Greek Daily News 13/08/2024

ECONOMY

-The vast majority of pensioners will get an extra €15-30 from their pensions alone on January 1, 2025 Kathimerini reported. Thousands will also get an extra subsidy, ranging from €100-€200, especially those whose pensions do not exceed €700 per month.

-Concerning the enterprises and the activities of the economy as a whole, the turnover in the second quarter 2024 amounted to 119,380,277 thousand euro, recording an increase of 5.7% in comparison with the second quarter 2023, when the respective turnover was 112,896,460 thousand euro, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) data showed. Construction led all sectors in turnover rise, with 16.6%.

GENERAL

-Fierce wildfires continue to affect the suburbs of Athens. More than 700 firefighters, 199 fire engines and 35 waterbombing aircraft have been involved in efforts to extinguish the fires, which first broke out on Sunday afternoon in the area of Varnavas, around 35km north of the Greek capital, burning several homes and businesses. Greece’s National Observatory said satellite images showed the blaze had affected about 25,000 acres. Meanwhile, a charred body of a 60-year-old woman from Moldavia was found inside a burned building in Patima Halandriou.

-Traffic is being conducted normally on most of the roads that had been closed due to the fires in Attica, according to the latest traffic police update on Tuesday.

CULTURE

Visitor numbers at the Palace of Knossos in Crete, are hitting record highs, with more than 5,000 people visiting daily, AMNA reported citing site supervisor Nikos Papadakis. August is anticipated to bring over 200,000 visitors. So far, in 2024, Knossos has welcomed 525,837 visitors by the end of July.

TOURISM

-Ferry departures and arrivals will be resumed as normal at the port of Rafina on Tuesday, after they had been diverted to the port of Lavrio due to the major wildfire in northeastern Attica on Monday. The decision to divert the services was made at the request of the General Secretariat of Civil Protection.

-In H1 2024, Fraport Greece, the operator of 14 regional airports, saw its turnover increase by 5.1% to €201 million. EBITDA rose 12.2% to reach €103 million while passenger traffic was 7.8% up, to 12.7 million. Mykonos was the only airport that saw the January-June period end with a drop in passenger traffic.