Yiannis Stournaras in his first comments on politics, since taking over as central bank governor last month, said there were still downside risks to the economic outlook. He notes that political uncertainty around a presidential election scheduled for 2015 is the main risk to the debt-laden country's economic recovery.

Realtors are registering a boom in interest for holiday homes in Greece, especially in tourist areas and the islands. In some cases prices have reached pre-crisis levels, although sales are still at too low a level to gauge accurately.

A pioneering laboratory on “ancient DNA”, unique in Greece, which will contribute to international research, will start operating on Crete, where researchers of the Institute for Research Technology (IRT) and archaeologists will work to shed "light" on the historical continuity of the population of Crete, the origin of Minoans, and over time all inhabitants of the island, nd also the wealth and the origins of the Cretan diet.

The government is reportedly determined to proceed with the change of the trade union law by the end of 2014, after told to do so by the troika. Indeed, the promoted changes have, according to reports, been agreed upon with the lenders after the latest assessment of the Greek economy.