The Greek Current

The Financial Times recently put the spotlight on a phenomenon that has been dubbed the “north Cyprus trap” that has seen tens of thousands of migrant students get lured with false promises to so-called universities in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus. This practice is not only mired in fraud and human rights abuses, but also enables migrant smugglers who are moving many of these students through the Green Line. Joseph Wilkins, a journalist for the Financial Times based in Nicosia and the author of this report, joins Thanos Davelis as we dive into this story.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:The ‘north Cyprus trap’: migrant students lured with false promisesTurkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following deadly attack on defense companyAt least five dead in attack at Turkish aviation companyUS and Cyprus launch a strategic dialogue to bolster security

With Israel appearing to expand its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, targeting the group's financial networks, the US is increasingly concerned that the conflict has “escalated out of control”, with top officials calling for the enforcement of a UN resolution that ended the previous major war between them in 2006. At the same time, there is renewed concern that the war is fueling Lebanon’s sectarian tensions, threatening the balance between Lebanon’s three main religious groups. Sean Mathews, a journalist for the Middle East Eye covering the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how this evolving conflict is impacting Lebanon and the region. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:How the US dived into a war to reshape Lebanon's balance of powerBeirut divided: Israeli strikes fuel Lebanon’s sectarian tensionsLebanon assesses the damage after Israel strikes Hezbollah-linked banksU.S. Tries to End War in Lebanon That Biden Envoy Calls ‘Out of Control’Erdogan’s nationalist ally suggests parole for imprisoned Kurdish leader OcalanIMF raises forecast for Cyprus’ economic growth

After a one-year manhunt, Israeli forces were able to kill Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week. Could this pave the way for a reset in a region grappling with the aftermath of the deadly October 7th, 2023, attack Sinwar stood behind? Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to look at why the death of Sinwar is a chance to reopen the door to the brief era of regional cooperation that was being celebrated before October 7th, particularly the 3+1 mechanism between Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the US. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:The Sinwar resetTurkish move to acquire Eurofighter jets effort to restore air force balanceGermany sets terms for Turkey jet saleDissent emerges within PASOK over Androulakis’ new appointments

Migration was - once again - at the heart of discussions at the latest EU leaders summit, as the issue has been taking on new dimensions across the continent. This renewed focus on migration comes after the far-right made gains in the European Parliament, in various elections in Germany and Austria, and follows the opening of Italy’s controversial offshore detention centers in Albania. Angeliki Dimitriadi, a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Migration Program at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), joins Thanos Davelis to explore how migration is once again challenging EU leaders, and break down what the path forward looks like.Given the political landscape in Europe right now, how do you see this issue evolving?Von der Leyen promises more deportations as EU veers right on migrationGreece sceptical about EU outsourcing asylum seekersEU seeks to accelerate return of migrantsAlbania says only Italy is allowed to operate migrant asylum centers in the countryItaly’s offshore detention centers in Albania open for businessErdoğan’s arch enemy Fethullah Gülen dies, reports sayPyatt underscores Greece’s leadership role in energy security

Earlier this month Erdogan made a wild accusation that Israel was planning to wage war on, or target, Turkey. While these absurd claims are mainly seen as an effort by the Turkish President to appease his Islamist base and distract from the country’s economic troubles, there is concern that to ignore such statements encourages further incitement. Alan Makovsky, a senior fellow for the Center for American Progress and a former senior staffer with responsibility for Turkey on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why Erdogan’s claims, if left unchecked, risk stoking more hatred in Turkey and the region.In our discussion we also look into the Turkey-Hamas connection. This conversation was recorded before the news about the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who was an architect of the October 7 attacks.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Erdogan accuses Israel of wanting to wage war on Turkey despite robust trade tiesEU leaders set course for tougher policy to send back irregular migrantsGreece, Ukraine sign security agreement in Brussels

With the exclusion of former party head Stefanos Kasselakis from its leadership election, it looks like SYRIZA is plunging into fresh turmoil. With the party effectively leaderless and consumed by internal struggles for the coming weeks, many see this as an opportunity for PASOK - which just wrapped up its own leadership elections - to state its case to be considered the main opposition party. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the latest crisis within SYRIZA and look at what to keep an eye on as PASOK shifts gears following its leadership race.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Androulakis reaffirmed as PASOK leader, ending talk of centre-left allianceKasselakis criticizes SYRIZA central committee’s decision to disqualify him from leadership racePM pushing for EU action on migration in BrusselsAnkara hardens stance before Athens talks

Next month COP 29, the UN’s flagship climate conference, is once again going to be hosted by an authoritarian petrostate - Azerbaijan. In the build up to COP29, human rights organizations, civil society groups, and major news outlets have all shared their concerns about Azerbaijan’s human rights record - from its aggression in the Caucasus against Armenians to its crackdown on dissidents at home. Aram Hamparian, the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), joins Thanos Davelis to look into the growing pressure on Azerbaijan, and break down why COP29 should matter to anyone who believes in human rights.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:COP29 and the greenwashing of AzerbaijanBack off, Azerbaijan tells human rights critics ahead of COP29At UN dinner, Cypriot leaders agree to meet again soonMajority of Greeks concerned about overtourism, survey findsMitsotakis: ‘Greece does not have an overtourism problem’

A few days ago, on October 12th, Athens celebrated 80 years since the liberation of the city from a brutal Nazi German occupation that left its mark not just on Athens, but on all of Greece. Today, we take a look back at this historic moment, but also at a question that has lingered ever since, impacting Greece’s relations with Germany: the issue of reparations and a forced loan taken from Greece. John Psaropoulos joins Thanos Davelis as we dive into this issue and look at why it is still on the table.John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist and Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe. He publishes Hellenica, a weekly deep dive into Greek current affairs and history. You can find it on Substack.com.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Occupied Greece lent Nazi Germany billions. Now it seeks repayment, but is afraid to askSYRIZA’s future in balance as it braces for showdownEU terms for Albania on minority rights

Last week Turkish President Erdogan set out on a tour of the Balkans, visiting Albania and Serbia. The tour kicked off in Albania, with Erdogan gifting a number of drones and inaugurating the largest mosque in the Balkans - which was funded by Turkey. The second leg took him to Serbia, where Turkey made a diplomatic comeback in 2017. Thanos Davelis caught up with expert Dimitar Bechev last week while Erdogan was wrapping up his visit to Belgrade. We looked into Erdogan’s Balkan tour, and broke down Turkey’s broader agenda in the region.Dimitar Bechev is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, where he focuses on EU enlargement, the Western Balkans, and Eastern Europe, and he is the author of the bookTurkey under Erdogan.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Erdogan inaugurates mosque in Albania, pledges military drones as he begins Balkan tourTurkey, Serbia Eye Cooperation On Production Of Military DronesAndroulakis celebrates reelection as PASOK leader, vows to end New Democracy’s dominanceAndroulakis re-elected PASOK leaderUS has not met its commitments, says Greek defense ministerDendias highlights Greece’s military progress

This week Greece - together with the European Commission - hosted the REPowerEU workshop on energy in Athens. This was a chance to put the spotlight on how Greece is at the heart of energy developments like the “Vertical Corridor”, renewables, and electricity interconnectors that are transforming the region and breaking its dependence on Russian energy. Theodoros Tsakiris, a Professor of Geopolitics and Energy Policy at the University of Nicosia, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this important meeting in Athens and explore the various projects that have put Greece on the energy map as a serious player.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Remarks at the REPowerEU Diversification WorkshopPyatt to “N”: Greece’s amazing transformation into an energy hubErdogan inaugurates mosque in Albania, pledges military drones as he begins Balkan tourErdogan visits Tirana bearing giftsMED 9 Summit in Cyprus: EU leaders confront Israel-Lebanon conflict and migration concernsCyprus hosts European Commission President for MED9 Summit