Mitsotakis: ‘Greece does not have an overtourism problem’
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pushed back against the notion that Greece faces an overtourism problem, while emphasizing that the government will step in with regulations when necessary.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1251027/mitsotakis-greece-does-not-have-an-overtourism-problem
FM Gerapetritis to receive Turkish counterpart Fidan in Athens
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis will receive his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Friday, November 8 in Athens, according to diplomatic sources.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/855228/FM-Gerapetritis-to-receive-Turkish-counterpart-Fidan-in-Athens
Kasselakis criticizes SYRIZA central committee’s decision to disqualify him from leadership race
Former SYRIZA president Stefanos Kasselakis has once again criticized the decision by the left-wing party’s central committee to disqualify him from the upcoming leadership race. In an interview with Star TV late on Tuesday, Kasselakis argued that the upcoming party congress, not the central committee, should have the authority to determine who can run for leadership.
Economy and finance ministry unveils four main changes introduced by new tax bill
The leadership of the economy and finance ministry on Tuesday unveiled the changes included in the new tax bill that will apply when tax returns are submitted, such as those regarding tips, the entrepreneurial tax for freelancers and the operation of the Independent Authority for Public Revenues (AADE).
ATHEX: Bourse snaps losing streak on Tuesday
The Greek stock market appeared on Tuesday to escape the downward spiral it has been in almost throughout this month, partly thanks to the easing of concerns internationally about a major deterioration of the crisis in the Middle East. As it approached the bottom of its range of the last three months, the 1,400-point mark, the benchmark rebounded, but the same could not be said about turnover.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1251050/athex-bourse-snaps-losing-streak-on-tuesday
KATHIMERINI: Changes in constructions outside zoning areas
TA NEA: Nuclear drill with Greek F-16 jetfighters
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Private entities to take on tax work
RIZOSPASTIS: The fight for public and free healthcare concerns everybody
KONTRA NEWS: Albania becomes a vast prison for refugees
DIMOKRATIA: German “torpedo” in favor of Turkey
NAFTEMPORIKI: Tax declarations normalized
DRIVING THE DAY: MBS IN BRUSSELS
SAUDI LEADER IN TOWN: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler, is in Brussels today for the first-ever summit between leaders of the EU and Arab Gulf countries.
Notorious MBS: The crown prince’s attendance at the inaugural EU-Gulf Cooperation Council summit adds weight — and controversy — to the gathering, which was always going to be more about symbolism than concrete results. Despite its historic nature, only half of the six GCC countries are sending heads of state or government; notably, the top rep from the United Arab Emirates is the deputy prime minister.
Michel’s mic drop: Charles Michel personally lobbied hard to bring about the EU-GCC summit as he approached the end of his tenure as the European Council president. It’s understandable for any outgoing leader to want to end their term “with a bang,” mused one diplomat from an Arab country. “This is the bang.”
Bygones: In 2018, the world condemned MBS for the murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul; U.S. intelligence has since concluded the crown prince approved the operation. Yet as the West’s demands for new energy sources grew — especially in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — Western leaders softened their stances. MBS’ likely stroll through the airy, “space egg” lobby of the Council’s Europa building will represent the continuing whitewashing of his global image — almost seven years to the date of the dissident journalist’s assassination.
Operation: Rebrand MBS. “The EU is feeding into his endless, multibillion efforts to rehabilitate his and his regime’s image despite its abuses,” said Claudio Francavilla, associate EU director at Human Rights Watch. “And that’s precisely what EU leaders will be doing if they don’t demand human rights reform and accountability for his government’s crimes.”
What’s that family photo going to look like? The list of participants was kept under wraps until Tuesday evening, with officials citing security concerns — and we’re still taking it with a grain of salt, at least when it comes to the EU leaders: Olaf Scholz is down as Germany’s representative, but the chancellor isn’t planning to show up. Due to a “long-agreed appointment” at home, a Scholz spokesman said, Berlin will be represented by French President Emmanuel Macron. (Don’t mistake this for moral squeamishness: Both Scholz and Macron met with MBS in 2022.)
MORE GCC SUMMIT
BEYOND THE FAMILY PHOTO: On the agenda: cooperation on oil, gas and green power, expanding trade ties and increased alignment on regional security. Qatar and Kuwait are likely hoping for more discussions on visa-free Schengen access for their citizens, a process that was nearly completed in 2022 before the Qatargate scandal threw it into deep-freeze.
Stepping back: Despite that uproar (not to mention ongoing human rights concerns), the EU’s ties to the Gulf region have deepened dramatically in recent years — often due to Michel’s personal initiatives. In addition, the EU named its first special envoy to the Gulf region in 2023 (Italy’s Luigi Di Maio), and over the past five years, the EEAS has doubled its delegations to GCC countries from two to four.
THANK MOSCOW: As POLITICO reported earlier this week, a draft joint statement showed the EU and GCC still weren’t on the same page about imposing restrictions on trade with Russia. But while many of the GCC states still have friendly ties with Moscow, it’s Putin’s invasion that fueled Europe’s push to get close to (and get fuel from) the Gulf. And despite sticking points, an Arab diplomat said, the Gulf countries are agreeing to stronger language on Ukraine than they have in the past.
Don’t sweat the statement: “Sometimes there is a feeling that we put too much energy on drafting declarations which have a limited lifespan,” Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told my colleague Barbara Moens on Tuesday. “What I’m looking forward to is a free, open debate and exchange with them … It’s not us holding the wisdom for the solutions of the Middle East.”
Putin still has pull: But as my colleagues over at Morning Trade point out, Riyadh has been invited to join a Russian-hosted BRICS summit on Oct. 22-24, with the Saudis still considering whether to join the bloc. (The UAE is already in.)
MORE MIDEAST
EU’S WHISPERED SYRIA AMBITION: The newfound warmth for MBS might just be a warm-up. Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad has been even more isolated, for longer. But that could soon change as EU countries confront their fears over flows of people fleeing violence in Lebanon, including Syrians who had already tried to escape one war, Nick Vinocur and Barbara Moens report.
From GCC to EUCO: The language on Syria in the draft of the EU-GCC conclusions viewed by Playbook — lost in a depressing laundry list of violent crises — expresses the shared urgency around “the need to create secure conditions for the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of Syrian refugees.” But as EU leaders cast around for ways to deport more migrants, the idea of making involuntary returns possible could be on the table when they meet on Thursday and Friday.
Right on cue — migration stats: The number of irregular border crossings into the EU fell by 42 percent to 166,000 in the first nine months of this year, according to preliminary data collected by Frontex.
Meloni saying the quiet part out loud: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni plans to raise the relationship with Damascus during Thursday’s European Council summit, two EU diplomats told POLITICO, and she already has backing from countries like Austria and Hungary. Read the full article.
U.S. ISSUES ULTIMATUM TO ISRAEL: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israel it must improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza in the next 30 days or Washington could restrict military aid.
UKRAINE
ZELENSKYY COMING TO BRUSSELS: Charles Michel tweeted that he’d invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to present his “victory plan” at the European Council summit on Thursday. (Zelenskyy was originally going to brief the leaders over videoconference, but is now expected to appear in person.)
Forgive Playbook for our confusion: Council officials refused to share the GCC participation list until the last minute, citing security. Yet Michel flagged Zelenskyy’s visit — usually kept top-secret, again due to security — on X days in advance.
UKRAINE’S G7 LOAN AT RISK: The G7 pledged a $50 billion loan to Ukraine in June, but now the commitment could fall apart, writes Armin Steinbach, a professor of law and economics at HEC Paris and a non-resident fellow at Bruegel, in this opinion piece for POLITICO.
WHAT SETS UKRAINE AND ISRAEL APART: The U.S. this week deployed an advanced air defense system and dozens of troops to protect Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles — but there’s nothing like that level of help for Ukraine. Kyiv wants to know why there’s a double standard; Washington points to Russia’s nukes, report Veronika Melkozerova, Robbie Gramer and Paul McLeary.
WHAT ZELENSKYY AND NETANYAHU HAVE IN COMMON: They’re in the burn book of Nicaragua’s authoritarian president.
WAR AND PEACE
VILNIUS SLAMS HUNGARY’S SOFT TOUCH ON KAZAKHSTAN: Lithuania plans to call out the Hungarian Council presidency over its Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó’s approach to running Monday’s EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council meeting, Jacopo Barigazzi writes in to report.
Happening today: During today’s meeting of the Political and Security Committee — a regular gathering of EU27 perm reps and European External Action Service officials to discuss foreign policy — Lithuania will lodge a complaint accusing Szijjártó of hijacking the gathering to suit Budapest’s message by diverging from agreed EU language, failing to raise human rights issues with Kazakh representatives and criticizing the EU’s sanctions against Russia.
The concern is particularly acute, Jacopo reports, because the EU is preparing similar cooperation councils with other countries, including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
NEW “DISARMAMENT” PARLIAMENT INTERGROUP: Amid wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, several MEPs want to promote “disarmament” and to dedicate more funds to fight “hunger, disease and poverty.” Danilo Della Vella (The Left), Marco Tarquinio (S&D), Leoluca Orlando (Greens/EFA) and Michael McNamara (Renew) want their colleagues to support the creation of an “Intergroup for Peace, Diplomacy and Multilateral Dialogue,” according to an email seen by POLITICO’s Max Griera. The group’s vision of “common defense” includes “a non-aggressive military” branch and “a civilian nonviolent” one.
Intergroups are cross-party forums of discussion that lobby within the Parliament for specific causes by setting up their own voting lists and organizing events. They need the formal support of at least three political group chairs. A final list of the intergroups is expected in December.
IN OTHER NEWS
NEW RULES FOR COMMISSION CABINETS: Ursula von der Leyen has created a new set of internal rules governing how the next crop of commissioners should fill their top teams, my colleagues Eddy Wax and Barbara Moens report. The rules are intended to ensure that at least 50 percent of the key players in their Cabinets are women and that commissioners don’t stack their teams with officials who share their own nationality.
SAVING MERCOSUR: The Commission is working on a new budget fund to compensate farmers for any negative impact from the EU-Mercosur agreement, hoping the cash pot will help overcome French resistance, Hans von der Burchard and Giorgio Leali report.
WHAT ROMANIA IS TALKING ABOUT: Romania’s top court stands accused of election meddling after it removed antisemitic, pro-Russia, far-right candidate Diana Șoșoacă from the presidential ballot ahead of the two-round presidential vote on Nov. 24 and Dec. 8. Ketrin Jochecová has the details.
ELON MUSK’S HEART OF GOLD? Microsoft co-founder-turned-global-philanthropist Bill Gates reckons controversial tech mogul Elon Musk may have a giving side. “I think eventually he’s likely to be a philanthropist,” Gates told Gordon Repinski on the Berlin Playbook podcast.
SPEAKING OF MUSK: He gave almost $75 million to his super PAC backing Donald Trump’s presidential campaign last quarter, according to a new campaign finance filing. POLITICO’s Christine Mui writes that Musk’s politics are crashing hard into his business.