Economy Watch |

Eurostat: Greece records higher fiscal surplus, lower public debt in 2017
Greece recorded a fiscal surplus of 0.8 pct of GDP in 2017, from a surplus of 0.6 pct in 2016, while the country’s public debt fell to 178.6 pct of GDP (317.4 billion euros) from 180.8 pct in 2016, [...]

Greek general gov’t records primary surplus of 4.0 pct of GDP in 2017
The Greek general government recorded a primary surplus of 4.0 pct of GDP, or 7.080 billion euros, in 2017, up from a surplus of 3.9 pct or 6.709 billion euros in 2016, Hellenic Statistical Authority said [...]

Primary surplus targets of 3.5 pct more than attainable, Greek finance ministry says

Economy
BoG: Balance of travel services down year-on-year for Jan-Feb
The balance of travel services showed a lower surplus the first two months of the year compared to the same period in 2017, according to Bank of Greece (BoG) data released on Monday. In January-February [...]
Economy
European Commission VP Dombrovskis: Budget data good news on Greece
European Commission vice president, Valdis Dombrovskis, welcomed news on Monday of Greece’s 2017 budget data, pointing out that the country performed better than expected. The vice president highlighted [...]
Economy
Greek stocks ended lower in the first trading day of the week in the ASE
Greek stocks ended lower in the first trading day of the week in the Athens Stock Exchange on Monday, pushing the general index of the market below the 840-point level. The index fell 0.72 pct to end at [...]

Economy
City of Thessaloniki sends trade mission to Doha
The City of Thessaloniki is making its first large step towards Asia by sending a team of business people to visit Doha on Tuesday. Headed by mayor Yannnis Boutaris, it is the municipality’s first [...]
Economy
Moscovici: Eurostat report shows Greece is on track to completing adjustment program
European Finance Commissioner Pierre Moscovici expressed the satisfaction of the European Commission over Greece’s fiscal results, as shown by the Eurostat report released today showing a fiscal [...]
Economy
EU Commission’s Schinas: Greek primary surplus figures show ‘sacrifices are paying off’
The figures for Greece’s 2017 primary surplus announced by Eurostat are a sign that the unprecedented sacrifices of the Greek people are starting to pay off, European Commission spokesman Margaritis [...]

ND reacts to premier’s speech at parliamentary group meeting

Politics
PM Tsipras to meet with leaders of Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia in Bucharest
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will attend a quadrilateral high-level meeting of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia in Bucharest on Tuesday. Fellow-attendees include the Prime Ministers of Bulgaria Boyko [...]
Politics
Fulbright Foundation celebrates its 70th anniversary in Greece, at presidential mansion event
Fulbright Foundation Greece celebrated its 70th anniversary at the presidential mansion earlier on Monday, attended by President Prokopios Pavlopoulos, US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt, Fulbright [...]

Politics
ND leader Mitsotakis sends message to Ankara to release two Greek soldiers
Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday sent a message to Ankara to immediately release the two Greek soldiers that are being detained without charge. Mitsotakis stressed [...]
Politics
PM’s office: Turkey must immediately return the two Greek soldiers
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ press office asked on Monday for the immediate return of the two Greek soldiers detained in a Turkish jail. According to the announcement, any reference to the exchange [...]

120 migrants arrested after occupying central square in Mytilini to protest hotspot conditions

Society
Turks driving into Greece up 14% in the first three months of the year
The number of Turks crossing into Greece by road rose 14% in the first three months of the year, with growth coming mostly from Istanbul residents, showed data on Monday from the Federation of Commerce [...]
Society
Six power stations offline due to strike; no major problems in power supply
Six power stations went offline on Monday as a series of rolling 48-hour strikes by the Public Power Corporation’s staff union GENOP began after midnight, centred mainly on the steam-electric power [...]
Society
Mid-season spring sales from May 1 to May 15
The mid-season spring sales begin in Greece on May 1 and end on May 15. Shops are allowed to stay open for on Sunday, May 6, from 11:00 to 20:00. During the sales, shops display the new price and the old [...]

Society
Protesting migrants forced to return to Moria hotspot after clashes with far-right militants
A night of violence ended in the capital of Lesvos, Mytilene at 5:30 on Monday morning when police forced protesting refugees and migrants camped out in Sappho Square onto a bus that took them back to [...]
Society
Reservations for Greece post already 70 pct increase, says Studiosus’ Thomas Graune
The prospects for Greece are rosy; Greece is again top destination after the years of the crisis, stated Studiosus responsible for Greece Thomas Graune to Athens Macedonian News Agency on Sunday. Last [...]
Society
Single engine aircraft crashes in Fokida, central Greece; one dead
One man was killed and a second injured on Saturday when the single engine aircraft they were travelling in crashed in the area of Skaloma, in Fokida, central Greece. Twelve firemen with four vehicles [...]

Business
Snam led consortium wins tender for 66% stake in DESFA
Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) unanimously accepted on Thursday the improved financial offer of the consortium of the companies Snam SpA, Enagás Internacional SLU and Fluxys SA, of 535 [...]
Business
PPC approves acquisition of EDS
A Public Power Corporation (PPC) board council meeting formally approved the acquisition of EDS, an electricity energy trading and supply company in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, for 4.8 million [...]
Business
National Bank signs 640-mln-euro guarantee agreements with EIF
The European Investment Fund (EIF) and the National Bank of Greece (NBG) on Monday signed three guarantee agreements worth 640 million euros to improve access to finance for small and medium‑sized enterprises [...]
Business
Aegean Airlines says passenger traffic up 12 pct in Q1
Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air on Thursday said passenger traffic grew 12 pct in the first quarter of 2018, totaling 2.4 million passengers. The Greek airline, in an announcement said traffic was 1.1 [...]
Business
PPC to decide on acquisition of EDS on Friday
Public Power Corporation is just one step before finalising an agreement to acquire EDS, an electricity energy distributor in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as all necessary financial and legal [...]
Business
Fraport Greece says Ryanair remains “a strategic partner” after its cutback decision
Fraport Greece respects the needs and choices of Irish budget airline Ryanair to reduce its domestic flights in Greece, Fraport Greece general manager George Vilos said on Wednesday, and still considers [...]