The Greek Current
The Hellenic American Leadership Council
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Top 10 The Greek Current Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Greek Current episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Greek Current for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Greek Current episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Cyprus and the shifting dynamics on migration and regional security
The Greek Current
02/12/25 • 12 min
For the past decade, Cyprus, the EU’s easternmost state and the closest to the Middle East, has stood as one of the EU’s frontline states when it comes to the migration crisis. The fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza are now raising new questions about migration and regional security. Nicholas Ioannides, the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection of Cyprus, joins Thanos Davelis to break down these shifting dynamics on migration and on the security front, and explore how cooperation with partners in the region, the EU, and the US, is going to be critical in tackling these challenges.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Hundreds of Syrians drop asylum bids in Cyprus since Assad’s fall, minister says
More than 1,000 Syrians have withdrawn asylum applications in Cyprus, another 500 have returned home
Poland will not implement Migration Pact, Donald Tusk tells Ursula von der Leyen
US leadership key to Middle East stability, experts say at 6th Southeast Europe Forum
Dendias highlights Greece’s strategic role in US foreign policy
Turkish Navy continues to shadow Greek surveys north of Crete
Erdogan's absurd claims that Israel wants to target Turkey
The Greek Current
10/18/24 • 12 min
Earlier this month Erdogan made a wild accusation that Israel was planning to wage war on, or target, Turkey. While these absurd claims are mainly seen as an effort by the Turkish President to appease his Islamist base and distract from the country’s economic troubles, there is concern that to ignore such statements encourages further incitement. Alan Makovsky, a senior fellow for the Center for American Progress and a former senior staffer with responsibility for Turkey on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why Erdogan’s claims, if left unchecked, risk stoking more hatred in Turkey and the region.
In our discussion we also look into the Turkey-Hamas connection. This conversation was recorded before the news about the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who was an architect of the October 7 attacks.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Erdogan accuses Israel of wanting to wage war on Turkey despite robust trade ties
EU leaders set course for tougher policy to send back irregular migrants
How the East Med is transforming Middle East security
The Greek Current
04/10/25 • 10 min
Since the discovery of natural gas almost 15 years ago in the Eastern Mediterranean, we’ve seen this region come together in unexpected ways. Ties have expanded beyond Greece, Cyprus and Israel to include a number of Middle East countries, the US, and the EU, and have moved well beyond energy into the security realm as well. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum, join Thanos Davelis to look at how East Med diplomacy is transforming the security landscape of the region.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Trump reacts to Mitsotakis interview: ‘I appreciate his comments’
SYRIZA's political future hanging in the balance
The Greek Current
11/14/24 • 12 min
This past weekend Stefanos Kasselakis announced the formation of a new political movement as SYRIZA prepares for a key leadership race. The decision not only throws the party into further turmoil, but leaves it weaker than ever and on the verge of being replaced as Greece’s main opposition party. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Stefanos Kasselakis’ decision to found a new party, and look at what this latest split within SYRIZA means for its political future and for Greece’s fractured left.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
SYRIZA’s fate hanging in the balance
Marco Rubio Is Trump’s Pick for Secretary of State
Rubio pick signals a Trump China policy that could go beyond tariffs
Congressman Gus Bilirakis hails Trump announcement of Marco Rubio as foreign affairs chief
Are Turkey's Erdogan and his nationalist ally about to fall out over Kurds?
Greece's new budget and the state of the economy heading into 2025
The Greek Current
12/16/24 • 13 min
Greece’s parliament has just approved the 2025 budget, with Prime Minister Mitsotakis highlighting measures designed to help mostly lower income households in the face of rising costs. This also includes measures that relate to Greece’s banking sector which have received a lot of media attention. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what the government has put forward, look at the political dimension of this budget, and explore the key strengths and weaknesses of Greece’s economy as we head into 2025.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Greece to scrap some bank fees for retail customers, parliament approves budget
Turkey Says Syria’s New Rulers Agree to Abolish Kurdish Forces
Syria's Kurds fearful of the future after Islamist rebels seized power
Why America’s Kurdish Allies Are Under Threat in a New Syria
Mitsotakis highlights need to uphold ceasefire during Lebanon visit
Greek PM visits Lebanon aiming to strengthen diplomatic ties, support stability
Mitsotakis under fire as criticism within the party mounts
The Greek Current
07/03/24 • 12 min
This week kicked off with two former prime ministers and leaders of New Democracy - Antonis Samaras and Konstantinos Karamanlis - launching maybe the most severe criticism of Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his leadership that we’ve heard so far, touching on foreign and domestic policy. Their criticism comes amid broader political uncertainty among Greece’s leading parties following disappointing results in the European elections. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what these critiques mean for Prime Minister Mitsotakis and whether they could impact policy both at home and abroad.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
PM comes under fire from predecessors
Mitsotakis's predecessors launch caustic attacks against PM's leadership, government policies
Italian ship under Ankara’s watchful eye
Firefighters battle wildfires on 2 Greek islands as premier warns of a dangerous summer
'Touristification' takes hold in Greece
The Greek Current
04/22/25 • 9 min
As Greece prepares for another hectic tourism season, it’s not just the popular island destinations that are bracing for the arrival of travelers from around the world. Over the past years, however, we’ve seen almost every region of Greece turn to tourism, a shift experts highlight is unique across the European Union. This trend of touristification - at the expense of other industries - raises concerns about the sustainability of Greece’s tourism model. Alexia Kalaitzi, an award-winning journalist and features reporter for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into this touristification phenomenon taking shape across Greece.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Τουριστικοποίηση: Πρωταθλήτρια Ευρώπης η Ελλάδα
‘Attack on Democracy’: Germany Blocks Eurofighter Sale to Turkey for Imprisoning Opposition Leader
US lawmakers against Turkish plans to transfer S-400 to Syria
06/28/24 • 9 min
Earlier this month, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew - along with many other countries and organizations - attended the Ukraine Peace Summit. Nearly 80 countries issued a statement calling for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war. The Ecumenical Patriarch’s signature was originally on that document. Then an outraged Turkey intervened, getting the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s signature removed. Bruce Clark, who writes on European affairs and religion for The Economist, has played an active role in the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s environmental initiatives, and is the author of Twice A Stranger: How Mass Expulsion Forged Modern Greece and Turkey, joins Thanos Davelis to look into what this story says about the continued pressure the Ecumenical Patriarch is under.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Patriarchate removed from Ukraine summit statement following Turkish protests
SYRIZA on the brink of civil war
Von der Leyen, Costa and Kallas bag EU top jobs
European Leaders Name Top E.U. Officials, Opting for Stability
Is Greece poised to play a key role in IMEC?
The Greek Current
05/13/25 • 10 min
Since President Trump stepped back into office, and amid escalating competition with China, it looks like one project we’ve been hearing more and more about is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor - or IMEC. This is reflected in comments from President Trump, in diplomatic moves we’re seeing in the wider region from Greece to India, and most recently in Congress, where a new legislative initiative is looking to establish the East Med as a strategic hub within the framework of IMEC. George Dikaios, who has been tracking developments related to IMEC, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into why this project is significant and what it could mean for Greece.
George Dikaios is an adjunct lecturer and a researcher at the Department of Ports Management and Shipping at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Senior Research Fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Connecting Opportunities: Greece’s Strategic Role in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor
Kurdish group PKK says it is laying down arms and disbanding
Kurdish Insurgent Group Says It Is Ending Conflict With Turkish State
Cyprus and Egypt sign "pivotal" energy agreements
The Greek Current
02/21/25 • 13 min
Earlier this week Cypriot President Christodoulides was in Egypt where the two countries signed two energy agreements that he described as “pivotal”. The deals would enable the export of gas from Cyprus’s offshore fields to Egypt for liquefaction and re-export to Europe, and, as President Christodoulides posted on X, “are game changers for the region and beyond”. Dr. Theodoros Tsakiris, a professor of geopolitics and energy policy at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why these two deals are important for Cyprus, Egypt, and the region.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
Egypt, Cyprus sign gas export deals, boosting Eastern Mediterranean energy cooperation
PM calls on EU to ‘move from words to action’ in defense
Erdogan's fight with Turkish business stirs economic concern
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Greek Current have?
The Greek Current currently has 816 episodes available.
What topics does The Greek Current cover?
The podcast is about News, Podcasts, Greek and Government.
What is the most popular episode on The Greek Current?
The episode title 'Greece deals with first blistering heat wave of the summer' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Greek Current?
The average episode length on The Greek Current is 13 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Greek Current released?
Episodes of The Greek Current are typically released every day.
When was the first episode of The Greek Current?
The first episode of The Greek Current was released on Dec 16, 2021.
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