Greek PM appoints new defense minister to replace Avramopoulos

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras appointed Current Development Minister Nikos Dendias on Friday as new defense minister, as outgoing Dimitris Avramopoulos is due to assume his new duties as European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs in coming days.

According to the announcement issued by the premier's office Dendias' successor at the development ministry will be Costas Skrekas, an MP of the conservative ruling party.

Greek PM narrowly wins parliamentary confidence vote

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras late Friday won a parliamentary confidence vote, which he called in a bid to rally support, but which provided him with only a narrow majority.

The conservative prime minister secured the support of 155 of the 300 elected deputies, with not a single independent or opposition member backing him.

Greek PM expresses his concerns to Rama about the “nationalist Tcham trumpeting” (Respect toward human rights is part of the process of EU accession)

Prime Minister Edi Rama met in Wales with the Prime Minister of Greece, Antonis Samaras, upon the request of the latter. The meeting has been held in the framework of the NATO summit, which started on Thursday in Wales (Great Britain). Delegations of both countries are participating in the NATO summit.

Prime minister Samaras was accompanied in this meeting by the foreign Minister, Evangelos Venizelos and the Defense minister, Dimitris Avramopoulos. Meanwhile, Rama was accompanied by the Foreign minister, Ditmir Buashti and the Prime Minister’s advisor, Endri Fuga.

Greek government, Cypriot President voice concern over progress of Cyprus peace talks during Athens meeting

Greece's government and visiting Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades voiced concern over the pace of progress in peace talks with the so-called Turkish Cypriot side regarding the resolution of the Cyprus issue during a meeting in Athens on Monday.

Anastasiades, who is on a two-day visit to Greece, discussed the ongoing talks for the reunification of the divided island with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and other Greek government officials on Monday, while on Tuesday he is due to hold talks with leaders of opposition parties.

China, Greece vow to further deepen bilateral ties. (Both China and Greece have unique cultures with profound impacts on human civilization)

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias here on Sunday to exchange views on the development of bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern.

Noting that the China-Greece relationship is developing in good shape and on a solid basis, Xi said China attaches great importance to developing its comprehensive strategic partnership with the European country.

Both China and Greece have unique cultures with profound impacts on human civilization, and the two peoples appreciate and respect each other, said Xi.

Xi Jinping plans Greek stop-off (on Sunday to have lunch with Greek President Karolos Papoulias)

Chinese President Xi Jinping will stop off in Greece on his way to South America next week, China's foreign ministry said Friday, the second high-level visit to the southern European country in a month.

Xi will land on the Greek island of Rhodes on a technical stop on his way to Brazil, where he will attend the BRICS summit, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a daily news briefing.

Самарас игнорира дека маедонскиот јазик постои (Има многу нешта што комунистите ги измислија самите)

Грчкиот премиер Андонис Самарас денеска во Европскиот парламент во Стразбур изјави дека не знаел дека маедонскиот јазик постои и дека тој бил измислен од комунистите.

Самарас ова го кажа како одговор на прашање на дописникот на МИА, кое се однесуваше на процесот за проширување на ЕУ односно како ПЈРМ (FYROM) ќе напредува во европската интеграција, со оглед на тоа дека главната пречка е токму спорот со името поради што е "блокирана" од Грција, откако Србија започна преговори, а Албанија доби статус на кандидат.

Greek media show strong interest in Chinese premier's visit

Greek print and electronic media have given extensive coverage to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit, with a strong focus on the future of bilateral cooperation.

Ahead of his arrival here Thursday afternoon, several local newspapers, TV channels and news portals carried an article written by Li for Greek daily Kathimerini on the prospects of China-Greece cooperation.

The agenda of talks with Greek officials, the signing of bilateral economic cooperation memoranda and the future of collaboration between the two countries and peoples were the key topics in reports from Greek national news agency AMNA and most local media.

Greece to exit EU/IMF bailout deal in 2014. – PM Antonis Samaras

Greece will exit its EU-IMF bailout agreement in 2014, as scheduled, and will require no further loans, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Monday.
In his address on national television, Samaras said that Greece “will make the big step to exit the loan agreement" next year.

“In 2014, Greece will venture out to the markets again [and] start becoming a normal country,” the prime minister stated.

The Mediterranean country’s debt “will be officially declared viable, meaning there’ll be no need for new loans and new bailout agreements,” he added.

Merkel hails Greek progress in cutting debt, urges more efforts. -It is her "responsibility" as chancellor to keep the reform pressure on Greece.

BERLIN, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday praised the progress Greece has made in cutting debt while meeting her Greek counterpart, but said more could be done in its efforts to overcome the crisis.

Merkel noted "mojor progress" in cutting Greece's debt, adding that she has "full confidence in the Greek government and its prime minister."

But she also warned that negotiations between Greece and internationallenders on more aid will not be an easy job.

Greece faces shut-down amid massive strikes

Public transport and media workers on strike as national parliament prepares to vote on tough new austerity measures.
Public transport and media workers have opened a week of strikes in Greece, contesting fresh austerity measures needed for a lifeline from creditors which the government is due to introduce to parliament.
The Athens metro was shut, and only one tram line was running on Monday, while Athens' 14.000 taxi drivers halted services, severely disrupting traffic in the capital.