Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stepped up to the podium at the Thessaloniki International Fair last Saturday to lay out his government’s economic agenda for the upcoming year in a speech that essentially set the stage for national elections in 2027.Aside from presenting a 2.2-billion-euro package for next year, he also laid out a roadmap to 2030 that includes reducing unemployment, raising the average salary and the minimum wage, and maintaining economic growth, all while drawing a clear line in the sand when it comes to the political and geopolitical dilemmas he believes will shape the upcoming election.With Greece gearing up for elections, Europe’s eyes locked in on Germany, where the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, dominated a crucial state election on Sunday, marking the first time since 1949 that a far-right party has won a state election. The result has many wondering if Germany's political center can still isolate the far right, while broader questions are emerging about what this could mean for Europe. Is this a harbinger of further far-right victories on a continent that’s facing a number of challenges ranging from the war in Ukraine to the economy and inflation?Shifting us back to the Eastern Mediterranean, having wrapped up his speech at TIF, Prime Minister Mitsotakis traveled to Egypt, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, sending a strong message not only about the state of Greek-Egyptian ties, but also about the three countries’ commitment to regional cooperation. The meetings took place against the backdrop of broader regional developments, including the Mecca Agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.Nick Malkoutzis, Yiannis Mouzakis, Dr. Markus Ziener, and Vassilis Nedos join Thanos Davelis on this week’s episode of The Greek Current with insights on all of these developments.A little more info on our guests:Nick Malkoutzis and Yiannis Mouzakis are the co-founders of Macropolis.gr.Dr. Markus Ziener is a professor of journalism and Visiting Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund.Vassilis Nedos is Kathimeirni’s diplomatic and defense editor.You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here. 

On Monday Greek and Israeli officials met in Tel Aviv to sign the largest bilateral defense contract between the two countries, a deal worth just over €3 billion that will see the implementation of the Achilles Shield, Greece’s first multi-domain defence dome set to cover all of Greece’s territory.It’s important to note that this agreement also signals Greece’s intent to bolster its own defense industry, a key priority for Athens, with at least 19 Greek companies already involved in the deal and accounting for more than €750 million of the program.Aside from deepening ties on the defense front, this deal builds on a number of key diplomatic initiatives over the past decade that have brought the two countries closer together, and is seen as part of a wider arc of cooperation that ties into initiatives like the 3+1 with Cyprus and the US and IMEC.As the Achilles Shield takes shape, Turkey is ratcheting up tensions in the region, locking horns with Israel over Syria. This Israel-Turkey rivalry is escalating amid profound changes that seem to signal the unraveling of the old US led order in the Middle East, and amid growing concerns in Athens that Ankara could be taking Greek-Turkish ties into a new period of heightened tensions.Developments on the geopolitical side are heating up just as Greece is beginning to take stock of another summer holiday season that could break new records. While many will focus on these record breaking numbers, Kathimerini took a different approach recently, choosing to look back at the early days of tourism in Greece and the decades-long debates that have followed about the value of tourism for the country.John Psaropoulos, Sinan Ciddi, Steven Cook, Alexia Kalaitzi, and Erini Karamouzi join me this week as we explore these issues.A little more info on our guests:John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist, Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe, and publisher of Hellenica on Substack.Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and director of its Turkey program.Steven Cook is the  Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.Alexia Kalaitzi is an award-winning journalist and features reporter for Kathimerini.Dr. Eirini Karamouzi is a professor of contemporary European history at The American College of Greece and an associate professor of contemporary history at the University of Sheffield in the UK.You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here. 

A week ago the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. The new defense pact has many in the region and in Washington scratching their heads, wondering what its goals are, whether it will trigger regional realignment, and what new risks it raises in an already volatile region where we’ve seen geopolitical rivalries deepen - whether it’s Pakistan’s rivalry with India, Saudi Arabia’s relations with the UAE, or Turkey’s continued provocations and threats against Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Beyond the security dimensions of this pact, the economic questions it raises may be more important. This new pact is increasingly seen as undermining US supported projects in which both Greece and Cyprus have invested politically, notably the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).  This comes at a time when Congress is looking to bolster the Eastern Mediterranean’s role as a strategic link between India, the Middle East, and Europe. Just this week, a bipartisan group of Congressmen once again stressed the importance of IMEC for US interests in the region, emphasizing the significance of projects like the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI). Beyond Congress, we saw a major development when it came to the GSI earlier this month as months of negotiations between Athens and Paris wrapped up with the French investment group Meridiam acquiring a majority stake in the project. Athens hopes the deal will give both a financial and diplomatic boost to the GSI, which has seen Turkey try to obstruct its progress. These latest moves in the Eastern Mediterranean once again remind us why the region remains critical for global developments, and, more importantly, for US interests. This is a story that we’ve seen time and again, and as we celebrate America’s 250 anniversary, we can’t ignore the integral role the Mediterranean has played in shaping this story. Experts Jonathan Schanzer, Vassilis Nedos, and Ian Lesser join Thanos Davelis as we break down all of these issues. A little more info on our guests: Jonathan Schanzer is executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Vassilis Nedos is Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor. Ian Lesser is a Distinguished Fellow and Advisor to the president at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and a Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

Europe and Greece are once again under pressure, as crises largely outside their control have left many on the continent feeling exposed. This summer we have seen sweltering heatwaves, unprecedented wildfires, and a sudden migration crisis at Spain’s border. After facing extended heatwaves last month, fires displaced more than 300,000 people in France and Spain, while firefighters in Greece tragically perished battling fires that have destroyed homes, habitats, and left a landscape covered in ash. In Greece’s case, despite spending large sums on the latest firefighting aircraft and technology over the past years, and civil society and journalists having tools like “FireWatch” at their disposal, we seem to be having similar conversations every year about what we need to do to better prepare and protect Greece's environment. As the continent faced these devastating fires, another crisis broke out on its southwestern shores as tens of thousands of migrants sought to cross into Spain from Morocco. Many are blaming either Morocco for weaponizing migrants, Europe for lacking solidarity, or Spain's government for its migration policies. Prime Minister Mitsotakis even penned an op-ed in Politico making the case that the EU needs new tools to fight back against weaponized migration. As Europe deals with these challenges, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has kept Greek shipping in the spotlight, as even this week Greek-owned ships were targeted. This gives us a chance to dig into part two of our deep dive into the story of Greek shipping this week. Professor Costas Synolakis, Nikos Efstathiou, Thanasis Troboukis, Aggeliki Dimitriadi, and John Psaropoulos join Thanos Davelis as we give you an inside look at all these developments. A little more info on our guests: Prof. Costas Synolakis is a preeminent authority on the impact of natural hazards. Nikos Efstathiou is the editor in chief of WIRED Greece. Thanasis Troboukis is a journalist and the founder of the platform Fire Watch. Aggeliki Dimitriadi is and independent researcher and expert on issues of migration. John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist, Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe, and publisher of Hellenica on Substack. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

With the summer season in full swing, it’s not just vacations, the islands, and pristine beaches that are top of mind for Greeks. Global uncertainty, crises in the Middle East, a cost of living crisis, and the specter of touristification remain key concerns, and tackling these challenges is going to be tricky as Greece inches toward national elections. The economy is obviously at the heart of many discussions, and while Greece is on a much stronger financial footing today than in the previous decade, it will still need to move carefully if it’s going to weather the twin storms of global uncertainty and political changes at home. That’s the focus of the Greek government as Prime Minister Mitsotakis engages with voters across the country and prepares an economic package for the Thessaloniki International Fair in September, one that he hopes will boost his party’s chances in the elections. A key element of this discussion is also inevitably going to be whether Greece’s key industries - tourism and shipping - can continue to serve as drivers of economic growth. When it comes to tourism, Greece has seen record numbers of visitors over the years. This success, however, is also raising important concerns about over-tourism, even on more remote Cycladic islands like Amorgos. When it comes to shipping, Greece’s global position is unquestionable, and Greek ships are critical for the global economy. Much of this success comes down to a long tradition of seamanship, but also to a unique development in the 20th century involving the US in the wake of World War II.  Thanos Davelis digs into all of these issues and stories this week with experts Wolfango Piccoli, Nick Malkoutzis, Alia Malek, and John Psaropoulos. A little more info on our guests: Wolfango Piccoli is the head of geopolitics at the London-based CEO and board advisory firm Consello. Nick Malkoutzis is the co-founder of Macropolis.gr. Alia Malek is an author and journalist whose story "Breaking Ground: A road, a port, and the specter of touristification on the small Greek island of Amorgos" was recently published. John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist, Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe, and publisher of Hellenica on Substack. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.  

On July 20th we marked 52 years since phase one of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus. For 52 years, Turkey has never been held accountable for this illegal invasion and occupation, for the division it imposed on the island, or for the lives and communities it shattered.  Today, despite international condemnation, UN resolutions, and calls for negotiations, the Cyprus issue remains one of the world's longest-running unresolved challenges. While progress toward a solution has been elusive over the last five decades, reports indicate there is a new effort afoot to revive peace talks as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres prepares to visit Cyprus in the coming days. Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus was also part of the discussion at the European Parliament this month, as the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the impact of Turkey’s 1974 invasion on Cypriot women and girls. This is seen as an important step acknowledging Cypriot women’s experiences of violence during the invasion, including sexual violence, that can hopefully open the door for survivors to speak and be heard openly and safely. The Cyprus invasion isn’t just an open wound for the island, but for the Greek diaspora. 1974 was a major turning point, especially in the US, as Greek-Americans mobilized across the country, becoming politically active and advocating in Washington, DC for justice.  Andrew Novo, Harris Georgiades, Natalie Alkiviadou, and Alexander Kitroeff join Thanos Davelis as we look into both phases of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974, whether we could be seeing a new push from the UN for talks, the importance of the European Parliament’s resolution on the impact of Turkey’s invasion on Cypriot women, and how the Cyprus invasion mobilized the Greek American community. A little more info on our guests: Andrew Novo is a professor of strategic studies at the National Defense University and adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service and Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Harris Georgiades is Chairman of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of Cyprus’ Parliament, Chairman of the “Clerides Institute”, and a former Minister of Finance. Dr. Natalie Alkiviadou is a Senior Research Fellow at the Future of Free Speech project at Vanderbilt University. Alexander Kotroeff is a professor of history with an expertise in Greece and the diaspora. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.