On Friday, 14 the first cruise ship departed from Heraklion, Crete for a trip to the Greek islands. TUI’s Mein Schiff 5 carried about 1.000 tourists that arrived from Germany to a sail across the Aegean. For Heraklion it was more than a symbolic ceremony. TUI has decided to make Heraklion its “homeport”, i.e. the [...]
The #AthensEpidaurusFestival has announced its 2021 artistic programme. After a shutdown of theatres and cultural venues that lasted almost a year and a halfdue due to the pandemic, restrictions in Greece are gradually lifted. Open venues are allowed to host events starting in June. The Athens Epidaurus Festival will take place from June 1 to [...]
Of Eurobarometer findings and of discrepancies in polls by Antonis D. Papagiannidis The Eurobarometer, a public opinion survey regularly conducted for the European institutions ever since the mid-Seventies, can at times be revealing of opinion undercurrents that have little to do with established perceptions – either at EU or at national level. Just some days [...]
The new Acropolis illuminations were unveiled in September, 2020. The Sacred Rock, the fortification and 17 monuments including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Ancient Theatre of Dionysus, the Stoa of Eumenes, the Shrine of Dionysus, Aphrodite’s Cave were illuminated in a unique, innovative way, some for the first [...]
Google announced the expansion of the Android Earthquake Alerts System outside the United States, to countries that do not have early warning alert systems. The first two countries where the System will be introduced are Greece and New Zealand. Android users will receive automatic early warning alerts when there is an earthquake in their area. [...]
Of Geneva Informal Meetings and of Brussels Summits by Antonis D. Papagiannidis There are at least three operational take-aways from the Informal Meeting on Cyprus, held last week in Geneva, at the initiative of the UN Secretary General. But the real interest lays further on, in Brussels. The first take-away is one of failure: “The [...]
by Oxford Economics Amid a surge in Covid-19 infections, Turkey entered a full lockdown last week, which means more pain for the economy. The revised GDP growth forecast by Oxford Economics sees a 2.4% q/q contraction in Q2 (-1.7% before), assuming the lockdown is eased on May 17. This puts the 2021 growth forecast at [...]
Greece's restaurants, cafes and bars reopen on Monday, May 3 and will be permitted to serve outdoors in open spaces. It will not be a typical “back to business” as restrictions remain, including no music and early closing at 22:45. Menus will be disinfected, there will be disinfectants on every table, staff and customers will [...]
Christians of the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrated Good Friday. In Greece, where a strict lockdown is still in place, traditional processions were modified to align with the restrictions and other COVID-19 prevention measures . Epitaphios procession in Piraeus People were allowed to enter the churches in small numbers. Attending the mass, inside or outside [...]
by Beata DASZYŃSKA-MUZYCZKA, CEO of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego Three Seas Region – shared history, shared future The countries in the Three Seas Region were hit less by COVID-19 pandemic and are forecast to recover faster than the rest of the EU due to infrastructural investment, good economic location and highly-skilled workforce The Three Seas Region [...]