Author: Stamatios Zurleas

Greek Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilias, has revealed that from April 1 to 10, the country recorded 221 international flights to its island of Rhodes with over 96 per cent occupancy along with tourism in Athens that has not stopped. Through a statement issued by the Ministry of Tourism, he also noted that health stores, hotels and short-term rentals are also full, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. According to Kikilias, recently, the Ministry of Tourism is cooperating with The Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE) to create a new campaign for purchases in Greece in an effort to strengthen the connection between…

The Greek Culture Ministry recently submitted a file to UNESCO to include the Panagia Mesosporitissa (Virgin of the mid-sowing season) Feast, a traditional Greek custom of blessing the bounty of the land, on its list of intangible cultural heritage. The list, established in 2008 when the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage took effect, aims to better protect global important intangible cultural heritages and raise awareness regarding their significance. The Panagia Mesosporitissa Feast custom takes place annually at the archaeological site of Elefsina, Attica, combining elements of performing arts, social practices concerning nature and the universe, rituals, religion and traditional craftsmanship. More specifically, on the Eve of…

Throughout history, science and technology have been the greatest sources of progress and growth. But when it comes to how government can harness the opportunities of technology and turn vision into delivery, the task becomes more difficult. Recently, two one-time political opponents, former British prime minister Tony Blair and former Conservative Party leader William Hague co-authored a paper to help tackle this challenge. Their report, titled “A New National Purpose: Innovation Can Power the Future of Britain,” aims to chart the British state’s course on the turbulent waters of technology and science. It is part of the Tony Blair Institute’s…

Violence prompts increased police presence downtown DETROIT – A Greektown business owner is reacting to the recent gun violence that has led to an increased police presence in the area. Yanni Dionisopoulos, co-owner of The Golden Fleece and Bakalikon Greek Market and Bar in Greektown, said the recent violence has been challenging. “There’s no respect for life,” Dionisopoulos said. In response, Detroit police rolled out a new safety enforcement plan that includes the use of metal detectors and an increased presence. Dionisopoulos supports the plan, giving credit to the officers that patrol the area. “This is not trying to do…

Athens argues Greece is making a contribution to European security with its border barrier. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is asking the European Union for financial support to extend his country’s anti-migrant steel fence along the border with Turkey. “I think it’s about time for the EU to seriously consider providing European funds for these types of projects,” Mitsotakis told news agency AFP Friday on the sidelines of a visit to the wall in northeastern Greece. In a first step, Athens plans to extend its fence — which runs along the Evros River along the shared border with Turkey — by 35 kilometers, with…

Greeks eat hake and skordalia on March 25th, the most important national holiday for Greece. The day coincides with the feast of the Annunciation (Evangelismos) of the Virgin Mary, a day on which, traditionally, Greeks eat fried hake accompanied with a garlic puree called skordalia. The reason behind this tradition is that apart from the national holiday, March 25th is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, making for a joyful celebration in the midst of the 40-day Lenten fast, when the Greek Orthodox faithful are allowed to eat fish and oil and consume wine. Hake is cheap and easy to preserve The explanation behind the specific choice…

Ancient Olympia welcomes amateur and professional cyclists from all over the world on April 1-2 for the 1st L’Etape Greece by Tour de France to take place in Greece with the participation of three Greek champion cyclists. More than 500 participants from 10 countries will have the chance to ride through the Valley of Gods and Ancient Olympia during the biggest cycling event ever held in the country. Greece is the 22nd nation to be hosting the global sporting event with courses designed based on Tour de France standards. Jointly organized by EY ZHN Greece and the Western Greece Region, the 1st L’Étape Greece by Tour de France presented by Skoda includes the 150km Race, the 75km The Ride,…

Kenes Rakishev is one of the most influential people in Kazakhstan. Kenes is also a respected advisor to the government of Kazakhstan. Both he and his wife, Aselle Tasmagambetova are involved in philanthropy work and investments in the tech sectors. Kenes distinguished himself to help develop innovative projects. His investments included Solarin, the new handphone developed by Sirin Labs, which was founded by Rakishev and his business partners. It integrates data encryption systems for calls. Rakishev also invested in Mobli and NetElement. This tech-savvy serial investor was born on July 14, 1979, in the city of Almaty to a working-class family. His father, Hamit Koshanovich Rakishev was a prominent statesman of Kazakhstan. Kenes is a lawyer and…

Hungary says it would not arrest Russian president Vladimir Putin if he entered the country, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for him last week, accusing him of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, said on Thursday that even though Hungary is a signatory to the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC, and ratified it in 2001, arresting Putin would have no basis in Hungarian law. “We can refer to the Hungarian law and based on that we cannot arrest the Russian President … as…

Cruise, gastronomy and filmmaking will be among Thessaloniki’s strongest destination features, according to local officials and tourism stakeholders speaking during the Thessaloniki Tourism Organization’s (TTO) annual report press conference on Thursday. TTO President Voula Patoulidou mentioned that 2022 saw 61 cruise ships reaching Thessaloniki as a port of call, a 260 percent increase compared to 2021. This year, she said, some 70 scheduled arrivals are expected. Furthermore, Thessaloniki is to welcome its first cruise ship of the year on Friday, a result of TTO’s 2022 strategic synergies, which also included participation in the Seatrade Cruise Global, one of the industry’s most coveted international conferences; cruise-related print and digital listings; press trips; and cruise ships reception.…