‘Μetapolitefsi’ and the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus on the spotlight
The Cyprus issue and the aftermath of the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus are expected to top the political agenda this week.
Over the weekend, comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put the Greek-Turkish rapprochement to the test.
On Saturday, Erdogan dashed hopes for a quick resumption of talks on the ethnically divided island and reiterated his position for a two-state solution. On Sunday, he also lashed out at Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias for his recent comments on the invasion, calling on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to “put him in his place.”
“Those who try to find differences between government officials are on a fool’s errand,” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis responded.
This week Greece also celebrates 50 years of democracy, restored after the collapse of the seven-year junta in July ’74.
Restoration of Democracy
Greece is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in 1974. President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will host the annual reception at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday evening.
A wide range of officials, from politicians to representatives of civil society, scientists, entrepreneurs, people from the arts and letters are invited to the reception. However, interest is usually focused on the political gossip that emerges from the relaxed meeting of political leaders on the sidelines of the event in the garden of the presidential palace.
Olympic Games
Greece’s Olympic athletes will depart for Paris on Wednesday, with the opening ceremony on Friday.
NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will serve as Greece’s flag bearer, along with race walker Antigone Dribsioti.
SYRIZA parliamentary group
The parliamentary group of the main opposition party SYRIZA will meet on Thursday as the leftist party continues to fracture.
Last week, Yannis Dragasakis, former deputy prime minister and a founding member of the party, announced that he was leaving SYRIZA, arguing that under the leadership of Stefanos Kasselakis, SYRIZA had entered a process of de-leftification.
Thessaly
The Ministry of Agriculture has sent a team of veterinarians to central Greece to deal with a serious outbreak of sheep rinderpest threatening livestock in the Thessaly region.
The regional governor of Thessaly, Dimitris Kouretas, banned the movement of sheep and goats throughout the region of Thessaly until the epidemiological investigation of the disease is completed. He also banned the slaughter of sheep, goats and lambs in the region’s slaughterhouses until Friday.
