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His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Wednesday held official talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing regional developments.The meeting took place at the Maximos Mansion, where the Greek leader welcomed HH the Amir and the accompanying delegation, highlighting the steady growth in relations between Qatar and Greece. He expressed a desire to expand co-operation, particularly in economic and investment sectors.Mitsotakis also voiced his country's support for Qatar following recent Iranian attacks, and praised Doha's continued efforts to promote diplomatic dialogue and de-escalation.HH the Amir said he was pleased to visit Greece and noted the long-standing ties between the two countries. His Highness thanked Athens for its support and reaffirmed Qatar's commitment to pursuing diplomatic solutions to regional tensions.His Highness also pointed to the success of Qatari investments in Greece, expressing interest in expanding co-operation further, including in defence and other areas of mutual interest.Talks covered a wide range of sectors, including defense, trade, energy, information technology, culture and education. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international developments.On regional issues, discussions focused on the situation in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, with both leaders stressing the importance of de-escalation and a lasting political solution.They also reviewed developments related to relations between the US and Iran, underlining the need to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and ensure the security of global energy supplies and trade routes.Senior officials from both sides attended the talks, including His Excellency Amiri Diwan Chief Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Khulaifi, His Excellency Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi and a number of Their Excelllencies the members of the official delegation. Also in attendance were Greek Minister of National Defence Nikolaos Dendias and Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgios Gerapetritis, along with other high-profile officials.The two leaders also held a separate bilateral meeting to further discuss co-operation and shared international concerns.HH the Amir later left Athens upon concluding a working visit.  

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Saturday announced generous income tax breaks to boost households with children, part of a tax reform worth €1.6bn ($1.87bn).The tax deductions, announced during his yearly speech on economic policy, come as his government seeks to halt a slide in popularity caused by a protracted cost of living crisis and corruption claims.Strong economic growth, a higher-than-expected budget surplus and more comprehensive tax collection will help finance the package, which will come into force in 2026, Mitsotakis said."We are all well aware that Greeks are struggling to make ends meet. Therefore our non-negotiable priority is to prop up their income," he said. After a 2009-2018 debt crisis marked by years of economic pain, Greece's economy, driven by tourism, has revived and is approaching its pre-crisis size.But Greece remains Europe's most indebted nation and disposable incomes still trail the EU average due to rising energy, food and housing prices that hurt purchasing power, despite a cumulative 35% minimum wage increase.The tax reform includes lower taxation by two percentage points for all brackets and a zero tax rate for low-income families with four children amid tumbling birth rates and rising housing costs.Mitsotakis also announced increases in pensions, while a real estate tax for remote areas will be scrapped to encourage young people to leave big cities and move to the countryside.Mitsotakis' centre-right New Democracy party has seen its ratings drop to around 22-25% in opinion polls since June from the 41% of votes it won in 2019 when it came to power on pledges to redistribute the fruits of economic growth more evenly.Thousands of people joined separate protests organised by trade unions in the city of Thessaloniki, where Mitsotakis was giving his speech, demanding higher salaries and decent living standards.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Saturday announced generous income tax breaks to boost households with children, part of a tax reform worth €1.6bn ($1.87bn).The tax deductions, announced during his yearly speech on economic policy, come as his government seeks to halt a slide in popularity caused by a protracted cost of living crisis and corruption claims.Strong economic growth, a higher-than-expected budget surplus and more comprehensive tax collection will help finance the package, which will come into force in 2026, Mitsotakis said."We are all well aware that Greeks are struggling to make ends meet. Therefore our non-negotiable priority is to prop up their income," he said. After a 2009-2018 debt crisis marked by years of economic pain, Greece's economy, driven by tourism, has revived and is approaching its pre-crisis size.But Greece remains Europe's most indebted nation and disposable incomes still trail the EU average due to rising energy, food and housing prices that hurt purchasing power, despite a cumulative 35% minimum wage increase.The tax reform includes lower taxation by two percentage points for all brackets and a zero tax rate for low-income families with four children amid tumbling birth rates and rising housing costs.Mitsotakis also announced increases in pensions, while a real estate tax for remote areas will be scrapped to encourage young people to leave big cities and move to the countryside.Mitsotakis' centre-right New Democracy party has seen its ratings drop to around 22-25% in opinion polls since June from the 41% of votes it won in 2019 when it came to power on pledges to redistribute the fruits of economic growth more evenly.Thousands of people joined separate protests organised by trade unions in the city of Thessaloniki, where Mitsotakis was giving his speech, demanding higher salaries and decent living standards.