While Hungary’s Victor Orban - who currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU - is bidding to become the dominant hard-right force in the EU, he’s also raising eyebrows on the international level. His latest meeting with Russia’s President Putin and his decision to attend a meeting of the Organisation of Turkic States in Azerbaijan - which included the pseudo-state in the occupied north of Cyprus - has sparked reactions across Europe and within NATO. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomat...
Jul 09, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1031
The case of Fredi Beleri, the convicted mayor elect of Himare who belongs to Albania’s Greek minority, has heightened tensions between Greece and Albania over the past year. A recent poll exploring Greek attitudes toward bilateral relations and their views on Albanians who have made Greece their home shows that while attitudes toward Albanian immigrants have drastically improved, assessments of the political relationship are worse. Professor Ioannis Armakolas, Senior Research Fellow and Head of ...
Jul 05, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1030
Last month was the hottest June ever experienced in Athens, at least since records began over 150 years ago. In fact, eight of the hottest 10 Junes ever recorded in Athens were during the last 20 years and four of those were in the last decade alone. This is having clear consequences for the city and its inhabitants, as rising temperatures and protracted heatwaves, beyond impacting daily life, also pose a number of health risks. Eleni Myrivili, the UN Chief Heat Officer working with UN-Habitat a...
Jul 04, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1029
This week kicked off with two former prime ministers and leaders of New Democracy - Antonis Samaras and Konstantinos Karamanlis - launching maybe the most severe criticism of Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his leadership that we’ve heard so far, touching on foreign and domestic policy. Their criticism comes amid broader political uncertainty among Greece’s leading parties following disappointing results in the European elections. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Dave...
Jul 03, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1028
With the US in the midst of an intense diplomatic push to prevent a war between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, Turkey has also waded into the mix. While it’s still unclear what Turkey is looking to achieve should a conflict erupt, it looks like a policy is taking shape, especially after Ankara followed up on Hezbollah’s threats to Cyprus with its own “warning”. Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest “warning” from Ankara to Cyprus, dig into the Turkey-Hezbollah connec...
Jul 02, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1027
With SYRIZA on the brink of civil war, PASOK facing a new leadership fight, and New Democracy still reeling from the aftermath of the European elections, it seems like a period of uncertainty has set in among Greece’s top political parties. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the challenges facing Greece’s political leaders amid the backdrop of broader uncertainty across the West, from the upcoming elections in France to the Presidenti...
Jun 29, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1026
Earlier this month, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew - along with many other countries and organizations - attended the Ukraine Peace Summit. Nearly 80 countries issued a statement calling for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war. The Ecumenical Patriarch’s signature was originally on that document. Then an outraged Turkey intervened, getting the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s signature removed. Bruce Clark, who writes on Euro...
Jun 28, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1025
Greece is moving toward a six-day workweek, with regulations coming into effect on July 1 that make this possible for certain industries. The government hopes this move, which comes as other Western countries and companies are considering shorter office hours, will help deal with a labor shortage and, among other things, fight black market labor. Dr. Jens Bastian, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin with a deep knowledge of Greece’s economy, joins...
Jun 26, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1024
With another summer tourism season in full swing, the question of over-tourism and sustainability - particularly in tourist hotspots like Athens and the Cyclades islands - is once again at the forefront. It seems the government is also beginning to address these concerns, with Prime Minister Mitsotakis announcing plans to limit the number of cruise ships visiting popular islands. Yannis Palaiologos, a journalist at large with Kathimerini and the co-editor of the "Sustainable Cyclades" project, j...
Jun 26, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1023
All eyes in Athens were on North Macedonia this weekend, as its new government and prime minister were sworn in. While Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski referred to his country as “North Macedonia” when taking his oath, his statements regarding the Prespa Agreement have not been reassuring, and Greece has warned that the a la carte implementation of Prespa is a violation of the agreement. Professor James Ker-Lindsay, who has worked extensively on the EU, the Balkans and Southeast Europe, joins T...
Jun 25, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1022
Greece sent its frigate “Psara” to the Red Sea this week to join Operation Aspides, the EU’s mission in the Red Sea to protect merchant ships from Houthi attacks. The Psara is replacing the Hydra, which completed a three month deployment in the Red Sea, at a time when the Houthis are escalating their campaign. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Greece’s role in Operation Aspides and the risks posed by continued Houthi attacks. You can r...
Jun 21, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1021
Days after the US and Cyprus announced the launch of a strategic dialogue, a historic step that takes the bilateral relationship to a new level and highlights Cyprus’s strategic role in the region, Hezbollah’s leader issued a threat against Cyprus amid rising tensions with Israel. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos’ trip to Washington and the importance of the strategic dialog...
Jun 20, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1020
Over the past 30 years, Greece has lost some 250 square kilometers of its beaches. This is expected to rise as climate change and rising temperatures continue to push up sea levels. Experts warn Greece is in the “red zone” because measures to stabilize the country’s beaches are long overdue. Costas Synolakis, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Technical University of Crete and the University of Southern California and a preeminent authority on the impact of natural hazards...
Jun 20, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1019
The aftershocks of the European elections are still being felt in Greece, as none of the big three parties reached their stated goals. The country’s attention has turned to the center left, particularly PASOK, where several party officials are calling for a leadership change. At the same time, there are growing internal discussions in PASOK and SYRIZA regarding forming a coalition. Political scientist and expert Panos Koliastasis joins Thanos Davelis to look at the crisis brewing in Greece’s cen...
Jun 19, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1018
In the northern Greek port city of Kavala, an ultra-luxury Greek hotel owned by Egypt and built by Mohammad Ali Pasha has become a base to not only explore Kavala, but also Greece’s historic ties to the Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the broader Middle East. Sean Mathews, a Greece-based journalist covering the broader region, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how Kavala can serve as a base for visitors to explore northern Greece and Thrace, which is increasingly on the radar of policym...
Jun 18, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1017
Greece and the whole region have been hit by an unseasonably early - and intense - heat wave, prompting warnings, fire hazards, closures of schools and archaeological sites, and even leading to deaths. In the meantime, with a number of tourists reported either missing or found dead after hiking in the heat, experts have expressed fears that tourists are not fully aware or being properly informed of the risks posed by overexertion in the searing heat. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist ...
Jun 15, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1016
In a month we’ll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus. For five decades, Turkish troops have occupied the northern part of the island. With this dark anniversary on the horizon, Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how Turkey’s continued occupation of the northern part of Cyprus - which has turned the area into a terror safe-haven and money ...
Jun 14, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1015
Following decades of worry, have US policymakers finally overcome their fear of “losing Turkey”, coming to terms with a Turkey that is neither friend nor foe? Nicholas Danforth, an editor at War on the Rocks and the author of The Remaking of Republican Turkey: Memory and Modernity since the Fall of the Ottoman Empire, joins Thanos Davelis to answer this question and break down his latest piece in War on the Rocks, “Coming To Terms With The Loss Of Turkey”. We also explore how this shift impacts ...
Jun 13, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1014
The European elections this past weekend saw far right parties gain ground in a number of countries. Greece was not an exception, with the party Greek Solution more than doubling its support since the last elections. Beyond the far right’s gains, the ruling New Democracy did not hit its target, describing the results as a “pyrrhic victory”, while the battle for second place between SYRIZA and PASOK proved inconclusive. Meanwhile, in Cyprus, a 24 year old YouTuber made political waves finishing t...
Jun 11, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1013
Sunday’s European elections saw not only a strengthened far right emerge, but also saw French President Macron call for snap parliamentary elections in response to the victory for the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen. Center-right and far-right parties are now set to take the largest number of seats in the most populous nations. Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern European Studies at the Center for...
Jun 10, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1012
diaNEOsis, which has been monitoring the attitudes and perceptions of Greek society for a decade, just published an all-encompassing three part survey looking at what Greeks believe on a variety of issues - from climate change to politics, trust, and the economy. Fay Makantasi, the director of research at diaNEOsis, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the key findings from this survey and its broader implications, including on the climate, perceptions of the EU, social trust, and more. You can re...
Jun 08, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1011
Turkey is set to join the nuclear energy club, with the Akkuyu plant expected to go online at the end of the year. It has plans for two more nuclear energy sites. Given the strong link between nuclear energy programs and the proliferation of nuclear weapons, many are asking whether there is a risk here as well. Eleni Ekmektsioglou, a postdoctoral fellow in Technology and International Security at the University of California’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation and an adjunct professor...
Jun 07, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1010
The fight for the return and reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures is back in the spotlight after a Turkish official said that no "firman" - an Ottoman legal document - exists that legitimizes Lord Elgin’s actions to break up the sculptures and take them to Britain. Greece’s culture minister said the comments strengthen Greece’s argument that the sculptures were illegally removed. Dr. Irene Stamatoudi, a professor of law at the University of Nicosia and a former member of the Ministry of Cul...
Jun 06, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1009
The end of May saw Greek sports teams reach the peak of Europe, with Panathinaikos kicking off the celebrations by winning a seventh EuroLeague basketball title, and Olympiakos following up and becoming the first Greek soccer team to win a European trophy. This high point comes after a year where Greek sports was in the headlines for the wrong reasons, as fan violence was in the spotlight. Alexander Kitroeff, a historian with a deep background in Greek sport, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss thes...
Jun 05, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1008
Over 52 years ago Turkey shut down Halki Seminary. Since then, its doors have remained shut. According to a recent report in Karar daily, a Turkish media outlet, Ankara is considering taking steps to reopen the seminary. This isn’t the first time that we’ve heard promises from Turkey that it is going to reopen Halki - including Turkish President Erdogan’s broken promise to President Obama in 2012 - as it continues to keep the seminary’s doors shut. Georgia Logothetis, the Managing Director of th...
Jun 04, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1007
This week Greece hosted members of the East Med Gas Forum in Athens, where the focus was on existing and future gas projects in the region, the East Med’s importance when addressing concerns over energy security in the broader region, decarbonization, and the green transition. Kostis Geropoulos, the co-founder and director of Energy and Climate Policy and Security at NE Global Media, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the East Med Gas Forum’s meeting in Greece and look at the initiatives countries ...
Jun 01, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1006
In recent years Greece’s general government debt has exceeded 350 billion euros and its debt-to-GDP ratio reached 160 per cent of GDP in 2023. Despite this, Greece has managed to fully repair its IMF loans and its economic performance has been a bright spot over the past years for the country, outperforming its Eurozone peers. Yiannis Mouzakis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to look at Greece’s debt ...
May 31, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1005
This month Ankara moved to include the Blue Homeland doctrine, which expresses Ankara’s controversial maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean, in Turkish school curriculums. In the meantime, Turkish President Erdogan once again took the opportunity on May 29th, 571 years after the fall of Constantinople, to make reference to conquests of the past, tying them to his vision for today’s Turkey. Ryan Gingeras joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Turkey’s decision to teach the Blue Hom...
May 30, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1004
Over the last year, a number of regional crises - from Ukraine to the Middle East - have taken the international spotlight off Turkey and President Erdogan. Combined with a number of sharp divergences with Western partners over Ankara’s contradictory foreign policy ambitions and rule-of-law deficiencies, it looks like Turkey’s overall standing on the international scene has diminished. That’s the case Ambassador Marc Pierini, who joins Thanos Davelis on our show today, makes in his latest piece,...
May 29, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1003
Late last week Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was in the ethnic Greek town of Himare, where he announced the restitution of some 400 titles to homes in the area to residents who have been suing the Albanian state for more than 30 years. Rama’s attempt to reconcile with the Greeks of Himare comes as the town’s mayor elect, Fredi Beleri, remains imprisoned, and for many this gesture does not go far enough in addressing the longstanding and serious issue of minority property rights. Vassilis Nedo...
May 28, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1002
