Stelios Petsas

Athens will host the ceremony for the UEFA Player of the Year Award in October, along with the draws for the European Cups' group stages for the 2020-2021 season, government spokesman Stelios Petsas announced on Wednesday.

Greece reopened to more international flights on Monday as the tourist season formally got under way, with the aim to strike what government spokesman Stelios Petsas described as a delicate balance between an "authentic" travel experience and the safety of visitors.

As Greece reopened to more international flights on Monday to start a belated summer season, the government said it is aiming to strike a delicate balance between an "authentic" travel experience and the safety of visitors.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will hold a teleconference with the chairman of EU leaders Charles Michel on Thursday afternoon to discuss the EU's long term budget and the effectiveness of the EU's Operation Irini that aims to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio on Tuesday inked a maritime borders agreement delimiting an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between the two countries.

Greece's economic slump was not as bad as expected, government spokedman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday, following the release of the GDP data by the country's statistics service (ELSTAT).

"Greece had a significantly lower recession than expected, as the GDP for the first quarter decreased by 0.9 percent," government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday.

Greece will pay for the accommodation of any tourist who tests positive for the coronavirus during their visit, government spokesman Stelios Petsas told journalists on Monday.

Greece denounced on Friday a decision by Turkey to hold a "fiestas" outside Istanbul's Byzantine-era cathedral Hagia Sophia during Friday's prayers on the anniversary of the city's 1453 conquest by Ottoman troops.

As education authorities mull the reopening of primary schools, with a decision expected on Monday, Kathimerini understands that a plan for the reopening of state kindergartens and creches could involve the installation of prefabricated buildings in school grounds to guard against overcrowding in classrooms from September. 

The conservative government has once again denied reports that Turkish troops entered Greek territory near the Evros River, while vowing to speed up the construction of a border fence to the southern section of the river.