About: Greek austerity
Former Greek PM teases fresh bailout, Commission says Greece is ‘secured’
Greece’s position at the heart of the eurozone and the European Union is "secured", according to the European Commission, following remarks made by a former Greek prime minister who claimed the country will soon seek fresh EU aid.
Greek business chief urges political parties to align to save the country
Greece’s pursuit of "sustainable growth" cannot be achieved by one political leader, so all democratic political forces should set aside their ideological differences and form an alliance, Konstantinos Michalos, President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Greek minister: Effective health and pharma policy needs stronger EU Commission role
A number of member states want the European Commission’s competences in health and pharma policy to be upgraded in order to face more effectively the rising challenges in the field, Greek health minister Andreas Ksanthos told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
A 1950 law discourages investments in Greece
An old-fashioned law of the Greek penal code dated back to 1950 prevents private actors from investing in projects where the public sector also has a share, thus blocking a potential investment boom the country badly needs.
Greece’s unemployment falls under 20% after 7 years of bailout
Greece's unemployment rate, the highest in the European Union, has dropped below 20% for the first time in seven years, statistics bureau Elstat reported on 9 August.
Greek minister: Neoliberalism and xenophobic far-right are ‘two sides of the same coin’
A broad progressive front should be established in order to face rising extreme-right ahead of the EU election in 2019 Greece's Alternate Economy Minister Alexis Charitsis told EURACTIV.com, adding that neoliberalism and far-right are “two sides of the same coin”.
New Democracy scolds Moscovici for backing clean exit from bailout
Greece’s conservative main opposition party “recommended” to EU Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici to be “more careful” in his public speeches when he praises the government and the country’s exit from the bailout.
Germany earned €2.9 billion from Greece’s debt crisis
Germany turns out to be a major beneficiary of Greece’s debt crisis as it earned a total of €2.9 billion between 2010 and 2017. This emerges from a response of the Federal ministry of finance in Berlin to a parliamentary request from the Greens (Bündnis90/Die Grünen) in the German Bundestag obtained by EURACTIV.
S&D chief tells Greek progressives to rally against New Democracy ‘chaos’
S&D President Udo Bullmann called on progressive political forces in Greece to join forces as the “only way to the country’s future” and not turn to a conservative New Democracy government, which has a big responsibility for the crisis.
OECD chief: The only Grexit is from the bailout
The only Grexit scenario that is currently on the table is the one from the bailout programme, Angel Gurría, the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), said on Monday (30 April).
Greek business chief: Novartis scandal must be dealt with quickly to avoid ‘social eruption’
The Novartis scandal in Greece exists and the people responsible for it should be dealt with quickly in order to avoid a “social eruption”, Greek business leader Konstantinos Michalos told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Moscovici: Greece needs no ‘precautionary credit line’ but own growth strategy
Greece will not need a precautionary credit or anything that looks like a forced programme after it exits the bailout, and any new surveillance should treat Greece "as a normal country", EU's Economic and Monetary Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said.
Not the time to discuss Greece after bailout, Commission says
Greece and its creditors will discuss the appropriate type of post-programme surveillance of the country or any support arrangement "at the appropriate time", a European Commission spokesperson told EURACTIV.com.
Tsipras says Greece will exit bailout in August 2018
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Monday (30 October) that the government’s plan to put the public finances in order was working and that the country would be out of the bailout programme in August 2018.
Greek government on collision course with pharmaceutical companies over innovative drugs
Several pharmaceutical companies in Greece have threatened to stop supplying the market with innovative drugs and said they could even withdraw existing drugs as a result of an obligatory “discount” imposed by the Greek government and applied retroactively.
Moscovici: Greek bailout was a ‘scandal’ for democratic procedures
The Eurogroup’s handling of Greece’s bailout programme was a scandal in terms of democratic processes, Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici insisted in an interview with Italian media.
Prosecutor says Greece’s former statistics boss is guilty
A prosecutor said on Monday (31 July) that the former head of Greece’s statistical office was found guilty as he did not consult fellow board members about the much-discussed revised 2009 deficit figures. The prosecutor also said he was an employee of the IMF at the same time.
Greece breaks three-year isolation and returns to debt markets
After three years of “exile”, Greece will return on Monday (24 July) to the international debt markets, testing the waters to see if it can begin to wean itself off bailout loans after tough reforms.
Greek parliament approves more austerity to unlock bailout funds, debt relief
Greek lawmakers on Thursday (18 May) approved pension cuts and tax hikes sought by the country's lenders to unlock vital financial aid, as angry demonstrators protested outside parliament over new austerity, the latest since the country plunged into crisis seven years ago.
Greek opposition rebukes Commission over praise for Tsipras government
Greece’s main opposition party, New Democracy, felt “surprised” on Wednesday (10 May) when European Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip praised the Tsipras government for improvements it has made to the economy.
Greek SMEs vie for center stage in Juncker’s investment plan
The Greek government will try to use the Investment Plan for Europe in order to boost cash-strapped small and medium enterprises. EURACTIV Greece reports. In Greece, so-called “red” loans have exceeded €100 billion, representing 10% of all non-performing loans at...
US government ‘open’ to IMF participation in Greek bailout
Washington will keep an “open mind” regarding the participation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the Greek bailout programme, a senior US Treasury official said yesterday (13 April).
Greece still stuck in bailout due to lack of political consensus
In contrast with Cyprus, a lack of political will among Greece's political parties and appetite for cooperation has kept the country locked in a painful bailout programme, experts have warned. EURACTIV Greece reports.