The Greek Current

While the tourism boom in Greece over the last years can be felt across the country, its epicenter is a group of islands in the Aegean known as the Cyclades. The tourism boom is also fueling seemingly nonstop development on the islands, putting the focus on the sustainability of this development model. Yannis Palaiologos, a journalist at large with Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss how tourism and frantic development is impacting Greece’s most popular islands, and look into the efforts of a relatively new initiative called the Sustainable Cyclades project, which aims to put a spotlight on these issues.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:The Sustainable Cyclades projectAs Development Alters Greek Islands’ Nature and Culture, Locals Push BackTurkey's Edrogan signs off on Sweden's NATO membership#NoJetsForTurkey coalition calls for US Congress scrutiny of F-16 saleStudents in Greece protest plans to introduce private universities

Turkey’s Parliament voted on Tuesday to approve Sweden’s membership into NATO, clearing one of the final hurdles for a major expansion of the military alliance. The move comes after nearly two years of Ankara setting roadblocks and delaying Sweden’s swift accession to the NATO alliance. Despite Tuesday’s vote Sweden’s accession is not yet guaranteed. Henri Barkey, the Cohen Professor of International Relations at Lehigh University and Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest move by Turkey’s Parliament and look at the lessons US policymakers should walk away with from Erdogan’s handling of Sweden’s NATO accession.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Turkey Backs Sweden’s NATO BidTurkey votes in favor of Sweden’s NATO membership after months of delayBiden urges US Congress to approve F-16 sale to Turkey 'without delay'Government aims to secure at least 120 Conservative votes

As Greece bounces back from a decade of economic crisis, earning praise in headlines and features across the board - from The Economist to the Wall Street Journal - it is also up against a series of challenges. One of those is the demographic challenge, which has been described as existential. Nikos Konstandaras, a columnist for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how Greece, given the position it finds itself in today, has a unique window of opportunity to push key reforms forward that would go a long way toward tackling some of the key challenges the country is up against.Read Nikos Konstandaras’ latest in Kathimerini: Facing the future and ourselvesYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Turkey Backs Sweden’s NATO BidParties clash over emigrant postal voting billCabinet to discuss same-sex marriage bill on Wednesday

On Monday Greece introduced a bill that would allow for voting by mail, a long-standing request of diaspora Greeks and a measure that has been applied in almost all modern democracies. Interior Minister Niki Kerameus said the reform will make it easier to exercise the right to vote and will deepen democracy. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest step by the Mitsotakis government, and break down what it could mean for Greek democracy and for diaspora Greeks.Read Tom Ellis’ latest in Kathimerini: On the mail-in voteYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Postal voting will ‘deepen democracy’Postal voting bill amendment seeks inclusion of Greeks abroad in national electionsMitsotakis, Blinken discuss developments in Gaza and the Red SeaTurkey Parliament Set to Vote on Sweden’s NAT0 Bid This Week

This week the leaders of the Hellenic Caucus in Congress sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to invite President Christodoulides to the White House to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus. They also urged the Biden administration to take a series of steps that could take the US-Cyprus relationship to new heights. In the meantime, Prime Minister Mitsotakis will visit New York and Chicago next week, a visit that highlights Greece’s growing reputation beyond Washington. Endy Zemenides, HALC’s Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the latest developments on Cyprus in Washington, and provide a look ahead at Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ upcoming visit to the US.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Sarbanes, Hellenic Caucus Leaders Urge President Biden to Formally Invite the President of Cyprus to the White House to Mark 50th Anniversary of Turkish Invasion of CyprusPrime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Greece's Economic ComebackGov’t rules out referendum on same-sex marriage billIeronymos says referendum could be held on same-sex civil marriagesGreece to Sell ‘Significant’ Stake in Piraeus Bank in Months (1)Mitsotakis says he wants Greece to become exporter of green energy

As Greece’s government looks set to get marriage equality legislation over the finish line, the bill itself has managed to rattle Greece’s political system - particularly within New Democracy, Greece’s ruling party. Given dissent within New Democracy over the bill, the government will need to look across the aisle to pass it. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this bill, look at how it's impacting Greece’s political scene, and touch on the broader public debate around the issue of marriage equality - including hate speech on social media platforms. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Government to bring forward bill on marriage equalitySame-sex marriage spices up Greece’s political sceneTiptoeing into same-sex marriageGreek students protest government plan for private universitiesHellenic Caucus leaders call on US president to commemorate 50th anniversary of Cyprus invasionRead the letter Hellenic Caucus leaders sent to President Biden

The seemingly unstoppable rise of tourism is transforming countries in ways that until recently belonged to the realm of the imagination. Greece is no exception, as it’s among the places most affected by this trend. Professor Stathis Kalyvas, the chairman of the Board of Directors at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and Gladstone Professor of Government at the University of Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how the rise of tourism is changing Greece, and what challenges this poses for the country in the coming years.Read Prof. Stathis Kalyvas’ latest in Kathimerini: What does the tourist boom mean for Greece?You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Athens blocking EU-Tirana defense pactFM Gerapetritis: Situation in Gaza requires immediate action

About a week ago Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Turkey, where he met with Turkish President Erdogan. Diplomatic sources said Blinken arrived bearing potential gifts to entice Turkey to wrap up the issue of Sweden’s NATO membership. These included everything from new ways to provide F-16s to Turkey to a White House visit for Turkish President Erdogan. Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a former Pentagon official, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why rewarding Erdogan for actions that responsible governments do without enticement only encourages blackmail.Read Michael Rubin’s latest here: No, Erdogan should never again step foot in the White HouseYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greek government plans Athens airport IPO to sell 30% stakeIrregular border crossings at an eight-year high in 2023, says Frontex

Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias recently outlined a new approach for how the Greek armed forces will be run, calling it “the armed forces of 2030”. Part of this new approach includes bolstering Greece’s defense industry, as Dendias noted that Greece cannot continue to buy everything it needs from abroad without producing anything of its own. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the key takeaways from his exclusive interview with Defense Minister Dendias, and give us an inside look at the changes Greece is looking to implement.Read Vassilis Nedos interview with Defense Minister Dendias: We can’t keep buying off the shelfYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece appeals to Iran for captured tankerTurkey serving as ‘de facto executive arm of Hamas,’ Israel’s Gallant saysSagiv Jehezkel: Israel footballer leaves Turkey after hostage plea rowIsraeli footballer censured in Turkey for October 7 tribute returns home

This new year finds Washington in a bind over how to effectively engage with Turkey, a trend we’ve documented for at least half a decade. The tug of war over Sweden and F16s, and Ankara’s stance on the Arab-Israeli conflict, are the latest examples of this. Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to break down why a tough stance toward Ankara - setting clear parameters and enforcing them relentlessly - is the only way to defend US regional interests and stop Erdogan’s mercurial and manipulative policies.Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD’s Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). He is also an Associate Professor of Security Studies at the Command and Staff College-Marine Corps University and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.Read Sinan Ciddi’s latest here:The United States Needs to Play Hardball With TurkeyErdogan’s electoral strategy for 2024: Vilify IsraelYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Iran, Russia decry Houthi strikes; Erdogan: US, UK want to turn Red Sea into bloodbathErdogan accuses U.S., Britain of trying to turn Red Sea into 'sea of blood'Greek PM faces fierce opposition over pledge to legalise gay marriageGreek prime minister says legislation allowing same-sex marriage will be presented soonSamaras rejects idea that ND MPs opposed to same-sex marriage abstain from vote