Greece qualifies for new debt relief after 2013 budget surplus

BRUSSELS/ATHENS Wed Apr 23, 2014 7:59am EDT

(Reuters) - Greece is set to obtain more debt relief from its international lenders after European officials confirmed on Wednesday that Athens had topped its fiscal targets and achieved a budget surplus in 2013.

Wednesday's announcement come on the fourth anniversary of Greece's official request for a bailout after it lost access to global bond markets. Earlier this month, Greece returned to the markets with the sale of five-year bonds.

The budget surplus is a sign of the progress Greece has made to fix its finances after four years of tough bailout-imposed austerity that wiped out almost a quarter of its GDP and sent unemployment to record highs of almost 28 percent.

Greece Expects New Record in Tourist Arrivals: Minister

By Eleni Chrepa  Apr 15, 2014 12:55 PM GMT+0300

Bloomberg

Greece’s successful return to bond markets is the most recent in a series of “positive messages” for the economy that included the country posting a record year for tourism and forecasting an even stronger 2014, Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said.

“We have left the big difficulties behind us,” Kefalogianni said in an interview yesterday. “The trend is now turning and we’ll see the Greek economy start recovering this year.”

Greece posts wider primary budget surplus in Jan-Feb

ATHENS, March 11 Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:40am EDT

Reuters

(Reuters) - Greece's central government posted a primary budget surplus, before interest payments, of 2.1 billion euros ($2.91 billion) in the first two months of the year, compared to a surplus of 487 million euros in the same period last year, deputy finance minister Christos Staikouras said on Tuesday.

This is far above an interim target for a surplus in Jan-Feb of 1.047 billion euros. The figure excludes the budgets of social security organisations and local administration.

Year of the PIIGS? Greece leads 2014 stock market league table

Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain have been the best performers in Europe so far in 2014

By Kyle Caldwell4:15PM GMT 25 Feb 2014

The Telegraph

Backers of the UK stock market are celebrating a steady start for the FTSE 100 in 2014 and a challenge of its 1999 all-time high of 6930. But its marginal gain of 1.3pc since the start of year is dwarfed by gains from some of the eurozone's most troubled economies.

Data from Russell Investments, an asset management firm, show Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Greece have been the best performers in Europe so far in 2014.

Greece resumes protracted bailout talks with lenders

BY HARRY PAPACHRISTOU AND LEFTERIS PAPADIMAS

ATHENS Mon Feb 24, 2014 3:02am EST

(Reuters) - Greece resumes bailout talks with its international lenders on Monday, hoping to end six months of wrangling over the release of new rescue loans it needs to avoid default.

At stake is the disbursement of funds to repay 9.3 billion of bonds maturing in May, the biggest single debt redemption Greece faces in the next three decades, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon data.

The review by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund has dragged on since September, with disagreements about the extent of savings and reforms Athens must make to comply with the terms of its bailout.

Earthquake strikes off western coast of Greece, USGS says

By Jethro Mullen, CNN

February 3, 2014 -- Updated 0957 GMT (1757 HKT)

(CNN) -- A magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck off the western coast of Greece early Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The quake hit near the island of Cephalonia, roughly 300 kilometers (185 miles) west of Athens, at a depth of about 14 kilometers (9 miles), the USGS said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Europe Puts Pressure on Greece to Meet Budget Targets

The New York Times

By DAVID JOLLYJAN. 27, 2014

BRUSSELS — European officials sought on Monday to keep the pressure on Greece to honor its previously agreed spending and privatization targets as they wrestled with the need to help Athens bridge a funding gap that could reach €15 billion over the next two years.

Greece declares emergency on quake-hit islands

The Washington Post

By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, January 27, 8:30 PM

ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s government announced emergency relief for the residents of the Ionian islands of Kefalonia and Ithaki on Monday, a day after they were hit by a strong earthquake that caused damage and slightly injured seven people.

Sunday’s quake, whose magnitude the Athens Geodynamic Institute revised to 5.9 from the preliminary 5.8, was followed by dozens of aftershocks that continued through Monday.

Greece holds investigation into migrants’ drowning

By Associated Press, Published: January 23

ATHENS, Greece — Greek judicial authorities said Thursday they are investigating the deadly sinking of a migrant boat that was being towed by a coast guard vessel, as officials denied survivors’ claims that officers badly mishandled the operation.

The small fishing boat crammed with 28 people had entered Greece illegally from Turkey. The Coast Guard said it was towing the boat to the small Aegean Sea island of Farmakonissi when it capsized and sank Monday leaving two people dead and another 10 — mostly children — missing and feared drowned.

Survivors who arrived in Athens claimed Thursday the boat was being led at speed to nearby Turkish waters to be abandoned. They said Coast Guard crew ignored their pleas to take the women and children on their boat before the accident, and then allegedly stood by as passengers struggled in rough seas.

Greece's anti-austerity Syriza party widens lead over conservatives

ATHENS Wed Jan 22, 2014 3:48am EST

(Reuters) - Greece's main opposition Syriza party has widened its lead over the ruling conservatives, a poll found on Wednesday, but most Greeks said they do not trust any party to rule the country.

The poll by Public Issue for the Efimerida Ton Syntakton newspaper found the anti-austerity party would get 31.5 percent of the vote if elections were held now, giving it a 3.5 percentage-point lead over Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's New Democracy.

Local and European Parliament elections will be held in May and Syriza, which has vowed to tear up the multi-billion euro international bailout agreement keeping Greece afloat, hopes a strong showing will strengthen its call for early elections.

Greek extremist Christodoulos Xiros threatens government

20 January 2014 Last updated at 16:28 GMT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25811535

BBC

A Greek fugitive who disappeared while on prison leave has threatened the government with armed action, accusing it of ruining the country with austerity measures.

Christodoulos Xiros, who was convicted in 2003 of belonging to the far-left November 17 organisation, has vowed to return to arms.

He was serving six life sentences for bombings and shootings.

He vanished in January while on leave from prison to visit his family.

Can Privatization Save the Treasures of Ancient Greece?

Greece

TIME

By Charlotte McDonald-Gibson/Ancient Nemea Jan. 18, 2014

In the wake of government austerity, some closest to Greece's treasures are advocating turning them over to private companies

Many objects dug from the earth or drawn from the legends of Nemea could be used to promote the ancient Greek site: the mythological Nemean Lion slain by Hercules in the first of his seven feats; weights lifted by competitors during its ancient athletics; the bronze statue of the baby Opheltes, whose death is said to have inspired the games which rivaled those at Olympia further west.

Greece’s Bond Plans May Be Wishful Thinking

January 16, 2014, 9:12 AM ET

ByEmese Bartha

The Wall Street Journal

Greece wants to make a new start.

Boasting its first primary budget surplus in a decade, the country at the center of the European debt crisis wants to sell government bonds–possibly in the second half of the year–for the first time since the spring of 2010.

Various high-ranking Greek officials have expressed their wish to bring the country back to the debt markets. Most recently, finance minister Yannis Stournaras spoke about this at a briefing with foreign journalists who visited Athens last week as Greece took over the European Union’s helm.

Canada's Eldorado does not see Perama approved before elections

Thu, Jan 16 2014

(Reuters) - Eldorado Gold Corp's Perama Hill project in Greece is not likely to be approved before local elections scheduled for mid-year, the gold miner said on Thursday.

The last time the Vancouver-based company gave an estimate for the project's environmental impact assessment, their timetable was the second half of 2013.

Insight: Gold mine stirs hope and anger in shattered Greece

Mon, Jan 13 2014

By Deepa Babington and Lefteris Papadimas

OURANOUPOLI, Greece (Reuters) - A Canadian quest to mine for gold in the lush forests of northern Greece is testing the government's resolve to prove Europe's most ravaged economy is open again for business.

The Skouries mine on Halkidiki peninsula - a landscape of pristine beaches and rolling hills dotted with olive groves - is among the biggest investments in Greece since it sank into a debt crisis four years ago.

But it has set Greece's desperate need for finance to rebuild the economy against the interests of its vital tourism industry, and aroused anger on the peninsula - site of the famed Mount Athos monasteries - over the environmental cost.

Greece Takes EU Helm, Still Focused on Self

Six-Month Presidency Could be Overshadowed by Demands of Bailout

By MATINA STEVIS

Updated Jan. 9, 2014 2:26 p.m. ET

Greece's turn at the helm of the European Union, a largely administrative role that rotates every six months, could find itself overshadowed by something close to home: Greece's own bailout.

According to EU etiquette, the country holding the presidency is expected to leave aside its national agenda and focus on managing legislative drafts and negotiations, wearing a neutral, EU hat. That option isn't available to Athens.

Greece Dreams of Bond Sale in Rally From Ireland to Portugal

By Neal Armstrong and David Goodman - Jan 9, 2014

Europe’s financial markets are picking up where they left off 2013, extending a rally in bonds and stocks that’s making the region’s sovereign debt crisis little more than a fading memory.

Ireland sold bonds this week, returning to financial markets after completing a three-year bailout program. Portugal -- another aid recipient -- is holding a sale today. Banks in Spain and other periphery countries have never been able to borrow as cheaply as they can now. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index of stocks closed at its highest level since May 2008 yesterday and the euro is about its strongest since 2011 against the dollar.

Greek Police Hunt for Convicted Terrorist Who Disappeared on Furlough

January 7, 2014

The New York Times

By NIKI KITSANTONIS

ATHENS — The Greek authorities on Tuesday began a nationwide search for a convicted member of the dismantled November 17 group, once the country’s deadliest guerrilla organization, after he failed to report to the police during a prison furlough, fueling fears of a resurgence of political violence.

Greece to overhaul defense buying after scandal

BY HARRY PAPACHRISTOU

ATHENS Fri Jan 3, 2014 12:15pm EST

(Reuters) - Greece will overhaul arms procurement to make it more transparent, Defense Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said on Friday, after a wide-ranging corruption inquiry led to the arrest of a former defense official and two arms dealers.

Heavy arms spending was one of the reasons Athens piled up debt and had to be rescued with European Union and IMF bailouts totaling 240 billion euros ($328 billion) in 2010 and 2012.

These were accompanied by strict conditions that have increased poverty and unemployment, so the scandal has touched a raw nerve with many Greeks.

GREECE - Factors to Watch on January 3

Fri Jan 3, 2014 8:44am GMT

ATHENS, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press

reports and events, which may affect Greek financial markets on

Friday:

   

    EUROBANK PROPERTIES BUYS COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IN ATHENS,

THESSALONIKI