As of Sunday, May 1, the basic wage will increase by 7.5 pct, on top of the 2 pct increase introduced in January 2022, rising to 713 euros per month from 663 euros previously. The corresponding minimum daily wage will increase to 31.85 euros from 29.62 euros.
Ankara's dissatisfaction with Geoffrey Pyatt's reference to Greek-Turkish relations is expressed via twitter by the Turkish embassy in Athens.
The outgoing US Ambassador, Geoffrey Pyatt, spoke about the Greek-Turkish crisis of 2020 and revealed unknown aspects. According to him, Greece and Turkey reached the brink of conflict at that time and it was necessary, as he says, to "take action intensively to help to prevent things from getting out of control."
"What was happening was more dramatic than the image projected by the media," he said in an interview with Kathimerini.
According to Pyatt, "you heard US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo say we thought this was a very serious crisis and we worked hard to help keep things under control. Conditions are much better today, despite the continuing unacceptable activities, the overflights, the rhetorical exaggerations, the silly statements questioning the sovereignty of the islands, which from the American side is indisputable."
"The strategic landscape around the Aegean, the Black Sea, Asia Minor has changed dramatically since February 24, and I think the developments in Ukraine make it more important for the US to do what it can to ensure that Turkey will behave as a good NATO ally towards all its neighbors. "This is not the time for distractions, whether created by politics, rhetoric or military maneuvers."
Regarding security guarantees, the outgoing US Ambassador to Athens points out that "there is Article 5. You have heard from President Biden a very clear commitment to it and the willingness to provide American forces, equipment and funds to strengthen and to defend this guarantee ".
Asked if it could be implemented "even if the threat comes from within the Alliance", Mr Pyatt said: "Article 5 is the cornerstone of everything we do in terms of our security relationship with the Greece and NATO ".
Ahead of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's visit to Washington and meeting with Joe Biden, Mr Pyatt said he was aware of the importance for Greece of the invitation for the US President himself and to the US Government as a whole.
He added that they would discuss, among other things, the ongoing efforts with allies and partners to support the Ukrainian people and impose financial sanctions on Russia for its unprovoked invasion, energy security and cooperation with Greece on natural gas.
The exhibition "Open Horizons - Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections", a collaboration between the National Archaeological Museum and the Melbourne Museum, was inaugurated in the presence of the Prime Minister of the State of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, the Archbishop of Australia, Makarios, the Greek Culture and Sports Minister Lina Mendoni, as well as ministers, expatriate deputies and a crowd of people, the culture ministry said in an announcement.
A 4.5 on the Richter scale earthquake was recorded at 17.01 (15.01 GMT) northeast of the Miamous site on the large Aegean island of Crete, or some 40 kilometers south of the port city of Iraklio.
A prosecutor serving on a supreme court judicial council on Friday recommended the referral to trial of former minister Nikos Pappas on a charge of dereliction of duty, related to his actions during a controversial tender in 2016 for nationwide broadcast licenses in Greece.
Hellenic Public Properties Co ((HPPC) is inviting an expression of interest for the lease of parts of old seashores (163 properties) in 20 prefectures of the country.
Specifically, the purpose of the invitation is the lease for the years 2022-2024 with the possibility of extension for two years (2025-2026) of the following properties in the following Prefectures:
This call is addressed to two categories of stakeholders:
- First, to all natural or legal persons who are engaged in business in real estate adjacent to the specific real estate and wish to lease their adjacent parts.
- Secondly, to all natural or legal persons who wish to operate in a section or sections of the specific properties, which will not be leased to interested parties of the first category.
Anyone interested can express their interest in more than one department. Hellenic Public Properties Co will, as a matter of priority, conclude lease agreements with the interested parties of the first category. In the second phase, after the completion of the process of the first category, Hellenic Public Properties Co will conclude lease agreements with the other interested parties.
The deadline for the submission of applications by the first category of interested parties is set for May 25, 2022. Respectively, the deadline for the submission of applications for the second category of interested parties is set for June 15, 2022.
Interested parties are invited to submit the necessary supporting documents within the exclusive deadline.
For more information, interested parties can visit the website of Hellenic Public Properties Co at www.hppc.gr and specifically the category Announcements-Invitations here: https://hppc.gr/category/prokiryxeis-proskliseis/
Bulgaria purchased gas for the period from April 27 to 30 and for the month of May, replacing the flows that were lost after the cessation of supplies from Russia, two sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
Archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of a temple of the ancient Greek god Zeus on the Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian authorities said on Monday.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias hosted a farewell dinner in honor of outgoing US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt.
Never before in US history has a Prime Minister of Greece addressed a Joint Meeting of the US Congress. Such an historic address will take place by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on May 17. In addition, Mitsotakis will join only 8 other world leaders who have addressed a Joint Meeting of Congress since 2015. They include: Pope Francis, the Prime Ministers of India, Japan and Israel, and the Presidents of Afghanistan, France and Ukraine and the NATO Secretary General.
King Philip and Queen Mathilde of Belgium will pay an official visit to Greece from 2 to 4 May.
The immediate and strict reaction of Athens to the Turkish provocations with the barrage of overflights over the Aegean islands had a double target.
On the one hand it is a message to Turkey that these practices will not be tolerated and on the other a signal to the partners in the EU and especially in NATO that Ankara will not be allowed to redeem its upgraded role in the alliance, due to the war in Ukraine, at the expense of Greece
Mitsotakis's phone call to Stoltenberg - "Unacceptable behavior by a NATO ally"
Hence Kyriakos Mitsotakis's phone call to Jens Stoltenberg in which he made it clear that "this behavior by a NATO ally in NATO's East Wing is simply unacceptable and undermines European security as well as the unity and purpose of the Alliance." Government officials estimate that Turkey, through its mediating role in the Russia-Ukraine war, is trying to upgrade its role within NATO and re-engage European countries and the United States. To take advantage of the current situation and to present to partners the important role it can play in the region and in similar crises, while exerting pressure to achieve some of its revisionist objectives. Athens immediately anticipated the danger and raised its tone, reminding at the same time that Turkey has not complied with any of the sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU. and from all other NATO members.
Turkey throws the positive momentum ut the window
With this behavior, Turkey throws attempt to lower tones between the two countries out the window and the positive momentum that had been created after the Mitsotakis-Erdogan meeting in Istanbul. During the day before yesterday, in an unprecedented crescendo of provocation, Turkish fighters made 41 overflights over 21 Greek islands, including Samos, Kalymnos, Kos, Rhodes, Karpathos, Leros, Megisti, and Imia. The Greek side will not allow this to continue, as competent sources say, Turkey to bargain its role in the Western Alliance to the detriment of Greece's national interests. The two protests of the Foreign Ministry are a warning that a new aggression from Ankara will not be tolerated and as Nikos Dendias stated "it is a blatant violation of International Law and with the unilateral responsibility of Turkey, these actions create a climate of special tension".
"We will not fall into the trap of the other side"
At the same time, however, government sources stress that Athens will not lose its temper by falling into a possible trap laid by Turkey. It will highlight the delinquent behavior in all international fora, but without giving the right to Ankara to press any reaction of Greece to further escalate the situation. Mr Mitsotakis's associates also see an attempt by the Turkish president to export tensions to address internal problems, especially as he enters an election year.
As it is clear, in these circumstances, the climate is not suitable for the meetings on the Confidence Building Measures to take place with the Greek side freezing the process.
The agreements of the Air Services of Greece with Chile and Egypt, signed in Athens, on May 27, 2021, and on December 8, 2015, respectively, were submitted to Parliament for ratification.