Dear Member,
This is our weekly roundup from Greece.
An unprecedented FIR Athens blackout paralysed air traffic for hours, exposing deep weaknesses in the country’s aviation infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the political landscape shifts as Maria Karystianou announced her new party, challenging the status quo and sparking reactions across the spectrum.
Israel’s role in Greece’s election campaign raises questions about foreign influence in domestic politics.
Plus, shocking incidents of minors committing violent crimes highlight growing concerns about youth safety and social oversight.
Greece’s FIR went dark for a few hours
On Wednesday, 7 January, the unthinkable unfolded in Greek airspace. For over four hours, the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) went dark. Air traffic controllers lost radio communication with all aircraft flying over Greece, leaving pilots and controllers in a life-or-death situation.
“If planes don’t collide in the first few minutes, or you don’t have a heart attack during the communication blackout, the situation can become manageable,” an air-traffic controller told (Abre numa nova janela) Kathimerini. “If planes didn’t collide in the first minutes, it was sheer luck- or divine intervention,” recalls (Abre numa nova janela) Olga Toki, vice president of the Air Traffic Controllers’ Association.
Shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, controllers at the Athens and Macedonia Control Center (KEPAΘM) in Elliniko suddenly lost (Abre numa nova janela)all phone communication with aircraft in Greek airspace. “This was beyond any manual or training. The total system failure had never been anticipated, and even the backup system was offline,” the controller told Kathimerini.
The control center plays a pivotal role: every pilot flying through, landing, or taking off in Greece relies on its frequency. When that link disappears, controllers cannot issue directions or transfer aircraft to airport towers, even though the towers themselves were operational. “The challenge was to reach pilots despite functioning airports. The solution was to find a partially covered frequency from transmitters in Sitia and a second unaffected frequency intended for other use.”
Three parallel investigations are now underway (Abre numa nova janela): a rapid preliminary inquiry ordered by the Athens Prosecutor, a special committee led by the head of the Civil Aviation Authority to evaluate causes and impacts, and an internal administrative review to assess potential responsibility of staff.
The exact cause of the four-hour shutdown of the Athens FIR is still unknown. Scenarios range from external interference to a severe technical malfunction.
The incident highlighted Greece’s long-standing weaknesses in air navigation systems, which remain outdated and urgently in need of upgrades, reports noted (Abre numa nova janela). The Civil Aviation Authority’s €313 million modernization program for 2025–2029, covering 13 critical projects, faces tight timelines and complex procurement challenges. Many projects have been delayed due to document rechecks or legal appeals, making timely completion a considerable challenge.
Greece still lacks essential Data Link Services (Abre numa nova janela), which allow controllers to send automated, written instructions to cockpits (CPDLC). Such systems would have mitigated the crisis by providing digital guidance when radio channels failed, News247 reported (Abre numa nova janela). The absence of these modern tools means Greece remains exposed, with a three-year window before any new system is fully operational - even after contracts are signed, built, installed, tested, and staff trained.
The European Union has long highlighted Greece’s deficiencies in air navigation. The Commission recently referred Greece (Abre numa nova janela) to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to implement Performance Based Navigation (PBN) procedures at 44 runway ends across the country. PBN provides vertical guidance for pilots, reduces reliance on voice communications, and improves safety, especially in low visibility. The Commission noted that despite repeated warnings since 2020, Greece’s progress has been insufficient.
The Athens FIR blackout has barely made headlines, yet nothing could be more serious for transportation safety. For hours, the Greek skies were effectively blind, with pilots and controllers cut off from each other, a nightmare scenario that thankfully didn’t end in disaster. Not this time.
A new party shakes up Greek politics - How will it transform the landscape?
The Greek political landscape has been rattled in recent days by statements from Maria Karystianou -the well‑known activist and president of the Tempi rail disaster victims’ association- suggesting that the civic movement she helped lead could evolve into a formal political party. In a televised interview, Karystianou confirmed (Abre numa nova janela) that plans for a new political formation are advancing rapidly and could participate in upcoming elections, with a focus on “cleansing” the political system and restoring justice.
Karystianou insists the initiative is citizen‑driven rather than rooted in conventional left‑right ideology, and she has avoided labelling the effort as strictly progressive or conservative.
Early reactions and poll data (Abre numa nova janela) suggest the potential party could draw support from across the political spectrum -particularly from voters disillusioned with established parties such as SYRIZA, PASOK, and smaller nationalist or protest groups- though its appeal among core supporters of major parties like New Democracy appears limited so far. A GPO survey indicated that smaller but non‑negligible shares of respondents might consider supporting a Karystianou party, though most voters remain sceptical.
There has also been internal friction among Karystianou’s own supporters, including some relatives of Tempi victims who object to the move into formal politics, arguing it risks overshadowing the association’s original mission.
Reactions from the right have been mixed. Government spokesperson Marinakis criticised (Abre numa nova janela) Karystianou’s move, warning against exploiting a tragic event for electoral gain, saying it could turn personal or collective pain into political ambition.
Meanwhile, the centre-left’s response has also been cautious: PASOK insiders downplay the impact of Maria Karystianou’s new “neither-left-nor-right” party, drawing clear lines from her initiative. MEP Nikolas Farandouris, recently expelled from SYRIZA over his ties to Karystianou, insists he has made no commitment to any party, fueling friction with SYRIZA, whose leadership is frustrated by his silence on Karystianou’s attacks targeting Alexis Tsipras. The Communist Party KKE has not (Abre numa nova janela) publicly expressed worries about the Karystianou party.
Meanwhile, speculation grows that Karystianou is in talks with sitting MPs and opposition figures, adding uncertainty to Greece’s political scene.
Both right- and left-wing commentators have tried to downplay the initiative, suggesting it plays to populist sentiments rather than substantive policy proposals. They are definitely watching Karystianou’s next moves closely.
Former Israeli intelligence agents involved in Greece’s electoral campaign
An investigation (Abre numa nova janela) by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has uncovered a largely unseen international dimension of Greece’s 2023 election campaign, pointing to the involvement of Israeli political operatives and former security officials in digital influence efforts on behalf of the ruling New Democracy party.
At the centre of the report is Israeli businessman Moti Sander, a longtime confidant and close associate of Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog. According to Haaretz, Herzog is alleged to have facilitated contacts between Sander and senior figures in New Democracy ahead of the Greek elections. In late 2022, just months before the vote, Herzog reportedly asked Sander to reach out to party official Stavros Papastavrou, setting in motion a series of discreet meetings between Israeli political consultants and Greek government aides.
Sander, who has previously advised Herzog on political and communications strategy and played a role in high-level mediation efforts in Israel, is said to have coordinated digital influence operations focused on shaping online discourse and strengthening New Democracy’s social media presence. He reportedly assembled a team of professionals with backgrounds in Israel’s armed forces and intelligence services, several of whom travelled repeatedly to Greece during the campaign. Central to these efforts was the Israeli firm Perception, whose staff include figures with extensive experience in military and political communications.
The contacts were reportedly handled with particular secrecy, as Greece was already engulfed in a domestic wiretapping scandal, making any association with Israeli cyber or influence technologies politically sensitive. Among those linked to the effort is Israel “Shrulik” Einhorn, a senior political consultant and former adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing serious legal charges in Israel. Haaretz reports that Einhorn participated in preparatory meetings and presented strategic communications material, though sources differ on the extent of his direct involvement in the campaign.
While New Democracy failed to secure an outright majority in the first round of the 2023 elections, it ultimately prevailed, allowing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to return to office. Israel’s Presidential Office has denied any active involvement by Isaac Herzog, insisting that he played no role in the campaign and that any assistance was limited to providing a phone contact upon request.
A disturbing pattern among minors in Greece
Over the past two months, a series of violent incidents involving children and teenagers across Greece has raised urgent questions about youth violence, access to weapons, and the limits of what is still described as “bullying.”
In Amaliada, a 14-year-old allegedly blackmailed and threatened to beat a 12-year-old, extorting €8,200. After his arrest, police found 97 firecrackers in his home.
In Evosmos, Thessaloniki, a 14-year-old was arrested by the DIAS police unit after attempting to steal a 13-year-old’s wallet; a 20-centimetre knife was found in his backpack.
In Tripolis, a 13-year-old repeatedly stabbed a 12-year-old following a chase that began after a fight.
In Cholargos, Athens, a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old allegedly lured a 14-year-old boy by pretending to be a girl online, then attempted to kill him with knives. One of the attackers reportedly posed with the weapon used.
In Patras, a 13-year-old collapsed at school after heavy cannabis use; authorities believe the drugs were supplied by two 15-year-old classmates.
In Aspropyrgos, a 14-year-old escaped from a juvenile care institution and went on to participate in a series of shop thefts.
Also in Patras, a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old ambushed a 15-year-old, threatened him with a switchblade, and beat him.
In Rhodes, a 12-year-old walking with his mother was verbally attacked by a group of five minors; the incident escalated into threats with a knife and attempted physical violence using sticks and flower pots.
In Kypseli, Athens, a 16-year-old girl pulled out a butterfly knife inside a school and injured a 14-year-old classmate on her hands and abdomen.
In Lamia, a fight between two underage girls began inside a school, continued outside, and escalated into a violent clash that sent both to the hospital.
In Varda, Ilia, a 13-year-ol,d entered a local middle school and assaulted a 12-year-old boy—apparently because of his perceived “difference”—hitting him in the face hard enough to lead to an arrest.
And in Serres, a 16-year-old confessed to beating a 17-year-old to death, allegedly because the victim had been messaging his girlfriend.
These incidents occurred within a span of just two months. This is no longer a conversation about “typical” bullying. It involves knives, extortion, drugs, organised assaults, arrests, and deaths.
What do you think is driving this surge in extreme violence among minors, and what could be done to prevent and stop it?
Read
Protesting farmers gradually ease blockades ahead of meeting with PM (Abre numa nova janela)
Deep wage and purchasing power gap in Greece, Eurostat data highlight (Abre numa nova janela)
Taxi drivers in Athens & Attica on permanent strike as of Jan 1 (Abre numa nova janela)
Several stations of Metro Line 2 to close earlier Jan 11-Feb 21 (Abre numa nova janela)
Ferries, ships are docked at Greek ports due to powerful winds (Abre numa nova janela)
First US LNG shipment for Bulgaria arrived in northern Greece (Abre numa nova janela)
Rare burial container from the Early Bronze Age discovered in East Attica (Abre numa nova janela)
That’s all for this week; please forward this email to anyone you think might find it interesting and ask them to join our international community!
The AL team
Data
11/01/2026
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