STOURNARAS: The Governor of the Bank of Greece reiterated the critical challenges facing the long-term trajectory of the domestic economy while speaking yesterday in Parliament during the session on the renewal of his term. Addressing lower productivity and closing the investment gap relative to the Eurozone, persistent inflation in certain categories of goods and services, and, above all, the current account deficit are the key challenges that must be prioritized in economic policy.
Banks, for their part, are called upon to adhere to prudent lending criteria, maintaining the preservation of a strong capital position as a priority. The governor reiterated the forecast for 1.9% GDP growth this year, with a risk of a downward revision should international turmoil persist. Inflation is expected to be 3.1% (with a risk of an upward revision).
Finally, when asked about the government’s decision to transfer funds (approx. 2 billion euros) from the low-interest loan arm of the TAA to the Development Bank to finance small and medium-sized enterprises, the Governor of the Bank of Greece strongly endorsed the move.
ZANIAS: At one point in the discussion, SYRIZA MP Nikos Pappas cited statements by the president of the Hellenic Bank Association and Eurobank CEO George Zanias to argue that 30% of the economy is tied up in loans to servicers and must be liquidated.
Zanias’s response was immediate, via… Yannis Stournaras. The Bank of Greece governor took the floor and told the SYRIZA MP: “Mr. Zanias, who is watching and listening to us, conveyed to me that this was not what he said. He said that 2.5 million borrowers are with servicers and the goal is to return them to the banking system.”
PIERRAKAKIS: The issue of the emergency tax on banks, the fees, and the deferred tax (mainly a PASOK agenda item) were raised during yesterday’s discussion in the special parliamentary committee, which was attended by Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis. Regarding the emergency tax, he said: “Don’t move the goalposts (he was obviously referring to the goalposts), because if you do, you send the wrong message to the markets, ” cutting short the discussion once again.
Regarding commissions, he argued that the government has intervened and will intervene again if necessary. However, in general, he emphasized: “We don’t have some kind of obsession with the banks. We do not start from the premise that we must use the banks as political tools. Whenever this has happened in Greek history, it has not been for the better.”
PASOK: PASOK MP (and Deputy Speaker of Parliament) Paris Koukoulopoulos praised Yannis Stournaras, speaking yesterday before the parliamentary committee that approved the Bank of Greece governor’s third term.
However, when it came time to vote, PASOK declared itself“present.”
Why did this happen? Because at the party’s recent conference, a two-term limit for public office was voted in. So, they say from Har. Trikoupi, “we couldn’t have voted any other way.”
“Lifetime tenure does not promote the proper functioning of institutions, especially when there is a government that mistreats them and constantly tries to manipulate them, ” the party’s Press Office subsequently stated, responding to the government’s interpretation of“political embarrassment.”
That’s the official line. Unofficially, however, the party leadership—prompted (in part) by Mr. Stournaras’s interview on“The Truth Team”—classifies him as part of the government bloc, so it acted accordingly…
MARINAKIS-DIMITRIADIS: The detailed video released yesterday of the incident between one of Greece’s most powerful businessmen and shipowners and the prime minister’s nephew—who, until 2022, his“confidant”with a major role in the exercise of governance—shows two people going from a calm state to… blows in almost no time.
The snapshots and some information, from people who were close by, lead to the conclusion that Grigoris Dimitriadis provoked the powerful man of Olympiacos FC, both with what he said to him and with certain other actions, which he clearly appears to repeat, at least twice, later in the video, in front of Marinakis and the club’s vice president , Kostas Karapapas.
His side, of course, denies this and claims that it was Vangelis Marinakis who “unprovoked” slapped him, at which point he… punched him in the face and, pulling him, tore his shirt.
However, as can be seen in the video, Marinakis appears to remain calm, unlike Dimitriadis, who seems to be in a truly enraged state, resulting in his being restrained by the SWAT team members of his security detail, even as Marinakis walks away to return to his seat.
MARINAKIS-DIMITRIADIS II: The feud between the two men certainly has nothing to do with Olympiacos or the playing fields.
As is well known, the media outlets owned by Marinakis’s interests have taken the lead in exposing the wiretapping scandal, which forced Dimitriadis to resign from the government.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that while Dimitriadis is a member of the broader Mitsotakis family, Marinakis is also the best man for Dimitriadis’s aunt, Dora Bakoyannis.
In any case, Vangelis Marinakis’s calm demeanor immediately following the altercation and his almost smiling departure from the scene to return to his seat likely prevented the situation from escalating further. Because the incident took place in a stadium packed with Olympiacos fans, who had already begun to act in a threatening manner.
LAZARIDIS-DIMITRIADIS: We’re not quite sure how to interpret the repost on X by New Democracy MP and former Deputy Minister of Rural DevelopmentMakarios Lazaridis of an older post (from March) by Grigoris Dimitriadis.
Because the former Secretary-General to the Prime Minister writes, among other things, in his comment: “I’ve been boxing since I was a student, and in recent years my son has also taken it up. It is the noblest of sports. It teaches respect for the teacher, but also for the opponent, discipline, and perseverance.”
A day after the incident with Marinakis at the OAKA, you can’t exactly call the repost a coincidence…
KARAMANLIS: The former prime minister is expected to offer fresh criticism of the country’s foreign policy today—particularly regarding Greek-Turkish relations—on the occasion of the presentation at the Megaron Concert Hall of the book by Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos and Konstantinos Filis: “The New World Order: The Law of Power.”
According to reports, Kostas Karamanlis will reiterate his concerns regarding Athens’ handling of challenges from its neighbor and will emphatically address the narrative of the “blue homeland,” which Tayyip Erdogan intends to bring before the Turkish parliament for legislation.
Although his speech will focus on geopolitics, Mr. Karamanlis’s interlocutors do not rule out the possibility that he may also make indirect references to the rule of law, given that Western societies have recently appeared more tolerant of practices that were previously condemned.
And this, in the presence of the other former prime minister, Antonis Samaras, just a few days after his resounding speech in Parliament and his personal attack on Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“One cuts and the other sews, ” as a New Democracy MP characteristically remarked about the two former leaders.
VLACHOS: The questions he had raised ten months ago regarding the operation of“recycling centers”and the cost of the related campaign were never answered by the relevant ministry, and New Democracy MP George Vlachos returned yesterday with even greater vehemence, demanding specific answers, with names and… numbers.
From the floor of the Parliament, he sharply criticized the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, N. Tsafos, referring to an “insult” to the MPs, as well as “obfuscation regarding an issue that some consider to be of great interest.”
In fact, he once again posed specific questions regarding the tender, the participants, the bids, the objections raised by the Public Audit Committee, as well as the cost of the campaign.
However, he still received no answer, a fact that further enraged him.
“You didn’t answer me. Who will answer me? Is there even a parliament? Is there anything we need to know?” he asked, addressing the deputy minister, and reported allegations that, in practice, the materials are not actually being recycled.
KYRANAKIS: The Deputy Minister of Transport also referred to former prime ministers in an interview and even sent a message to the Maximos Mansion “to take initiatives for unity.”
Konstantinos Kyranakis described Messinios’s recent criticism as “wrong, ” noting that he considers Messinios “one of the country’s best prime ministers, but I don’t agree with what he said. There is no ‘mutated Mitsotakis party.’ In New Democracy, we are implementing what we have envisioned for Greece, ” he noted.
Regarding Kostas Karamanlis’s absence from the New Democracy convention, he expressed his regret “that he was absent. We have shared important moments with him.”
Goodold times…
TOURISM: Beyond the… polite remarks made by tourism stakeholders regarding the new Special Spatial Framework, there were also the more… hardline ones.
We’re talking about the people of Kefalonia. The Argostoli City Council sent a clear message of escalation, deciding not only to submit detailed comments to the Ministry of Environment and Energy but also to authorize the mayor to appeal to the Council of State if no changes are made.
The meeting, attended by local government officials, technical experts, and tourism stakeholders, revealed a broad front of reservations regarding the provisions of the new framework, with the main point of contention being the classification of areas in Kefalonia (Skala, Poros, Livathos) as “touristically developed.”
Local stakeholders argue that this classification leads to stricter investment regulations, effectively creating barriers primarily for small and medium-sized enterprises while favoring larger entities.
The spatial planning issue has sparked controversy, and more is to come …
THONI: The waters remain turbulent at A.H.B. Group (THONI S.A.), with yet another episode unfolding behind the scenes.
The latest entry in the General Commercial Registry (GEMI) concerns anew lawsuitdated March 6, 2026, which was made public on May 25. Although the relevant document does not disclose details about the plaintiff or the exact subject of the dispute, it concerns a motion to annul a General Meeting. The bottom line is that yet another legal front is opening up for the company, following previous legal actions.
For now, management is opting for a “low-key” approach .
MASOUTIS: An acquisition that propels you to the top of the Greek retail sector does not go unnoticed and obviously does not go without… a celebration. Following the green light from the Competition Commission for the acquisition of ANEDIK Kritikos, Yiannis Masoutis is preparing, as this column has learned, a grand reception befitting the deal. And it would be hard to find a more suitable venue.
One of the most iconic hotels in Athens, which has just recently reopened its doors fully renovated.
PALIRROIA SOULIOTIS: The “child” of the well-known company that makes dolmades is preparing for its next step. “Tsampasis” has expanded its corporate scope by adding a new business code for the production of puff pastry. In other words, the Argos-based company is officially opening the door to a new production activity, expanding its footprint in the food market and specifically in the frozen/pastry products category .
REVOIL: Excluding the right to the 2025 fiscal year dividend of €0.049 per share, the stock is trading as of today.
The net amount to be distributed to shareholders amounts to €0.04655, with the dividend yield hovering around 3%.
LAMDA DEVELOPMENT: In 2025, the total gross compensation of Group CEO Odysseas Athanasiou amounted to €1.97 million, of which €678,500 was fixed pay, €97,000 in other benefits (pension plan, health insurance plan, car allowance, etc.), and the remainder in variable compensation.
Over the five-year period 2021–25 , Odysseas Athanasiou’s base salary increased by just 4%. The difference is made up by variable compensation, which is tied to the achievement of predetermined performance targets.
BANKS: The sector once again set the tone yesterday with a +2.77% gain, opening up a new… front for the four systemic stocks: how far they still are from this year’s highs.
The gap has narrowed significantly. Piraeus Bank closed at €8.74 and is now just 2.7% below this year’s high of €8.98, which was recorded on February 4.
The National Bank closed at €14.43, about 8.5% below the high of €15.77 it had reached on January 27.
Eurobank, at €3.87, is about 10.4% below its high of €4.32 on January 28, though it has recovered a significant portion of the subsequent correction.
Alpha Bank remains further from its highs. Its closing price of €3.71 keeps it about 16.8% below the €4.46 reached on February 4.
It is noteworthy that the latter two posted the highest gains yesterday. Alpha Bank closed the session up 5%, and Eurobank up 4.76%.
Euro2day.gr presented analysts’ target prices and estimates in detail yesterday.