Author: Rea Christoglou

As the new year begins, the tourism industry is gearing up, and the messages for the upcoming summer season are exceptionally encouraging. The elevation of Greece’s international image on various fronts and the “calm waters” in the Aegean – the cornerstone of our tourism – combined with unparalleled beauty on both land and sea, create more favorable conditions in 2024 than in previous years. In the tourism sector, there is a sense of anticipation of a surge in arrivals, and there is no inclination to entertain the nightmare scenario of a spillover of the crisis in the Middle East, which…

“A concrete kennel, measuring 2.5m x 3m. Most often, it is unbearable due to the cold and dampness. Water collects on the floor, and the window is tiny. The walls are thick, stifling any airflow, and not even the cobwebs stir. There is no ventilation, leaving one feeling suffocated at night, akin to a fish out of water. An iron bunk, reminiscent of those found on sleeper trains, is bolted to the wall.” This is how Alexei Navalny described the cell in which he spent 308 out of 1125 days in solitary confinement. His imprisonment amounted to both physical and…

Greece and Turkey on Thursday agreed to reboot their relations, establishing a roadmap designed to usher in a new era of closer ties between the two NATO allies but historical foes. In a landmark visit of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to Greece, the longtime sparring partners agreed to focus on pursuing good neighbourly relations, keep open channels of communication, seek military confidence-building measures to eliminate sources of tension, boost trade volumes and work on issues which have kept them apart, notably in the Aegean Sea. “There is no issue between us that is unsolvable. So long as we focus on…

Port infrastructure in Greece is undergoing a radical restructuring with investments which ought to have been made earlier, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday in the ceremony for the conclusion of works to upgrade and expand the port of Agios Konstantinos in central Greece. The port lays 165 kilometers from Athens and 49 kilometers from the city of Lamia. “We are making significant progress at the port of Agios Konstantinos as part of a large developmental mosaic that concerns our port infrastructure,” he told reporters, adding that the investment not only enables more visitors to depart for the island…

 Italian eyewear group Safilo (SFLG.MI) on Friday reported adjusted core profit at 18.1 million euros in the quarter, down 20% year-on-year, due to declining sales in former GrandVision chains in Europe and by weakness in the North American market. The Padua-based firm said net sales for the July to September period were 235 million euros ($252.20 million), compared to 260.4 million a year earlier. Third-quarter sales at constant exchange rates were down 3.9% from year earlier. Safilo, which makes eyewear for brands such as Hugo Boss and Tommy Hilfiger, also extended Chief Executive Angelo Trocchia’s mandate for additional three years. ($1 =…

The two countries share energy ambitions, defence partnerships and a mistrust of Turkey, analysts say. Greece has emerged as a key supporter of Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean, a position unimaginable little more than a decade ago and apparently at odds with public opinion. “I come here not just as an ally but as a true friend,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv on October 23, as the latest Middle East conflict flared. “Greece, from the very first moment, supported the right of Israel to defend itself in line with international law,” he said.…

Greece’s Saronic Gulf islands were voted Best Island Destination in the World Travel Awards (WΤΑ) for 2023 in a glamorous ceremony in Batumi, Georgia. The six Saronic Gulf islands won the prestigious award for their unique beauty, rich history, crystal-clear blue waters, and close proximity to Athens via the Piraeus Port. Aegina, Agistri, Hydra, Poros, Salamis, and Spetses are the six islands that dazzled the voting committee. Aegina Aegina’s proximity to Athens makes the island ideal for short getaways. It has several archaeological monuments, picturesque villages, and beautiful beaches to discover, while its seafront main town stands out for its…

Berlin (22/10 – 75) UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, reported during his trip to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan, he met with representatives of civil society and residents of the region. Varennes arrived in Tajikistan for a working visit on October 9 till October 20. The UN Special Rapporteur told journalists that the residents of Gorno-Badakhshan informed him about violations of their rights in 2021-2022, particularly concerning the rights of detainees and cases of harsh treatment by law enforcement agencies. He stated, “People are complaining about religious restrictions as well as limitations on the use…

When 1st Lt. Matthew Blejwas graduated from the Army’s flight school in May, he knew he’d deploy to Europe almost immediately after he pinned his aviator’s wings. But the 24-year-old UH-60 Black Hawk pilot didn’t know that scarcely two months later, he and others from the 3rd Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade — Marne Air — would find themselves in Greece as part of a multinational mission battling the largest wildfires ever recorded in the European Union. Army Times spoke with Blejwas and two of his colleagues — pilot Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Casey and crew chief Sgt. Jordan McLellan…

Brussels (07/09 – 14.29) Anies Baswedan has become the first Indonesian presidential candidate to make his vice-presidential nominee official by his selection the past weekend of Muhaimin Iskandar from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Islamic mass movement. ALEXANDER R. ARIFIANTO argues that this nomination highlights the importance of NU’s support in next year’s presidential election. He believes both Ganjar Pranowo and Prabowo Subianto are likely to also consider nominating an NU-affiliated politician as running mate. Anies Baswedan has formally announced Muhaimin Iskandar, chairperson of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and a high-profile Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) politician, as his vice-presidential nominee. This…