Property Investment Greece

As the world economy struggles along, and economists frantically attempt to uncover the notorious ‘Green Shoots of Recovery,’ the newly installed PASOK government has little time to waste. Prime Minister, George Papandreou, has named his cabinet and proposed a 100 day plan to boost the economy. Lowering some of the barriers to Greek Property investment is a keystone of this call to arms, a promise that may lure back some of the investors currently looking at Eastern Europe and Turkey.

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Talk of the impending General Election dominates the news, fuelling intense debate in every taverna across the land, as the parties lay down their manifestoes for escaping the economic doldrums. Greeks love talking about politics and they love elections even more, although that may be due to the extra holiday given for voting and for recovering from the ordeal.

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For many years, the extreme west of Messinia has been looked on with a little amusement and disdain. The rest of the Peloponnese make jokes about the south-west corner of the Peloponnese, naming it bandit country and making certain implications about goats. Personally, I find these allegations to be completely unfounded and the result of traditional inter-regional rivalry.

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Property Investment Peloponnese: Tripolis – One For The Future

For many years, Greece has been a prime destination for Northern Europeans and Americans wanting to live the dream and buy a holiday home in the sun. However, successive Greek governments have instilled measures to deter investors and prevent ‘flipping.’

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The Greek Fires – The Final Coffin Nail For Karamanlis

After the notorious fires of two years ago, which led to huge tracts of land laid waste, everybody assumed that the Greek government would have learned their lesson. With the ravaged lands just starting to regenerate, the fires struck again, destroying a huge area and reaching the outskirts of Athens itself. Sadly, the emergency response was disorganised and, once again, the Greek government stands accused of being directionless and rudderless. The perception of Karamanlis as incompetent plagues every political satire show and fills every newspaper op-ed.

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Greek Real Estate and Tourism – A Glimmer of Hope

Despite the doom and gloom surrounding the world economy, we did find some good news that cheered the Greek people up.

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Gorgeous George and Real Estate Investments in Greece

In a recent interview with the national newspaper, To Ethnos Tis Kyriakis, George Papandreou unveiled his vision for the future. The leader of the opposition socialist PASOK party laid out some of the changes that his party will make if he is elected as Prime Minister. The ruling New Democracy party possesses a wafer thin majority in parliament, and the increasing unrest amongst the population means that a snap election could be called at any time. Opinion polls indicate that PASOK has edged ahead of ND, and the consensus opinion suggests that Papandreou could be forming the next Greek government before the year is out.

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Green Property Investments in Greece

Whilst the green movement in Greece was long held up by the usual bureaucratic assault course, the fires of 2007 provided an impetus for change. The government, often lampooned, is actually in danger of getting something right. In a refreshing display of forward thinking, the government announced plans to assess the viability of green energy in Greece. For a pilot study, they chose the isolated island of Aghios Efstratis, some 80 km northwest of Lesbos. For environmentally minded folk, green property investments in Greece are becoming a genuine possibility.

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