Latest News from Greece

Rise in Greek airport arrivals buoys hopes for 18.5 mln tourists this year

The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) said on Monday that it is confident Greece will meet its target of attracting 18.5 million visitors, generating 13 billion euros in revenues, this year.

R&I raises Greek sovereign rating to B- from CC

Japanese ratings agency R&I has upgraded Greece to B- from CC, while retaining a stable outlook.

Migrants who survived Samos boat sinking arrive in Athens

The 32 migrants who survived their boat capsizing off Samos last week, an incident in which 22 people lost their lives and another seven have yet to be found, have arrived in Athens.

Finance Ministry expects Q1 GDP contraction of less than 1.5 pct

The Greek economy shrank by less than 1.5 percent in the first quarter of this year, Greek Finance Ministry sources have told the media ahead of confirmation by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) later this week.

SYRIZA secures 'New Greece' domain amid rumors of New Democracy renaming

SYRIZA has stolen a march on New Democracy by registering the domain name for Nea Ellada (New Greece), amid suggestions that the conservative party was considering adopting this moniker.

Greek Supreme Court allows Golden Dawn to run in European elections

Greece's Supreme Court has allowed neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn to participate in upcoming European Parliament elections, a party lawyer said on Sunday.

The authorisation came despite an ongoing criminal probe against the political party, six of whose lawmakers including its leader are in prison awaiting trial.

Airlines seize on tourism rise in Greece

By Alexandra Kassimi

Air seats to Greece have increased by 10 percent this year as not only are low-fare airlines choosing the country as a destination despite Athens International Airports high costs, but established carriers are now returning to the countrys airspace in response to its growing tourism figures.

Greeks cut spending to go on holiday

By Stathis Kousounis

Greeks are reining in their spending on entertainment and clothes in order to save money for vacations more than people in any other country, according to an international survey conducted by TripAdvisor to record trends at international, regional and local levels.

Drachma lobby needs to go

By Alexis Papachelas

Election campaigning heats up in Greece

With just a week to go before local authority elections and two weeks before elections for the European Parliament, party leaders ratcheted up their campaigning over the weekend as new opinion polls put New Democracy, which leads the ruling coalition, and the left-wing opposition SYRIZA neck and neck.

‘No change’ to IMF plan for loan talks, fiscal gap

The board of the International Monetary Fund, one of Greeces three international creditors, is to convene before the end of this month as planned to approve the release of a 3.6-billion-euro tranche of pending rescue funding, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Saturday, rejecting press reports suggesting the meeting would be delayed.