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PM calls for emergency security meeting following US strikes on Iran [InTime News]
Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for an emergency meeting of the Government Council on Foreign and Defense Affairs (KYSEA), Greece’s top decision-making body on foreign and defense policy, on Sunday following the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities by the United States Air Force. “What is needed now is restraint and a return to dialogue. Further escalation will only deepen instability in an already extremely volatile region”, said the prime minister in his weekly press briefing, adding that the issue will be addressed at the upcoming NATO summit. Earlier in the week, the country’s military leadership relocated an undisclosed number of Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Crete, to provide anti-ballistic protection to United States assets at Souda Bay. However, the prime minister emphatically ruled out the possibility of an Iranian strike on Crete. “Obviously the Armed Forces examine scenarios, they are ready for any eventuality. However, I tell you explicitly and categorically that such a possibility does not appear and does not exist on the horizon”, he said in a radio interview. At the same time, diplomatic tensions between Greece and Libya flared up again this week following an invitation by the former for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation in maritime areas south of Crete. The government in Tripoli, leaning on the null Memorandum of Understanding it has signed with Turkey, claimed that Greece was violating Libyan sovereignty by proceeding with surveys in areas granted to Libya by the delimitation with Turkey. This much could have been expected, with Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis emphasizing in response that Greece “will safeguard our sovereign rights over the maritime zones in the field, as our national interests dictate”. However, in a concerning development for Greek foreign policy in the North African country, the rival government in Benghazi, that had been traditionally seen as a Greek ally and a counterweight to Turkey’s influence in Tripoli, also called on Greece to refrain from conducting exploratory operations south of Crete. In a statement, the Benghazi government notes that it is an “innate and inalienable right of Libya to explore and exploit hydrocarbons in its internationally recognized maritime areas”, adding that “escalation by Greece would exacerbate tensions in the Mediterranean and obstruct efforts to promote stability”. Gerapetritis is set to visit both Tripoli and Benghazi in the coming weeks, in an effort to resolve the diplomatic impasse. Spotlight
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 [ΙnTime News]Five months after Donald Trump took office, America still has no ambassador in Athens. This is a problematic situation, both for bilateral relations and for regional security. Kimberly Guilfoyle has completed the necessary diplomatic training and should already be in Athens. No matter how you look at it, the void makes it difficult for the US to cooperate smoothly with Greece at an extremely sensitive time when military operations are underway in the wider region, in which the US is directly, or indirectly involved and American interests are at stake. At a time when in neighboring Turkey, Tom Barrack, the new ambassador appointed by President Trump at the same time as Guilfoyle, has not only been in Ankara for months, but is also charting new paths in US-Turkish relations, the embassy in Athens remains headless and waiting… Mr. Barrack recently stated that Turkey is in “a very difficult region”, and to underline the country’s importance for the US in this environment, he mentioned in order “Greece, Cyprus, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Gulf countries, China”. In contrast, in Athens there is no official of the same institutional status and with lines of communication to the White House and Congress to highlight Greece’s potential role as a strategically located reliable ally. There is, of course, a chargé d’ affaires who carries out her duties in a professional manner – as will her replacement, also a career diplomat who is knowledgeable and respected – however, the absence of an ambassador has a huge impact, both substantive and communicative. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that President Trump is acting unconventionally and, therefore, to a significant extent, the continuity that traditionally characterized the American diplomatic presence in a NATO ally such as Greece does not exist. In this light, no one knows for sure whether and to what extent what the embassy is doing today reflects the desires, goals and policies for the future of the current US administration. And this de facto hinders institutional cooperation between the two countries regarding current developments, but also – even more so – long-term planning in a wide range of actions, from diplomacy, energy, and investments to people to people contacts and even education. Washington cannot afford to be underrepresented in an important piece of the geopolitical puzzle of Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. The White House and Congress must complete the institutional process as soon as possible and the US embassy in Athens must begin functioning as it should. |
 Prospective house buyers are increasingly looking to smaller and older properties, with 46% of transactions last year concerning properties smaller than 75 square meters. This trend is even more prominent in the capital region of Attica, where prices are higher, with 49.5% of sold properties being smaller than 75 square meters. “Buyers seem to be consistently moving towards more flexible, more economical, and more functional homes”, notes the analysis of RE/MAX Greece, noting that these properties combine a lower purchasing cost and fewer maintenance costs. Attica also leads the country in the percentage of buyers looking to older properties to cut costs, with 82.9% of transactions dealing with homes built more than 20 years ago compared to a nationwide average of 66.1%. |
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| “The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,802.06 points this week, down 1.82% from last week.” |
| “Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Greece in 2024 stood at 7.3 billion dollars, an increase of 41.5% compared to the previous year and the country’s best performance since 2019. The real estate sector continues to be one of the prime drivers of FDI, but was boosted by several large transactions this year including the purchase of additional Athens International Airport shares by AviAlliance.” |
| “While the average salary in Greece has increased by 28% between 2020 and 2024, according to the Labor Ministry’s ‘Ergani’ data system, income tax over the same period has increased by 118%. The Finance Ministry is reportedly looking at ways to ensure that any increase in an individual’s nominal salary or pension will not result in a multiple increase in income tax.” |
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Editor's Pick In recent years, most Cycladic islands have indeed become prohibitively expensive for Greek families. But maybe the real question isn’t whether they can still go, but whether they still want to.Read the article |
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