Athens Digest | Athens Digest Special Editions [Interviews & reports]

Athens Digest interviews senior EU and Greek officials/policymakers. The interviews are distributed via breaking editions of our newsletter to all recipients. Moreover, analysts and experts offer thematic reports upon developments. Here you may find some older ones.

2025

Interview with Domenec Devesa, President of the UEF, Former MEP (S&D)
The European Parliament must be prepared to use the ‘veto’ it holds, to increase the size of the next MMF, to strengthen support for regions and farmers, and also to achieve further political deepening beyond the expectations for a common defense approach, tells Domenec Devesa, President of the UEF, former MEP (S&D) in an interview with John Papageorgiou.

Interview with Gabriele Bischoff, MEP (SnD) President of the Spinelli Group
“Europe will not work anymore as a technocratic project,” Bischoff told John Papageorgiou. In a flash interview, on the sidelines of the UEF Federal Committee Meeting in Athens. She stressed that the EU is at a critical “make it or break it” moment due to major geopolitical instability, the end of the globalization model as previously known, rising nationalism within Member States, and increasing challenges to Europe’s economic competitiveness—especially for export-oriented economies. She argued that Europe needs a strong, united response, particularly in a context where war is taking place on the continent and Europe’s global influence appears weakened, as illustrated by proposals such as Trump’s “28-point plan”.

Interview with EU Commission’s Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen
The EU tech and security sovereignty, the transatlantic relations, the SAFE tool, the drone-wall, the new Digital Omnibus package and the role of Greece, The European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, answered John Papageorgiou’s questions.

Interview with Greece’s Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis
Kostis Hatzidakis, Greece’s Deputy Prime Minister and EPP’s Vice President, emphases the importance of ensuring the European Union is financially equipped to address modern challenges. As he stresses, Greece strongly supports funding for the Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy, advocating for more ambitious proposals during MFF negotiations.

Interview with Giovanni Callegari, Head of Economic Risk Analysis, Country Team Coordinator for Greece
“Greece should continue all its prudent policy course and investment spending, as this can help productivity growth. This can be achieved only through a more efficient economy, one that can raise wages and hence living standards in a way that does not create new economic imbalances,” Callegari tells John Papageorgiou.

Interview: EU Budget – A thematic discussion with Carla Tavares (S&D), co-rapporteur on the post-2027 MFF in the European Parliament’s Budget Committee
“We cannot demand more from the Union with the same money,” Tavares tells John Papageorgiou. She underscores the need to keep common loans as an option and describes the European Commission’s proposal on defence budget as “a first step, given the circumstances.” However, she firmly insists that Cohesion Funds of the next MFF should not be redirected toward defence, warning that “every time a crisis strikes, we cannot turn to Cohesion Funds.”

Interview with Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport
As part of the comprehensive morning news bulletin of Athens Radio, John Papageorgiou, Founder and Head of the Athens Digest, hosted and conducted an interview with Commissioner Micallef. He stressed the role of his portfolio, focusing on bridging differences between the EU and third partners, as well as addressing political extremism, hate speech, and violence.

2024

[Interview Series] – Aura Salla (EPP): We need significant private investment capital, talent attraction and not EU cohesion fund subsidy policies
At a time when supporting EU competitiveness is a key issue of the new European Commission, the Finnish MEP of the European People’s Party stresses that since there is no new public capital, we need significant private investment and the attraction of talent within the Union.

Defence and Security – A thematic discussion with Ioannis Vrailas, Greek Ambassador Permanent Representative in the EU
Athens Digest continues its effort to address key issues concerning the EU and Greece, with a specific focus on the country’s fundamental positions on every matter. In this context, we spoke with the Greek Ambassador Permanent Representative to the EU, Ioannis Vrailas, regarding European Security and Defence.

2023

Thematic Interview Series: Thanasis Kontogeorgis, dep. minister to the prime minister
“By the end of this tenure, we aspire to increase by 25% the average salary, decrease social contributions, decrease and gradually abolish the overhead tax. We aim to achieve growth rates of around 3% and continue decreasing the Debt to GDP ratio. This will be possible by increasing investments by 70% and exports by 60%,” he says. In a thematic interview with the Athens Digest, the agenda focuses on Finance and Development.

Athens Digest Special Edition: Greek Elections Update (19.06.2023)
Third in a series of election analyses in the run up to the 2023 June 25 general election. George Arapoglou, General Director of the Pulse RC research company provide comment on his company’s political tracking poll, joined by the Athens Digest’s founder and head, John Papageorgiou.

Athens Digest Special Edition: Greek Elections Update (01.05.2023)
Second in a series of election analyses in the run up to the 2023 May 21 general election. George Arapoglou, the CEO and chief information officer of the Pulse RC research company provide comment on his company’s political tracking poll, joined by the Athens Digest’s founder and head, John Papageorgiou.

Athens Digest Special Edition: Greek Elections Update (10.04.2023)
First in a series of election analyses in the run up to the 2023 May 21 general election. George Arapoglou, the CEO and chief information officer of the Pulse RC market research company provide comment on his company’s political tracking poll, joined by the Athens Digest’s founder and head, John Papageorgiou

Thematic interview series: Ioannis Vrailas, Greek Ambassador and Permanent Representative
“While it is ultimately up to the Ukrainian side to determine the timing of the negotiations and the terms of a just peace, it was of paramount importance that, in the face of (Russia’s) aggression, the EU Member States stand with Ukraine in defense of the principles of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders,” says Ioannis Vrailas, Greek Ambassador Permanent Representative in the EU. In a thematic interview with the Athens Digest, the agenda focuses on Ukraine, energy and migration.

2020-2022

Panos Tsakloglou: Current pension system is exposed to demographic risk
The ‘don’t fix it, if it works’ approach doesn’t work anymore, he says. Speaking to John Papageorgiou, Tsakloglou, the Greek Dep. Minister of Labor, stresses that the upcoming pension reform will provide a boost to employment, productivity, wages and growth. The former Greece representative at the EWG adds that the EU institutions are aware the government’s plan and an in-depth discussion with them will follow after the completion of three relevant ongoing studies.

Zsolt Darvas (Bruegel): Fundamental reform of EU fiscal rules is needed irrespective of the pandemic
“A fundamental reform of EU fiscal rules is needed irrespective of the pandemic and the fiscal situation of EU countries in the years to come, and the reason is that current rules suffer from major shortcomings. The current rules are overly complex, unpredictable, relies on unobserved variables (output gap and structural balance) that are difficult to estimate, prone to errors, lack proper enforcement mechanisms and credibility,” Zsolt Darvas tells Athens Digest.

Harry Theoharis: Vaccination certificate instead of a PCR test should be an option
“A common vaccination certificate should be an option instead of a PCR test before travelling,” Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis tells Athens Digest. “This dispels both myths: You are not prevented from travelling if you are not vaccinated and you are not forced to provide vaccination details; you can always get tested and keep the fact that you are vaccinated undisclosed,” he stresses.

Dimitris Skalkos: The implementation framework of the EU Cohesion Policy programmes must be reassessed
A flexible “covid strategy” should be implemented for at least the next two years, Dimitris Skalkos, General Secretary at the Ministry of Development & Investments, tells Athens Digest. “It is important to redefine the balance between the EU objectives and the current regional imbalances. This presupposes a serious reassessment of the management and implementation framework of Cohesion Policy programmes in order to simplify procedures and limit requirements,” he adds.

Leonidas Christopoulos (Digital Governance Gen. Sec.): The Greek roadmap to converge with the EU average
The secretary general of digital governance and simplification of procedures at the Ministry of Digital Governance, says Greece’s is set to make a successful shift towards comprehensive digitization with deep-rooted improvements in communications infrastructure as well administrative reorganization.

Gentiloni says “definitely yes” to a euro area safe asset
The time is “definitely” right for the introduction of a euro area safe asset, said EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni when asked in an interview with Athens Digest’s John Papageorgiou. However, he also added that he is “definitely aware of the fact that to build consensus among member states on this necessity will not be easy (…) We can’t accept the idea that the countries having high debt are exposed to different risks from the others. We have a common Union, we have a single currency. We should complete this common Union and this monetary Union. How to complete it without a form of safe asset? It’s very difficult.”

2017-2019

Moscovici interview: Greece can still make debt relief deadline
EU Finance Commissioner Pierre Moscovici has told the Athens Digest’s John Papageorgiou in an interview that he believes Greece can overcome delays in the reform programme before the March 11 Eurogroup and qualify for additional debt relief. “There are two (issues) that need to be addressed: Divestment on lignite on the one hand, and also the protection of the primary residence, the amendment or change of the so-called Katselis Law,” Moscovici said in the interview with Athens Municipal Radio while on a visit to the Greek capital for meetings with Prime Minister Tsipras and Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos. Asked if the Commission fully supports the implementation of the tax reform which has been legislated for next year, he said: “I will concentrate on March 11. Next year is next year _ 2020 comes after 2019 and as far as I know there will be elections in this country. I don’t know exactly when but certainly during this year because it is the term of Alexis Tsipras’ mandate, so we will have a (later) occasion to discuss the future.”

Jeroen Dijsselbloem: Greece needs to send a signal beyond pensions
The former president of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, says Greece should swiftly demonstrate its commitment to a reform agenda if European lenders back Athens on a U-turn over pension cuts. “There is no direct fiscal need to do it,’ he said referring to the pre-legislated pension cuts he told Athens Digest , just before his arrival in Athens for the presentation of his book “Eurocrisis”. He cautioned that investors would be looking for policy consistency from Greece after its bailout exit. “So I would say that on a number of topics they are moving ahead _ on alternative topics _ then that should also give comfort to the outside world.” Dijsselbloem issued a warning to fellow Social Democrats struggling to regain appeal with voters ahead of next year’s European Parliament elections. “Don’t follow the populists, however attractive that might be in the short run to become tough like the hard right (on immigration) or fiscally irresponsible like the hard left. Don’t go that way.” The Social Democrats, he said, had to convince voters they had workable policies on delivering prosperity and managing migration. “Europe always provided prosperity and safety for people … (but) since the turn of the century, I think that has changed,” he said. “Migration has become a big issue in all of our countries. And on top of that, we had the financial crisis with disastrous effects. I think the voters of Social Democrats are simply disappointed.”

EC VP Maros Sefcovic: Energy reforms may bring huge benefits to Greece
Greece can become an important player in the Mediterranean energy market. It needs to proceed with the reforms, create the appropriate conditions and improve its infrastructure. Then the benefits for the country will be enormous. Maros Sefcofic, EU Commission’s Vice President was interviewed by Athens Digest’s John Papageorgiou

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