Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan criticized Greece and Cyprus cooperation with Israel

Macro/Political: 

• The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, will visit Athens on April 24^th and 25^th, according to the French Presidency. The visit is expected to focus on the renewal of the Greek French Strategic Partnership Agreement on Defence and Security, which expires this year. Greece is a major buyer of French military systems and equipment, including frigates and fighter jets, making defence cooperation a key aspect of the discussions.

Source: Kathimerini

• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan yesterday criticized Greece and Cyprus over their cooperation with Israel, warning that it could heighten regional tensions. Fidan argued that Athens is pursuing “extremely dangerous policies,” adding: “There are very interesting aspects in Greece’s attempt to pursue a kind of policy that no other country in Europe follows on its own.”He also questioned the rationale behind such partnerships, stating: “Neither Greece nor the ‘Greek Cypriot Administration’ needs military cooperation with Israel, as Greece is already a member of NATO, and the Greek Cypriot Administration has the support of the European Union’.

Source: Kathimerini

Macro/Political:

• The Director General of the Cyprus Hotel Association, Mr Christos Angelides, said that hotel occupancy rates ranged between 25% and 45% during the Easter period, noting that the situation regarding cancellations and reduced bookings remains largely unchanged. When asked about booking levels for the summer period, Mr Angelides stated that current trends reflect the same picture as five weeks ago, with some cancellations continuing and the pace of bookings not being sufficient to improve the situation. However, he expressed hope that bookings will increase enough to offset cancellations. He added that the picture appears slightly improved in terms of cancellation levels, but without strong indications of increased booking activity.

  Source: StockWatch