The notion that the US ambassador in Athens was a victim of surveillance by Greek intelligence services during his tenure as foreign minister was put forward by PASOK historic cadre Theodoros Pangalos.

Athens is now at the focus of the ongoing NSA eavesdropping saga, as German weekly "Der Spiegel" names the US Embassy in Athens as one of the covert eavesdropping centers.

The military parade in Thessaloniki has been characterized a "huge" issue by German media.

"I did not sign the agreement [the memorandum], I inherited it. Therefore, I must enforce it, Layoffs will take place. This is a binding agreement," was the message sent by government reform minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in an interview with Belgian daily "La Libre Belgique."