Latest Greece government News

Greece arrests a Turkish man after search of a drifting boat turns up large weapons stash

Jan. 30, 2025 11:30 AM EST

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Greece arrested a Turkish man after discovering dozens of firearms and other weapons stashed on his boat when he fell ill and lost control of the vessel, authorities said Thursday. The coast guard said they responded to reports Tuesday of a motorized...

Increased volcanic activity detected in Greece's popular tourist island of Santorini

Jan. 30, 2025 11:11 AM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Increased volcanic activity in Greece’s famed tourist hotspot of Santorini has prompted the country’s civil protection minister to call a meeting with local and disaster response officials. In an announcement late Wednesday, the Climate Crisis and Civil...

Greece says EU set to take tougher line on migration, but won't copy Trump administration tactics

Jan. 28, 2025 15:09 PM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's migration minister said on Tuesday the European Union is poised to take stricter measures on migration in 2025, with a focus on expanded deportations, but would not adopt the hard-line methods used by the Trump administration. “Sending migrants...

Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the Orthodox Church in Albania, dies at 95

Jan. 25, 2025 04:28 AM EST

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania's Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the country's Orthodox Church after the fall of the communist regime in 1990, has died, the church said on Saturday. He was 95. Anastasios, the Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania and head of the...

Greece says 66 migrants arrive on southern island of Crete after sailing from the Libyan coast

Jan. 23, 2025 09:13 AM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities said Thursday they had found 66 migrants in two locations on the southern Greek island of Crete who had sailed to the island from the Libyan coast in north Africa, a route increasingly used by smuggling rings. The coast guard said the...

Greek authorities say more than 170 migrants picked up as arrivals from Libya increase

Jan. 22, 2025 09:40 AM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say more than 170 migrants have been picked up from rickety boats in the past three days with most found off the southern tip of the country in a route that appears to be increasingly used by traffickers. Greece’s coast guard said...

Leaders in ethnically divided Cyprus fail to reach deal on new crossing points

Jan. 20, 2025 09:01 AM EST

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A meeting between the two leaders in ethnically divided Cyprus ended without an agreement on Monday, with both sides failing to reach a decision on a deal aimed at building trust that included opening new crossing points across a U.N.-controlled buffer zone. ...

As Greece confronts gender-based violence, a new law triggers legal protest

Jan. 17, 2025 14:23 PM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek lawyers’ associations on Friday announced a two-day nationwide strike next week to protest a new bill aimed at combating gender-based violence, arguing that the proposal violates constitutional principles, including the presumption of innocence. A...

Europe's migration chief vows to deliver on deportation pledge

Jan. 16, 2025 13:07 PM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The European Union’s top migration official said Thursday that deportations were a key priority for the bloc's executive branch, as Greece grapples with a high number of people arriving illegally across the country's borders. “The topic of returns is...

Parliament speaker, advocate for return of sculptures from Britain, tapped to be Greece’s president

Jan. 15, 2025 07:22 AM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s conservative government on Wednesday nominated Parliament Speaker Constantine Tassoulas, a leading advocate for the return of disputed Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum, to become the country’s next president. Tassoulas, a 65-year-old...