Latest News from Greece
Six Nigrita prison guards remanded in custody
Six guards from Nigrita Prison in northern Greece were remanded in custody on Tuesday after facing Serres magistrate Georgia Toutountzi as part of an ongoing probe into the death of Ilie Kareli, an Albanian prisoner. Another two guards were conditionally released.
Euro bonds ignore growth concern on ECB before Greece sells debt
Lucy Meakin & David Goodman
Europes worsening growth prospects are losing significance for bond investors as bets the European Central Bank will begin asset-purchase stimulus measures boost demand for the regions higher-yielding bonds.
Greece's imminent bond return set to provide next peripheral fillip
By John Geddie
Greece's imminent return to bond markets just two years after a massive debt restructuring, expected as early as Wednesday, lifted investor appetite for riskier credits which has stalled over the last couple of days.
Jumbo's nine-month sales rise 7.6 percent
Greece's largest toy seller Jumbo reported a 7.6 percent rise in sales for the nine months to March on Wednesday thanks to double-digit growth in Cyprus and Bulgaria.
The figure is higher than the company's outlook for an increase in sales of between four and six percent in the 12 months to June 2014.
Greece’s return to bond market eased by banks, Provopoulos says
Nikos Chrysoloras & Christos Ziotis
Greek lenders success last month in raising funds from foreign investors shows the government can reach its goal of returning to bond markets, said George Provopoulos, the countrys central-bank chief.
Greece prepares as much as $688 million of real estate for sale
By Sharon Smyth
Greece is preparing a property portfolio valued at as much as 500 million euros ($689 million) to offer to investors by the end of this year, according to the head of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund.
Greece seeks Swiss co-operation in hunt for tax cheats
Greece seeks Swiss co-operation in hunt for tax cheats
Athens is asking for assistance to identify Greek citizens who are using Switzerland as a tax haven.
The Greek government wants to inspect secret foreign bank accounts of tax evaders such as those in the HSBC bank. [AFP]
Greece said to plan sale of five-year notes via banks Wednesday
Greece is planning to announce a sale of five-year notes via banks on Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the matter, as the country that sparked Europes sovereign debt crisis returns from a bond-market exile.
Greece sells 6-month T-bills at cheapest cost in four years
Greece on Tuesday sold six-month treasury paper at the cheapest borrowing cost since its debt crisis began in early 2010, most of it to foreign buyers.
The sale will act as a fillip to a planned return to longer-term bond markets in the first half of the year after a four-year absence.
Mosque Project Divides Opinion in Greece
Greece has an "international obligation" to build a mosque in its capital, Athens Mayor has argued, amid opposition and parts of society's criticism at the project.
Over 60% Of Bulgarians Have Never Been To Another EU Country
The Bulgarians have travelled the least in other EU countries, compared to the other Europeans, shows an Eurobarometer survey.
It was done in the end of January 2014 and in it took part 27 739 citizens of EU countries.
Greece Braces for Media Protest, General Strike
Media employees and port workers will stage a nationwide strike in Greece on Tuesday, a day ahead of a 24-hour general strike against austerity measures.
The media sector demands new collective contracts, as well as an end to mass layoffs and delays of salaries, as the website Dnevnik.bg has reported.
Bond issue on track this week
Despite more relaxed official statements, the Finance Ministry is gearing up for return to the markets
By Sotiris Nikas
Athens will issue its first bonds in four years later this week and will only sell them to foreign investors, sources have suggested.
Nigrita jail guards face magistrate over torture death
Eight guards from Nigrita Prison in northern Greece are due to appear before a magistrate Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into the death of Albanian inmate Ilie Kareli, believed to be a victim of torture.
Public payroll cut by 8 bln euros
Unveiling the governments plan to push forward a delayed overhaul of the civil service on Monday, Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the public sector has shed 200,000 employees over the past four years, reducing the state payroll for civil servants by 8 billion euros.