The visit of the Prime Minister to Ankara on May 13 may have been blocked, but the visit of the Egyptian president is equally important Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, which she also booked for May 20 in Athens. Sisi heads a large government delegation in the framework of the Greek-Egyptian strategic dialogue.
The entire Egyptian Council of Ministers will be in the Greek capital, led by President Sisi, while they will be accompanied by the Egyptian commander of the secret services. And all this just 20 days before the crucial European elections. This is the most typical step in the upgraded Greek-Egyptian relations. The discussions to be held in Athens include a wide range of government policies and partnerships, from education and culture to the economy, maritime zones and immigration.
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Of course, President Sisi is coming to Athens at a time when immigration flows from Egypt are increasing, as a result of which the Prime Minister is sending the Minister of Immigration to Cairo as an emergency Dimitris Kairides with the aim of the closest possible cooperation between the two sides in the fight against illegal immigration and the strengthening of legal immigration.
In continuation of the bilateral interstate agreement signed two years ago between the two countries and now being activated and expanded. I am already learning, as I am informed competently, that the Egyptian Coast Guard is cooperating with the Greek Coast Guard and our side is determined to help strengthen it, in every way, through the European aid agreed upon during its recent trip Ursula von der Leyen and the Greek Prime Minister in Cairo.
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Military appointments in Evros
Despite the tension recently created by the Turkish provocative statements about the marine parks, the first Greek-Turkish military… appointments were held along the Evros border and in fact before the meeting in Athens, on April 22, on Confidence Building Measures. Such Greek-Turkish military meetings were long overdue. The first military border rendezvous took place on April 16-17.
In it the Turkish brigadier general, responsible-commander for the northern Evros, met with the Greek commander, brigadier general of Orestiada. The first Greek-Turkish meeting took place in Turkey. The commanders who met even agreed to host each other in Turkey and Greece. The second appointment took place yesterday. The Greek brigadier general of the region of Feres and the Turkish brigadier general of Ypsalos met in Feres. The contacts of the military from both countries, such as those in the border areas of the Evros, are aimed at de-escalating the tension and it is considered that they can turn out to be particularly… practical.
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Mutual benefits
Turkish tourists (many of whom Kyriakos Mitsotakis also met on Friday in Mytilini) seem to be delighted with the program to facilitate their visits to the islands of the Eastern Aegean (through the 7-day visa) which is – as they said – also a tangible proof of Greece’s support for the constant Turkish request to facilitate the travel of Turkish citizens in the Schengen Zone.
However, aside from a matter of prestige, the facilitation of Turkish travel also has a direct, tangible, economic impact. Over 20,000 Turkish tourists came in the first three weeks of April and it is estimated that they spent too many euros in an off-season period. At the same time, illegal flows from the coast of Asia Minor have been greatly reduced, which is why many are talking about a paradigm shift: in place of illegal and dangerous crossings, legal ones, with mutual benefits for both peoples.
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Serbian loves
THE Alexis Tsipras enjoys the esteem of the Serbs. In fact, the name of the former prime minister positively occupied the Serbian press a few days ago, as there were extensive references to his speech at the Council of Europe. There, at the Spring Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe held in Strasbourg, the green light was given to the full integration of UN-recognized Kosovo. Alexis Tsipras as well as George Papandreou abstained from voting, but the Dora Bakoyannis voted positively. However, the SYRIZA member of parliament voted against Nina Kasimatiwhich Cypriot MEPs also did.
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Upgrade from S&P
In an upgrade of the Greek debt outlook from stable to positive, as a result of expectations that growth in Greece will continue to exceed that of the Eurozone, fiscal discipline will continue and public debt will continue to decrease, while maintaining the long-term and short-term assessment of the country at investment grade levels (“BBB-/A-3”), S&P Global Ratings advanced on Friday evening, while indicating that it could proceed within 24 months to an upgrade if the debt-to-GDP ratio decreases to the levels other countries with a corresponding assessment.
According to the rating agency, growth is estimated at 2.4% in 2024, compared to 2.5% in 2025, 2.4% in 2026 and 2.3% in 2027, while high public debt will continue to decline (from 150.7% of GDP in 2024, 143.7% in 2025, 137.3% in 2026 and 131.3% in 2027).
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Code “Northern Greece”
As the famous saying goes about some things in politics, some polls are “done but not said”. I will reveal such a poll to you, after telling you that it concerns Northern Greece, which is crucial in many ways and that it is also revealing in terms of the anxiety of the rulers about the intentions of the Northern Helladites. There, therefore, the rolling measurement showed that the ND has lost significant ground.
And those of Maximos may say that there is no cause for concern, as the Right of the Right does not seem to be strengthening, however it is not just a coincidence that in order to stimulate the neo-democratic spirit in the region, three leaders of the government are being recruited, Mr. Voridis, Georgiadis and Dendias. But I have rolling news for you about the party’s candidates. The TV presenter Giorgos Autias is in the lead, Vozeberg and Meimarakis are tied for second place, followed by Kefalogiannis, Pyrros, Patoulidou and Kymbouropoulos. You will wonder where Freddy Beleris and Eleonora Meleti are. They will be counted in the next rolling that will be done without being told. But I will let you know right away.
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The PaSoK seems to be facing problems in Northern Greece, with party officials not accepting the candidacy of Zagorakis and the prominence he is receiving. Some even state that he has the favor of the president as they even watch PAOK football matches together.
However, what most disturbs the grassroots executives, at a political level, is the shift made by PaSoK to the right through this specific candidacy, with a top executive in the region noting the fact that Haris Kastanidis is being dismissed from one side. , an experienced parliamentarian with decades of contribution to the faction and candidate for party leader, and on the other hand, Zagorakis is walking around the city wearing the party shirt with the green sun.
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SYRIZA got off to a bad start with the Papanotas candidacy-fiasco, which even the “Kasselakis miracle” could not save, confirming that the main opposition party has entered the realm of (para)political confusion. The reference of the president of the party from the USA to the miracle of the cross made of oil formed in the pool baptized by Saint Iakovos Tsalikis and the … prophecy of the Saint about Stefanos that “he will either become a priest or very great” launched SYRIZA into new transcendental realms, bewildering even those who supported his candidacy and now declare themselves “shocked” by his metaphysical leanings.
As well as those who, in the role of an ideological patron, “ring the bell” for shifts in “taboo” topics such as NATO (he called it a “sacred defense alliance”), Israel’s role in the Middle East, etc. However, with the strong polling wind in his sails, Mr. Kasselakis, after announcing the “five” candidates of his personal choice in an attempt to bypass the “Papanota shipwreck”, began the multi-day pre-election tour of 26 Aegean islands on a private boat , accompanied by Admiral Apostolakis, “waving the handkerchief” to those who are no longer able to watch him…
