Thanos Davelis

Are the Cyclades at risk of "Disneyfication"? | The Greek Current Are the Cyclades at risk of "Disneyfication" amid unchecked tourism and construction? Yannis Palaiologos, a journalist at large with Kathimerini and the co-editor of the Sustainable Cyclades project, ...

Cyclades & the dangers of overtourism - thanks to @thanosdavelis.bsky.social for a chance to talk about our work on the "Sustainable Cyclades" project with @telloglou2024.bsky.social:
thegreekcurrent.simplecast.com/episodes/are...

With #Turkey rocked by protests in the wake of Imamoglu's arrest, can the opposition keep this momentum - and the pressure on Erdogan - going?

@liselhintz.bsky.social shared some insights with me on The Greek Current as we looked into this question: thegreekcurrent.simplecast.com/episodes/kee...

I spoke with @thanosdavelis.bsky.social, @nicholasdanfort.bsky.social, Henri Barkey, and Endy Zemenides about the many steps used to try to take opposition contender İmamoğlu off the electoral playing field.

And how targeting him served as a catalyst for a groundswell of public opposition.

Istanbul mayor, Erdoğan’s chief political rival, arrested along with 105 others Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested at his home on corruption and terrorism charges. He was growing in popularity and considered a powerful challenger to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey's authorit...

“The electoral playing field has increasingly been tilted in the ruling AKP's favor in terms of media coverage, judicial ruling, and other factors, but this takes the main competitor off that field.”

With my comments on İmamoğlu, Turkey's "turning point"
www.courthousenews.com/istanbul-may...

Ekrem İmamoğlu was poised to win a presidential primary in Turkey in a few days. For once the opposition would be a step ahead of the ruling AKP.

But yesterday his univ degree was annulled, effectively barring his run.

Today, after the now-standard “terrorism+corruption” charges, he was detained

Doesn’t use them lightly against dictators, that’s for sure.

I'm sceptical of "80% of Germans voted against the AfD" cope.

- AfD doubled its tally and will be loudest opposition voice
- It lifted its vote by 22% in Saxony and 18% in Thuringia relative to Sept state elex
- it is completely dominant in the east. Hard to see firewall surviving in current form

Vance’s real warning to Europe Europeans need to reduce their dangerous dependence on an adversarial America

"It is clear that the US can no longer be regarded as a reliable ally for Europeans... [who] need to start preparing fast for the day when the US security guarantee to Europe is definitively removed"

@gideonrachman.bsky.social's searing conclusion from a weekend in Munich
www.ft.com/content/11f1...

Greece’s AI strategy | eKathimerini.com Yannis Mastrogeorgiou, the special secretary of foresight in the Presidency of the Greek government and the coordinator of the National Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the AI Action Summit in Paris and look into Greece’s broader AI strategy.

What's Greece's AI strategy, and how is it already transforming its public and private sectors?

Had a great chat with Yannis Mastrogeorgiou about all of the steps #Greece is taking when it comes to AI.

Listen to our discussion on the The Greek Current here: www.ekathimerini.com/multimedia/p...

Can Greece thrive with a shrinking population? Greece’s population decline, its need for growth and the imperative of a balanced budget are taxing government ingenuity

Greece’s population decline, its need for growth and the imperative of a balanced budget are taxing government ingenuity.
open.substack.com/pub/johntpsa...

Does the EU need to prepare for a post-America Europe? The Greek Current · Episode

Does the EU need to prepare for a post-America Europe?

Looked into this question on The Greek Current this week with @maxbergmann.bsky.social.

Tune in to our full podcast episode here: open.spotify.com/episode/5m0r...

The CIA Is About to Get a Trump Makeover The agency offered buyouts to its entire workforce in what officials said is a bid to bring it in line with Trump’s priorities, including targeting drug cartels.

Trump purging CIA as well as FBI. “Aligned with Trump” appears to mean firing experienced professionals and replacing them with loyalists and lackeys. What are long term consequences for American human intelligence? www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

What Christopher Hitchens Understood About the Parthenon The British Museum should return the ancient treasures to Greece for the sake of art, not nationalism.

Decades ago, Christopher Hitchens argued that the British Museum should return the Parthenon marbles to Greece for the sake of art, not nationalism. Ralph Leonard on why he had it exactly right:

Meet Europe’s Gaullists, Atlanticists, denialists and Putinists As Donald Trump returns, so do Europe’s old schisms over how to defend itself

As EU leaders meet Monday to chat about defence, Trump has divided them into 4 camps: Gaullists, Atlanticists, denialists & Putinists

Gaullists—strategic autonomy first!
Atlanticists—Trump ain't so bad
Denialists—let's pretend there's no war
Putinists—go Vlad!

www.economist.com/europe/2025/...

This chart from the @economist.com on solar is just astonishing. We are terrible at predicting the energy future.

It is also part of the reason I'm optimistic about Europe's economic future. It has the tools (batteries/renewable) to rapidly lower energy costs.
www.economist.com/interactive/...

EU debates return to Russian gas as part of Ukraine peace deal Advocates say reopening pipelines could help settlement with Moscow and cut energy costs

My guess is that only the Greens would be opposed to the idea of getting Russian gas flowing again as part of a Ukraine peace deal. A good question for Merz and the other candidates in the looming debates.
on.ft.com/4hlAUXR

EU debates return to Russian gas as part of Ukraine peace deal Advocates say reopening pipelines could help settlement with Moscow and cut energy costs

Russian gas addicts want another hit. First, not going to happen. Second, how incredibly naive.

I know there are Germans/Hungarians that are desperate for this but the EU doesn’t have to indulge in nonsense. Does the EU enjoy looking idiotic?
on.ft.com/4hlAUXR

Trump, gas exploration, and Greece’s energy strategy | eKathimerini.com As President Trump assumed office repeating his campaign slogan of “drill, baby, drill”, Greece announced that US energy giant Chevron is interested in exploring for oil and gas in Greek waters.

With Trump calling for more drilling at his inauguration, #Greece’s announcement that US energy giant Chevron is looking to explore for oil and gas in its waters seems perfectly timed. We break this down on The Greek Current with
@johntpsaropoulos.bsky.social: www.ekathimerini.com/multimedia/p...

Thousands protest over deadly train crash in Greece Clashes erupted at the end of the protests in Athens and Thessaloniki.

One of the biggest rallies in recent years took place in Athens today with Greeks demanding justice for the #Tempi train crash
Rallies took place in more than 110 cities in Greece and all over the world

www.politico.eu/article/gree...

I had two EU officials this week tell me "Greenland is the perfect template of how you deal with Trump. Just ignore the crazy stuff, he moves on to something else and he will have forgotten all about it already".

Nope.

Greece achieves global milestone | eKathimerini.com Aykan Erdemir, the senior director for Global Research and Diplomatic Affairs at the ADL, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the key takeaways from the ADL’s Global 100 study, looking at the concernin...

I joined @thanosdavelis.bsky.social on @kathimerini.gr & HALC's #TheGreekCurrent podcast to discuss the alarming findings of ADL's #Global100 survey & the lessons to be drawn from the 19 percentage points decline in the level of antisemitic sentiments in Greece.
www.ekathimerini.com/multimedia/p...

Is Erdogan really the "big winner" in #Syria?

As @stevenacook.bsky.social tells me on The Greek Current, it's still too early to declare an Erdogan victory here.

Tune in to our full chat here (or wherever you get your podcasts): thegreekcurrent.simplecast.com/episodes/is-...

EU leaders will debate soon the future of EU defence policy and the debate centres around "intergovernmental solutions" like using the ESM to finance increased defense spending.

This totally misses the mark in my view. We are beating around the bush. It's time for a real debate - and decisions:

This is a great thread. What the EU defense discussion has missed is that Europe needs to focus on how to REPLACE the US military presence. Let’s hope that doesn’t come to pass but it’s now possible. This requires a radically different approach that goes beyond every state spending a bit more 1/

New momentum for EU defence bonds as Germany's Merz signals openness With Merz as chancellor, the German government could drop its opposition to EU defence bonds and joint security funding.

👀. EU dense bonds are a no brainer.
www.euractiv.com/section/defe...

Health insurance costs and energy bills provide new avenue for opposition attacks With the long period of speculation about the identity of the presidential candidate over, PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis must now return to the everyday business of Parliament, where the agenda continues to ...

Lots of chatter in Greece (media & politicians) about PM Mitsotakis's conservative/uninspiring choice for Greek president. But nomination will likely be inconsequential for public opinion & political developments. Energy & health insurance costs on the other hand... www.macropolis.gr?i=portal.en....

Turkey Hasn’t Won Anything Yet in Syria It’s too early to celebrate Assad’s departure as Erdogan’s victory.

My latest @foreignpolicy.com

Hold up on the "Turkey won Syria" narrative. foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/13/t...

All eyes on Greece’s presidential nomination | eKathimerini.com The dominant political issue this week will be the government’s nomination for the next President of the Hellenic Republic, as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has made his decision on the nominee.

All eyes on Greece’s presidential nomination

Our weekly preview is back

www.ekathimerini.com/politics/125...

A great three-part series here on the evolution of Greek foreign policy. Well worth your time.

Great stuff, @johntpsaropoulos.bsky.social!