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1081. EU interior ministers to pledge ‘all necessary measures’ to stop illegal crossings

EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels on Wednesday will pledge “all necessary measures” to prevent illegal crossings into the bloc’s external borders, according to a draft of their conclusions seen by Kathimerini, which also calls upon Turkey to abide by the terms of a 2016 deal to stem flows in the Aegean....

1082. Turkish FM alleges three migrants killed trying to cross Greek border

A war of words between Ankara and Athens over the migrant crisis escalated on Tuesday when Turkey’s foreign minister said without providing evidence that Greek soldiers had killed three migrants attempting to enter the country, a claim denied by Greece....

1083. Greek army, police dig in along Turkey border after migrant clashes

Greek troops and riot police remained on high alert on Tuesday along the land border between Greece and Turkey, the main flashpoint in an escalating row between the EU and Ankara over how to deal with a new wave of migrants and refugees....

1084. Greece reports fourth COVID-19 case, Eurozone says 'ready to act'

As health authorities confirmed the fourth case of coronavirus in Greece on Friday, the Greek government pressed forward with its drive to contain its spread. ...

1085. Greek border crackdown amid concerns over Turkey

Greek government sources on Friday stressed that authorities are boosting security at the country’s border following reports that Turkey will no longer stop Syrian refugees from traveling to Europe....

1086. Greek islanders strike over new migrant camps, government says no alternative

Greek island residents went on strike for a second day on Thursday, stepping up protests against government plans for new migrant camps on five islands after violent clashes with police....

1087. Greece reports two new coronavirus cases

Greece reported two new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to three, and said it would suspend all carnival celebrations in the country....

1088. Greece confirms first coronavirus case

Greece reported its first coronavirus case on Wednesday in the northern port city of Thessaloniki....

1089. Greek and French Defence Ministers declare united front

Greek and French Defence Ministers, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Florence Parly, denounced Turkey’s illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean during their meeting in Athens on Monday....

1090. Greek Government to proceed with new island camps, despite reactions

The Greek government is determined to move ahead with its plan to build new holding facilities for migrants and refugees as part of a plan to accelerate asylum procedures and deportations on the five islands hosting camps, its spokesman said on Tuesday, amid reactions to the scheme from island residents....

1091. France stands by Greece and Cyprus, says French Defense Minister

France will stand by Greece and Cyprus, supporting both in their disputes with Turkey over maritime zones in the Mediterranean, French Defence Minister Florence Parly was quoted saying in a Greek newspaper on Sunday....

1092. Pressed in Syria, Turkey ups the ante in the East Med

1093. Cavusoglu: Greece must be prepared to share in the East Med

Turkey is willing to reach a compromise with Greece as long as the latter is prepared to share in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday....

1094. Greece, US hold live-fire drill after major base deal

At the foot of Mount Olympus, army aviation forces from Greece and the United States are taking part in a live-fire exercise with attack helicopters, marking deepening defense ties between the two countries....

1095. Cyprus and 8 EU countries object to new rules of mobility package on commercial vehicles

Implications of a new rule included in the EU mobility package currently under negotiation, whereby commercial vehicles, lorries, and trucks will be required to return to their licensing Member State every eight weeks, were raised on Wednesday by Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos and several of his counterparts to the Commission Vice President and Commissioner for Transport....

1096. Port authority crews reportedly harassed by Turkish coast guard off Kastelorizo

The Turkish coast guard reportedly harassed vessels of the Greek port Authority and military as they prepared on Tuesday to collect migrants and refugees on board a dinghy near the islet of Strongyli off the coast of the southeastern Aegean island of Kastelorizo....

1097. Disy President holds meeting with Greek FM in Athens

1098. Cyprus a central hub of European match-fixing network

An extensive and revealing report published in the Spanish news outfit El Confidencial identified Cyprus match-fixing as a central hub of European football corruption....

1099. Amid tension, Greece, Turkey hold military-to-military talks

A delegation of Turkish military officials is due in Athens to resume confidence-building talks amid tension between the two NATO members over maritime oil-and-gas drilling rights....

1100. Greek-US ties and the East Med

By Lieutenant General Thomas Trask On the occasion of his meeting last month with President Donald Trump in Washington, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis remarked how the US-Greece relationship “is the best it ever was. But it can become even better.”...

1101. At least 129 detained in large police sweep after shooting in downtown Athens

At least 129 people had been detained in downtown Athens by Friday afternoon as part of an ongoing police operation to find the culprits behind a shooting that left one dead and one injured in what authorities believe is a turf war between competing criminal gangs....

1102. One dead, one injured in clash in central Athens

Shots were fired on the junction of Menandrou and Sofokleous streets in Athens, Greek media reported on Wednesday....

1103. Athens drafts package to ease tension with Anakara

Athens plans to present a package of proposals to ease Aegean tensions in talks with Ankara on confidence building measures on February 17-21....

1104. Israeli FM director-general in Athens for talks

Israel’s Foreign Ministry director-general Yuval Rotem will visit Athens Wednesday for talks with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and other officials, the Israeli embassy announced....

1105. US president hails close ties between Washington and Athens

1106. Greek Defence minister denies Erdogan's phone talk claims on Imia

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos rejected on Thursday claims by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he sent a message to Greece through Defence Minister Hulusi Akar not to make any “move” over the eastern Aegean islets of Imia, for which the two countries were brought to the brink of war twenty-four years ago....

1107. Greek, Turkish defense ministers hold telephone conversation ahead of NATO meeting

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar held a telephone conversation Wednesday ahead of the meeting of NATO ministers of defense in Brussels February 12-13, Kathimerini reports....

1108. Dendias: Athens, Rome view Turkey-Libya MoU as 'illegal, groundless'

After a meeting on Tuesday with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday that Athens and Rome both view the memorandum of understanding between Turkey and the Tripoli-based government of Libya on maritime borders as “illegal and groundless”....

1109. Cypriot leaders vow to fight virus together

The two Cypriot leaders of divided Cyprus co-chaired a health meeting on Monday and agreed to increase cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus...

1110. Greece not trying to create ‘anti-Turkish front,’ Greek FM says

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias says Greece is not trying to drum up opposition against Turkey but rather support for what is reasonable and would enable more cooperation in the Mediterranean....