My Big Fat Greek Minister

It wasn't too difficult picking out the Fat Bastard in the crowd of Russian models, craven moochers and media mavens. Besides, Fat Bastard and I were both desperate for coffee and heading for the same empty urn. (We'd both signed on for Kazakhstan's annual Eurasia Media Forum, a kind of Burning Man festival for Eastern oilgarchs and their media camp followers.) Now, it ...

Greece’s big economic recovery – for investors

A year ago, Greece seemed on the verge of leaving the euro zone. Depositors were draining their savings from Greek banks and a radical left coalition that advocated a halt on debt repayments - default, in other words - seemed sure to win the election.You wouldn't recognize Greece today. Its credit rating has been upgraded, the Athens stock market is on fire and 10-year government bond ...

Just 5 pct of tax fines cashed in

By Prokopis Hatzinikolaou Less than 5 percent of fines imposed on taxpayers by administrative courts in recent years have reached public coffers despite efforts being conducted through changes in tax legislation.Finance Ministry data show that the fines imposed for tax cases add up to 14 billion euros, or 7.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). This concerns fines imposed by the ...

Greek shipowners choose Chinese shipyards

Greek shipowners have chosen Chinese shipyards for the construction of at least 60 percent of the new vessels ordered in the last few years, Merchant Marine Minister Costis Mousouroulis told journalists in China in the context of Greek Prime Minister Antonis ...

April meets revenue target from taxation

The Finance Ministry confirmed on Monday that April was the first month this year that the targets for both direct and indirect taxes were achieved, as the budget deficit is less than half of what had been forecast.In the first four months of the year the balance of the budget showed a deficit of 2.425 billion euros against a deficit of 9.148 billion in the same period last year and a target for ...