- Greek GDP – The Greek economy is expected to grow at a 1.9% rate in 2026, according to the latest forecast by the Bank of Greece, as economic uncertainty weighs on consumption and international trade. Although slower than last year’s 2.1% growth rate, the central bank predicts that the Greek economy will continue to outpace the rest of the eurozone, which is forecast to grow by 0.9% in 2026. Investment is expected to remain the main driver of growth, supported by European Union financial inflows, credit expansion and foreign direct investment. Separately, Greek think-tank IOBE forecasts growth of 1.8% this year, driven by a 14% increase in fixed capital formation.
- Bank of Greece – The government has proposed reappointing Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras to a third, six-year term as head of the country’s central bank. “I would like to affirm my commitment to the core mission of this important institution, which in 2028 completes one hundred years of service, having played a leading and constructive role in economic developments; namely to ensure monetary stability and the soundness of the financial system,” Mr. Stournaras said in a statement.
- Air Travel – Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Athens International Airport – Greece’s largest – reported a 3.8% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic in March to 2.31 million. International passenger numbers increased by 3.4%, while domestic traffic grew by 4.8%. In the first three months of 2026, passenger traffic totaled 6.28 million, marking an 8.1% increase compared to 2025 levels.
- Greek Airports – Greece’s sovereign wealth fund – Growthfund – is proceeding with the privatization of 22 smaller, regional airports as part of national efforts to upgrade the country’s tourism and transport infrastructure. The airports will be offered under a 40-year concession and as a single asset cluster. They include the airports of: Alexandroupoli, Araxos, Astypalaia, Ikaria, Ioannina, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastellorizo, Kastoria, Kozani, Kythira, Leros, Limnos, Milos, Naxos, Nea Anchialos, Paros, Sitia, Skyros, Syros and Chios. The deadline for initial expressions of interest is 30 June 2026.
- Mountain Tourism – The government has launched a new campaign promoting Greece’s mountain regions as year-round tourism destinations, part of a multi-pronged strategy to develop those regions of the country. The campaign – with the slogan: Mountainous Greece. It Takes You Higher. All Year Round – will be supported by a new, €90 million digital platform for mountain tourism that is set to be rolled out later this year. Additionally, Greece will establish a Special Secretariat for Mountain Areas, serving as the main authority to manage policies and coordinate funding across ministries and regions. The government is earmarking more than €1 billion annually to boost local economies, improve infrastructure, and make mountain communities sustainable throughout the year.
- Market Upgrade – Morgan Stanley Capital International will elevate the Greek stock market to developed market status from emerging market status effective May 2027. This upgrade signals an enhancement of Greece’s economic standing and marks a significant milestone for the domestic capital market, highlighting the recent advancements in the country’s economy following the global financial crisis. In October last year, FTSE Russell announced it would upgrade Greece from Advanced Emerging to Developed Market status on Sept. 21, 2026.
- Space Program – Greece has launched five additional microsatellites as part of the National Microsatellite Program that will serve to test new space technologies developed in Greece and with the aim of strengthening the domestic space industry. These satellites belong to an array of 11 experimental cube satellites developed under the Program and will provide data for the development of space technology in critical sectors such as communications, mapping, navigation, precision agriculture, spatial planning and natural disaster response. Currently, six Greek micro and nano satellites are already in orbit. Separately, Dr. Adrianos Golemis, a flight surgeon working for the European Space Agency, has become the first Greek to be selected for the ESA astronaut training program that will begin later this year.
- Energy Exploration – Greece has signed a contract with a consortium comprising of U.S. oil major ExxonMobil and Greek petroleum companies Energean and HELLENiQ ENERGY to begin exploratory drilling for hydrocarbon resources in the northwestern Ionian Sea. Operations are expected to commence in February 2027, marking the first exploratory drilling activity in Greece in almost 50 years. Surveys of the area indicate the presence of natural gas in the seabed.
- Defense Deal – Greece has signed a $750 million contract to acquire PULS rocket artillery systems from Israel as part of the country’s defense modernization program. The deal includes dozens of launchers and rockets with ranges of 40-300 kilometers and will be integrated into Greece’s Achilles Shield project to defend against air, sea and land based missile and drone attacks.
- Digital Governance – Greece was selected as the headquarters of a European consortium to develop cross-border information systems and secure digital platforms to boost collaboration among public administrations. The Innovative Massive Public Administration interConnected Transformation Services (IMPACTS-EDIC) consortium will be based in the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence and is part of a European Commission initiative launched in December 2025 under the Digital Decade 2030 Policy Programme.
