- Greece-Egypt – Greece and Egypt signed a strategic partnership agreement as a sign of their deepening bilateral relationship. The two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to a €4 billion project for an undersea electricity connection that would transport renewable energy from North Africa to Europe. The 3,000-megawatt cable will stretch nearly 1,000 kilometers under the eastern Mediterranean and has the support of the European Union.
- Greece-Italy – Greece and Italy agreed to triple their power interconnection capacity from 500 MW to 1,500 MW, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after a bilateral meeting of the 2nd High-Level Cooperation Council in Corfu. The two countries also signed an agreement to upgrade Greece’s rail network, with Greece to invest over €400 million in new infrastructure and Italy committing €360 million for new trains and depots.
- Fitch Ratings – International credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings upgraded its outlook for Greece to “positive” from “stable”, suggesting that it may raise its sovereign ratings for the country in the months ahead. The revision reflects the Greece’s strong fiscal performance and ongoing debt reduction efforts after the government reported a 2024 budget surplus equal to 1.3% of GDP and a primary surplus of 4.8% – significantly above the government’s original 1% target and Fitch’s own forecast. Fitch currently assesses Greece’s credit rating at BBB-.
- Mergers & Acquisitions – Greece saw record mergers & acquisitions last year, with the total value of transactions doubling to €12.5 billion, according to a report by PwC. In total, 123 M&A transactions were completed last year with an average transaction size of €101 million, while €6.2 billion was raised from privatizations. The report notes that the value of transactions in the renewable energy sector reached an historic high, while there was also strong deal flow in financial services, in the telecom, media & technology sector, and in shipping. According to PwC, Greek businesses last year attracted €20.7 billion in total capital – an historic high – highlighting unprecedented investor interest.
- Online Evaluations – The Greek government has introduced a new online platform for the public to evaluate public services. The platform, axiologisi.ypes.gov.gr, allows citizens to assess national services and organizations such as the national pension organization, the land registry, and the national revenue service, as well as public transport and local government issues like sanitation, street lighting, or schools. The new platform is part of the Greek government’s ongoing efforts to place public services online, an effort that now comprises approximately 2,000 public services.
- Crete Highway – The Greek government has signed the concession agreement for the construction of the new highway between the cities of Heraklion and Chania along the north shore of Crete. The section is the largest and most important segment of the Northern Road Axis of Crete, which will take five years to complete and is budgeted to cost €1.75 billion.
- Business Optimism – Nine out of ten Greek companies will either hire new or retain existing staff this year, according to a Federation of Greek Industries survey, with more than half saying they have plans to give salary increases. Only 4% of the 647 companies surveyed, said they will be laying off staff this year. Most respondents indicated that the country was on the right path, although concerns about the future are increasing.
- Blue Flags – Greece has been awarded 657 Blue Flag certifications for 2025, including 623 beaches, 17 marinas, and 17 tourist vessels by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, which manages the international Blue Flag program in Greece. The program assesses the cleanliness and sustainability of marine areas worldwide. Greece currently accounts for 15% of all Blue Flag beaches globally and is ranked second among 52 participating countries. The Blue Flag program is administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Copenhagen.