DORA: Former Minister Dora Bakoyannis speaks highly of Kostas Karamanlis at every opportunity, drawing a clear distinction between him and Antonis Samaras, at a time when many link the two, assuming that the two former prime ministers are in communication
“Karamanlis is one thing, Samaras is another,” she asserted (on SKAI) and explained that “Karamanlis is a man deeply committed to the party, who may at times distance himself from specific actions or decisions of New Democracy, but in no way and under no circumstances would he ever take any action that would harm the party.”
The Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Thanasis Kontogeorgis, echoed this sentiment: “He will obviously be useful. The Prime Minister has shown that party cohesion is essential.
The present and future of our country require accumulated experience, but also a uniting of forces. I consider it self-evident that he will be part of this effort.”
KARAMANLIS: The former prime minister himself, however, remains aloof, pensive, and distant from the central political scene.
Today he will speak in Thessaloniki at the Aristotelian College graduation ceremony, where he is not expected to make any particularly political remarks.
The former prime minister has been invited to speak to young people who are just finishing school, and he is expected—in a manner befitting the occasion—to offer them advice on the life that lies ahead.
MITSOTAKIS: “Many people think I’ve launched some kind of informal election campaign because I intend to call for early elections.
But what I’m doing here today, I’ve been doing for three years, and I’ll continue to do it until the elections,” emphasized Kyriakos Mitsotakis, while touring the Municipality of Vari–Voula–Vouliagmeni yesterday and reiterating that the polls will be held in the spring of 2027.
This is a view that an increasing number of New Democracy lawmakers are beginning to adopt; despite their initial reservations, they now believe the prime minister actually means what he says this time as well.
This is especially true, as an experienced lawmaker notes, following the emerging agreement between the U.S. and Iran, which could stabilize the global economy and, to some extent, the Greek economy as well.
Others, however, insist—despite constant official denials—on preparing for the worst this coming fall.
As is well known, after all, in politics, never say never…
SYRIZA: Nikos Pappas has attempted in recent days to bring SYRIZA spokesperson Kostas Zachariadis into the spotlight, arguing that he has vanished from the public discourse, implying that his disappearance is due to the support he provides to the Hellenic Police.
He barely had time to say it, however, because Mr. Zachariadis acted lightning-fast and turned the tables: in consultation with Socrates Famellos, he resigned from his position as spokesperson, making a public statement… in support of Tsipras’s new party.
And not only did he manage to do so in time, but at the very same moment, he heard President Socrates announce that… he was being removed from his position as SYRIZA’s parliamentary spokesperson, remaining a simple member of parliament.
And that’s not all: Pappas’s dismissal was accompanied by Famellos’s threat to Pavlos Polakis that he would be expelled from the party (editor’s note: he has already been expelled from the parliamentary group) because he insists on publicly criticizing him for the “bastard” (according to Pavlos) presidential proposal approved by the Central Committee.
SYRIZA will not run in the national elections in order to support Tsipras’s ELAS, but, at the same time, it remains an active party and is not disbanding…
SYRIZA II: This column had pointed this out just a few days ago: Famellos’s leadership team will “push” the Polakis-Dourou-Pappas group and others out of Koumoundourou, because under no circumstances will it risk “SYRIZA falling into their hands.”
Well, that’s how it goes. The fact that SYRIZA has plummeted to 0.5–1% in the polls does not trouble the leadership in the least, since it serves the goal of the “orderly dissolution” of the once-ruling party…
PASOK: PASOK proposed the constitutional “condemnation” of femicides and racist crimes to the Constitutional Committee examining the articles of the country’s Constitution slated for revision.
Its proposal concerns Article 5, paragraph 2, of the current Constitution, which states:
“All persons within Greek territory enjoy the absolute protection of their life, honor, and freedom, without discrimination on the basis of nationality, race, language, or religious or political beliefs. Exceptions are permitted in cases provided for by international law.”
PASOK proposed adding the words: “gender, sexual orientation, disability, and social origin.”
It remains to be seen whether the governing majority will accept these additions.
KERVEROS: Greece now has serious international ambitions in the field of advanced armed drones. The Greek company ALTUS LSA and the French company MBDA are presenting the KERVEROS UAV in an armed configuration at Eurosatory 2026 (June 15–19, Paris), equipped with two AKERON MP anti-tank guided missiles.
The KERVEROS, based on ALTUS LSA’s ATLAS 8 platform, has already demonstrated its ability to carry and deploy MBDA’s missiles during exercises in Greece, while the collaboration between the two companies aims to develop integrated UCAV solutions with an emphasis on high payload capacity and interoperability with modern anti-tank systems.
We note that Eurosatory 2026 is taking place at Paris Nord Villepinte and is one of the most important international defense and security exhibitions worldwide.
Hopefully, more new Greek companies will be featured at international defense technology trade shows.
P.S.: The photo of Kerberos is from a previous defense exhibition, DAIMEX Baltic in Lithuania.
SHIPPING: Greek shipowners are continuing to invest aggressively in dry bulk shipping, with two of the industry’s best-known names placing new ship orders in China.
According to TradeWinds, Nikos Tsakos’s Tsakos Shipping & Trading and Cape Shipping, owned by the Adrianopoulos family, have signed contracts for a total of five newly built capesize bulk carriers at the Hengli Heavy Industry shipyard.
Cape Shipping is reported to have ordered three vessels with a carrying capacity of 180,000 dwt, while Tsakos Shipping & Trading has ordered two such vessels. Although the prices have not been disclosed, Clarksons currently values a newly built 182,000 dwt capesize at approximately $75.5 million, bringing the total value of the agreements to hundreds of millions of dollars.
The two Tsakos vessels are scheduled for delivery in August and October 2027, marking the group’s return to the capesize order book after six years.
The group’s most recent investment in this sector was made in 2020 with an order placed with Namura Shipbuilding. Today, the group has four capesize vessels in its fleet.
For Cape Shipping, the agreement marks its second investment in bulk carriers in 2026. This follows an order placed in May for two Newcastlemax vessels at the Panjin Dajin Offshore Engineering shipyard, scheduled for delivery in 2029.
Shipbuilding industry sources estimate that these vessels may be a resale of orders originally placed by Hengli Group, the shipyard’s parent company. In recent years, the Chinese company has pursued a strategy of building ships on a for-profit basis, reselling them to shipowners when interest arises.
Greek shipowners are among the shipyard’s key customers, with nearly 25 Greek shipping companies having already placed orders.
ANGELOPOULOS: Panagiotis Angelopoulos’s Metrostar Management marks its return to the MR product tanker market with a new order, which signed a contract with the South Korean shipyard HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard for the construction of two product tankers with a carrying capacity of 50,000 dwt.
This is the Greek company’s first MR order since 2013, when it commissioned the construction of ten vessels from SPP Shipbuilding, which it resold a year later to Hafnia for $380 million.
This move is part of a broader wave of investment by Greek shipowners in this specific type of tanker. In the last five weeks alone, orders for 11 new MR tankers have been announced by Greek shipping companies, including Thenamaris, Central Mare, Pleiades Shipping Agents, and SteelShips.
Metrostar’s two newbuilds, scheduled for delivery in 2028, are estimated to cost approximately $53.5 million each.
DELAPORTAS: Greek company DryDel Shipping, owned by Kostas Delaportas, has completed one of the most impressive transactions in this year’s dry bulk market, securing a record price for the ultramax bulker Dominator.
According to shipping brokerage sources, the 63,700 dwt vessel, built in 2021, was sold to the Greek company Astro Bulk for $38 million.
DryDel had acquired the vessel through a purchase option included in a five-year charter contract and is now capitalizing on the particularly favorable market conditions.
The company’s CEO, Kostas Delaportas, described the transaction as part of the fleet renewal strategy, noting that the sale creates significant goodwill for the company’s balance sheet.
Analysts note that the $38 million price represents a record high for a five-year-old ultramax vessel. In fact, its value corresponds to approximately 94% of the price of a newly built vessel of the same size, which is currently estimated at $40.5 million.
DEAL: The information comes from an extremely reliable source, and the deal is considered “sealed.”
To give you a little context, this has nothing to do with AI or crypto—the two topics that currently dominate global investment interest. Instead, it relates to protein, a sector that many consider the true “holy grail” of the global economy.
The protagonist is a particularly well-known businessman who made headlines yesterday. The “bride,” whose initials are B.M., has a dowry of 35 million euros and is also pursuing an international career.
This deal isn’t going to change the course of history, but it does have its own significance, as it’s set to shake things up in a highly fragmented industry where one can build a career abroad…