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31. Greek-Turkish exploratory contacts with a deadline

In the wake of last month’s dangerous escalation of tension between Greece and Turkey, the two countries have laid the groundwork for exploratory contacts on the terms and conditions of a possible resumption of a dialogue, with Berlin having played a pivotal role in the rapprochement. ...

32. Stern warning issued to Turkish vessel

Amid heightened tensions, Greek military sources have told Kathimerini that if cables of the Turkish Oruc Reis seismic research vessel touch the Greek continental shelf, Turkey will have the “complete and exclusive” responsibility for what will follow....

33. EastMed a project of major geostrategic importance, Hatzidakis says

Lawmakers in Athens on Monday ratified, at the committee level, a deal for an undersea pipeline to carry gas from new offshore deposits in the southeastern Mediterranean to continental Europe signed by Greece, Cyprus and Israel earlier in the year....

34. The era of asymmetric threats

Kyriakos Mitsotakis would never have expected to star in a Greek edition of the perfect storm. Yet fate and events have put the Greek prime minister in charge of the country at a very crucial moment. He has shown determination in dealing with the migration/refugee issue, which has also bolstered his political image. The public was craving for a strong leader – a notion that was largely eclipsed by a sense of humiliation over the past 10 years....

35. Greece to speed up creation of migrant holding centers to ease tension

Greece plans to accelerate the creation of detention centers on its outlying islands in the Aegean Sea after a backlash against overcrowded camps by some migrants and nearby residents....

36. Greece elects first woman president

Greece’s parliament elected former Council of State head Katerina Sakellaropoulou as the country’s next president on Wednesday, a largely ceremonial role that also brings with it limited political powers...

37. Time to seek security guarantees

Diplomatic cliches rarely reflect reality, though in the case of Greek-American relations, they are indeed in the best place they have been in decades. ...

38. Looking for true followers

Surely it is time for Greece’s most affluent citizens to step up, not out of self-interest, but in order to help the country through this critical time. As it starts to recover from bankruptcy, the country finds itself with scant resources and huge needs in key areas. Virtually all sectors – including defense, health, education and culture – have been seriously impacted by successive waves of budget cuts, a situation that has been aggravated by the failure of Greek politicians to implement bold measures. ...

39. The next six months are crucial

Since July’s general election, there has been a sense of optimism regarding the country’s course, especially in business circles, inside and outside of Greece. As we learn in the first lessons in economics, climate is everything. At the moment, we have a winning combination of trust and euphoria...

40. Overtaxation led to tax evasion

Losses incurred by the state coffers due to tax evasion in 2014-17 were greater than the value-added tax revenue increase as a result of consecutive tax hikes, according to a European Commission report on the so-called VAT deficit (the difference between the expected VAT revenues and actual collections)...

41. Brussels piles on pressure over Greece-Cyprus-Israel electricity cable

Just when the Greek Energy Minister thought he could take a short August break, after a hectic first 30 days of the Mitsotakis administration, a stern warning from Brussels has exposed the wavering attitude that Athens has chosen by succumbing to pressure from the Chinese-controlled transmission system operator ADMIE over the Attica-Crete subsea electricity cable...

42. Substantive debate and ministers who listen

All of the participants on the Committee for Public Administration need to be applauded for the outcome. The former minister of administrative reform in the SYRIZA government, Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, publicly lauded the stance of State Minister George Gerapetritis, stressing that he showed a very creative and positive mood. ...

43. With courage and moderation

It is often said Greece’s post-dictatorship era ended with SYRIZA’s defeat. But how will we now close the accounts of the past and stop arguing about what happened 44 or 75 years ago? And how will Greece look ahead to resolve its accumulated problems – now we are done with ideological fixations and have lived the “dream” of the Left in power?...

44. Early signs of civility and consensus

Despite some natural degree of skirmishing and isolated criticism, rays of civility, consensus and cooperation are breaking out across the Greek political landscape. ...

45. David Harris: US closer to Greece, Cyprus, Israel

Washington recognizes Greece’s strategic value and reliability as an ally, attributes that only grow stronger as doubts deepen over Turkey’s stance, American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris tells Kathimerini in an interview...

46. Recovering lost ground

The government that has just taken power in Greece is different to what we are accustomed to and close to what a big chunk of the population is eager to see. The center-right administration appears well-prepared. The comparison is not only being made with SYRIZA, which was completely unprepared when it took over at a crucial period in 2015, but also with other supposedly experienced administrations before them. That said, in politics plans can be undone by unforeseen events. ...

47. Which way will SYRIZA go?

It will take a couple of months before we see what kind of style SYRIZA plans to adopt in its reprised role as the country’s main opposition party. For the time being at least, it appears willing to cut some slack to the new government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. ...

48. Mitsotakis, expectations and the need for unity

The coming weeks will naturally see an emphasis on New Democracy’s proposals on all the major issues, from the economy and security, to education and health. At the same time the new prime minister will have to strike a balance between the rival forces within his party’s ranks, combining the new with the old. ...

49. A wise verdict

The Greek people voted wisely, as they have done in the past. They have given Kyriakos Mitsotakis a comfortable majority and a strong mandate. A percentage so close to 40 percent is unprecedented in the years of the crisis, as is a government with an outright majority. ...

50. ND surges to power, promising change

51. The others were Merkel’s puppets, we were just naive

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras admitted to being naive enough to believe that his European counterparts, whose countries have loaned Greece billions of euros, would go easy on him...

52. Greek elections: The main questions

Who will win? This is usually the fundamental question in any election, but very few people seem to have doubts this time around. The outcome of the recent European Parliament election and the bolstered credibility of opinion polls make virtually everyone – both winners and losers in May’s Euro vote, both experts and ordinary voters – believe that New Democracy will win Sunday’s ballot....

53. ND maintains 9 point lead over SYRIZA in opinion poll for Skai

Just over a week before snap general elections, center-right opposition New Democracy is nine percentage points ahead of leftist SYRIZA, according to the results of a new opinion poll carried out by Pulse for Skai....

54. SYRIZA, Kotzias-led movement part ways

The political movement Pratto, led by former foreign minister Nikos Kotzias, on Wednesday announced that it was officially ending its cooperation with ruling SYRIZA and that it will not take part in next month’s national elections. It urged its followers to vote for progressive forces. ...

55. Prudence and moderation

56. Ahrweiler: History that teaches only one solution is a dangerous thing

57. The silent vote

58. Undiplomatic behavior

59. The election results and ND’s next challenge

60. A new chapter for Greece