According to the Bank of Greece (BoG), foreign investment in Greek real estate rose to €2.75 billion in 2024, coming mainly from EU countries, while maintaining high growth rates.
Quarterly data also confirms high interest, especially in tourist regions and large cities. In the first six months of 2024, real estate purchases accounted for 54.2% of all foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Greek economy — an absolute record.
Top 10 countries investing in Greek real estate (approximate data)
Unfortunately, BoG’s public data does not yet reveal the exact figures for each country, but some trends are clearly visible:
Ukrainians and Russians are represented, but their share is not among the top three countries investing in real estate. Their contribution is comparable to other investments from Eastern Europe — most likely within the 3-5th echelon, depending on regional preferences.
The main buyers are concentrated in Athens, Attica, Thessaloniki, Chalkidiki, as well as on popular islands such as the Cyclades and Ionian Islands. The apartment segment remains the leader — about 64% of investments, followed by villas and townhouses (~19%).
The state-owned Ukreximbank (Kyiv) has financed the construction of 700 MW of renewable energy facilities, approximately 300 MW of which are wind farms, according to Andriy Moiseenko, a member of the bank’s board.
“We have financed 700 MW of RES. These are private companies. 300 MW is wind energy. However, some of it is currently occupied,” he said during the Ukrainian Wind Energy Forum 2025 organized by the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association, which is taking place in Lviv.
According to Moiseenko, the demand for energy loans is very high, and the bank’s task is to develop the necessary solutions for providing loans together with state and private banks, as well as international financial institutions, which have also joined in this support.
“Partnerships with international financial organizations allow us to provide more financing,” added the top manager of Ukreximbank.
As reported, Yuriy Shafarenko, deputy head of the main department of the Directorate for Social and Economic Policy of the Office of the President, said at this forum that approximately 200 MW of wind power is expected in Ukraine this year.
Apple has unveiled the new generation of its flagship smartphone, the iPhone 17.
The key features of the new product are: a screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz — providing a smoother image and a comfortable gaming experience,
a 6-core Apple Silicon A19 processor — a new generation chip focused on high performance and energy efficiency, an anti-glare display coating — allowing for more comfortable use of the device in bright sunlight, and built-in Apple Intelligence artificial intelligence — a system of personalized AI features integrated into the smartphone’s interface and applications.
Apple positions the iPhone 17 as a device that ushers in a new era in mobile technology, emphasizing intelligent features: adaptive recommendations, on-device data processing without sending it to the cloud, and support for generative capabilities.
Analysts note that the integration of Apple Intelligence could become a competitive advantage in the battle with Android smartphones, where AI features are already being actively used by the largest manufacturers.
The European Commission is considering tightening the conditions for Russian citizens to obtain Schengen tourist visas. At present, short-term visas continue to be issued to Russians in 17 Schengen countries, including Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France.
Among the measures under consideration are:
– increasing the processing time for visa applications from the current 10 to 15 days, with the possibility of extending it to 45 days,
– introducing stricter controls on document compliance and strengthening measures against abuse.
As part of the preparation of a new, 19th package of sanctions against Russia, a clause on a complete ban on the issuance of Schengen tourist visas is being discussed — the proposed option may be included in the package, which is expected to be presented on September 12.
The main impetus for this initiative is the sharp increase in the number of tourist trips by Russians to Schengen countries in the summer months of 2025, which raises concerns about the possible use of tourist trips to prepare malicious actions within the EU.
In 2024, Russians submitted about 606,600 applications for Schengen visas and received about 552,600 visas, an increase of 16-21% compared to the previous year.
Russia ranked fifth in the world in terms of the number of Schengen visas obtained, behind only China, Turkey, India, and Morocco.
According to data from the Cypriot Ministry of Internal Affairs presented to parliament, as well as reports from Cypriot media, foreign buyers purchased more than 37,000 properties on the island between 2021 and 2024.
Top 10 buyer countries (2021–2024)
The statistics show some regional characteristics, for example, in Paphos, the British traditionally lead (~4,500 properties), in Limassol, the Russians lead (~2,500), followed by the British and Israelis. In Larnaca, the British, Lebanese, and Israelis are active, while in Nicosia, a significant portion of transactions are carried out by Greeks and British.
Since 2021, foreigners have purchased more than 37,000 properties, while Cypriot citizens have purchased more than 200,000. Transactions involving foreigners are concentrated in Limassol and Paphos (about 60% of all transactions).
The main trends in the Cyprus residential real estate market are:
Experts predict further growth in interest from citizens of Israel, Lebanon, and Ukraine, as well as a possible revival of Chinese investors as currency restrictions ease.
Oversized cargo transportation company TAD plans to invest €20 million next year in expanding its fleet of wind turbine transport equipment in Ukraine due to increased demand for such services, according to the company’s founder and CEO Vitaliy Melnyk.
“I believe in Ukraine’s wind potential. There are a lot of requests for the transportation of wind equipment, and activity has been very high, especially in the last year or two. We are growing. Next year, we plan to invest EUR 20 million in expanding our fleet of equipment specifically designed for transporting large wind turbines,” he said during the Ukrainian Wind Energy Forum 2025 organized by the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association, which is being held in Lviv on Tuesday.
As Melnik explained, many wind projects were halted with the start of the war precisely because foreign partners refused to install and deliver turbines to Ukraine due to military risks. Therefore, such services began to actively develop within the country.
