia and its predecessors, but whenever Russia falters Armenians are the first nation trying to get rid of it. So, as is said history repeats itself. Since the time leading up to the collapse of the USSR, Armenia has tried to go out of Russian orbit. Recall that Armenia was one of the six former Soviet Republics that voted against the USSR…

Greece’s role in helping to improve transport and connectivity networks in the broader region of the Balkans, the Black Sea and the Southeast Mediterranean has become pivotal in recent years, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Openness Kostas Fragogiannis noted on Wednesday. He was addressing the 4th Balkans & Black Sea Forum’s “Executive Roundtable 2023” in Athens that focused on Greece’s role in energy, economic and environmental innovation, interconnectivity infrastructures and intercultural cooperation.  Source : Ekathimerini

Air traffic control managers in mainland Europe are planning to strike this summer, potentially exacerbating disruption to holiday flights should French strikes continue. One of the unions at the Eurocontrol network manager operations centre, the Union Syndicale Bruxelles (USB), has given formal warning of strikes in the next six months but has yet to set any firm dates. Eurocontrol and industry experts have played down the prospect of widespread disruption from the threatened strike, after reports that one in three flights could be at risk, but the news will add to airlines’ concern that air traffic control could prove a big headache…

In the wake of several decrees that gradually undermined Hungarian educators’ freedom to demand better wages and working conditions, a new law may spur an exodus of teachers from schools across the country. Employees in the education sector protested in at least 15 cities and towns in Hungary this week against a law that could severely curtail their freedom of speech and undermine their quality of life. Set to be voted on by the parliament in Budapest on Friday, the law has widely been deemed a blow to educators, one that could threaten their right to protest while freezing low salaries…

At a NATO defence sector meeting in Brussels, Croatia’s Djuro Djakovic company is touting its skills in producing and repairing T-72 and M-84 tanks, which are widely used by Ukraine. Defence ministers of NATO states met on Thursday in Brussels with representatives of 25 companies from the defence industry, including Croatia’s Djuro Djakovic, with whom they discussed strengthening military aid to Ukraine. “We had 25 companies gathered here [and] … I am glad that one of those 25 companies was from Croatia,” said Croatian Minister of Defence Mario Banozic, who is participating in the two-day meeting in Brussels. He told…

The airline company SKY-Express will launch next month a brand new business class named “Bliss” on international routes, as well as a new pre-order meal. She also received her second Airbus A321neo. Announced on June 13, 2023 for a launch in July, the new business class of the Greek company is not very detailed, in particular with regard to the look and the number of seats available in its single-aisle Airbus And ATR hitherto single-class. Bliss will offer passengers priority access at each stage of the journey, free access to airport VIP lounges, the possibility of transporting luggage and extra kilos, “refined catering and an in-flight entertainment programme”. This new Business class…

The pre-election period ahead of Greece’s May 21 general elections will officially start this Saturday with the dissolution of Parliament, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a press release on Wednesday. “We will have four weeks ahead of us to present the review of our work and our plan for the future of Greece,” he said during his visit to the island of Corfu. The ruling conservative New Democracy party won the elections in July 2019, and is leading in all recent opinion polls. However, most political analysts agree that due to the way the Greek electoral system works, it…

Passenger and freight trains gradually resumed service in Greece on Wednesday, three weeks after an accident in the center of the country that resulted in 57 deaths. Following a review of safety measures, operations will be fully restored in April, Panagiotis Terezakis, interim chief executive officer (CEO) of the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE), said after the first train departed from Athens’ central railways station, the Greek national broadcaster ERT reported. “We will do everything humanely possible to regain the trust of travelers, given that the railway is the most environmentally friendly mode of transport,” he said. The government has pledged…

The death toll from Tuesday night’s train crash in central Greece has increased to 57, authorities said on Thursday. Forty-eight people remain hospitalized, six of them in intensive care, Greek police spokeswoman Konstantia Dimoglidou told journalists. A search and rescue operation is expected to conclude on Friday, Greek Fire Service spokesman Vasilios Vathrakogiannis added. An investigation is simultaneously underway to determine the causes of the crash — how and why a passenger train collided head-on with a freight train traveling in opposite directions. A station master has been arrested and charged with manslaughter by negligence. The government has declared a…

The Lujiazui Financial City Council in Shanghai, China, and the Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping signed a strategic cooperation agreement on shipping finance during an online event held on Friday. Under the agreement, the two parties will establish a collaborative network to stimulate communication among shipping companies and financial institutions from both international shipping centers, speakers from both sides said. Greece’s Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Kostas Katsafados told the event that the agreement “will further strengthen the relations of the countries in the financing sector.” The signing of the agreement symbolizes the…