Ivan Verbitsky, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Culture, discussed with Pantelis Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos, the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to Ukraine, the development of bilateral cooperation in the cultural sphere, particularly the preservation of cultural heritage, the exchange of expertise, and support for Ukrainian specialists.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Culture, the Greek side proposed launching cooperation with the European Center for Byzantine Studies, which specializes in the preservation of monuments, icons, and mosaics.
“We aim not only to talk about cooperation but to move toward concrete actions. In particular, we are considering the possibility of cooperation with the European Center for Byzantine Studies, which possesses the relevant expertise. We are ready to host Ukrainian specialists and cover the costs of their internships,” the press service quoted the ambassador as saying.
It is noted that the parties paid special attention to the issue of honoring the historical figure of Alexander Ypsilanti, who is associated with Ukraine.
In addition, the interlocutors exchanged views on potential cooperation within the framework of international cultural events, as well as the prospects for developing academic cooperation in the field of Ukrainian studies.
Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Greece are showing a moderately positive trend. According to the results of a public opinion poll conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, the share of positive assessments stands at 52.7%, which is higher than the August 2025 figure (47.7%). At the same time, the level of negative perception remains low and fluctuates around 2.6% (compared to 2.3% previously).
The breakdown of responses indicates a predominance of moderately positive attitudes. 16.8% of respondents chose the option “completely positive,” while another 35.9% selected “mostly positive.” Thus, more than half of Ukrainians generally view Greece positively, although the intensity of this attitude remains less pronounced than in the case of leading European partners.
At the same time, a key feature is the significant share of neutral assessments—43.1%. This indicates that for a significant portion of Ukrainian society, Greece does not fall into the category of countries with a clearly formed emotional image. Negative assessments remain marginal: 2.6% of respondents indicated a “mostly negative” attitude, while the share of “completely negative” assessments is virtually nonexistent. Another 1.6% of respondents were undecided.
Comparative trends show that over the past six months, attitudes toward Greece have become more positive, though the changes are gradual. The increase in positive assessments occurred without a significant rise in negative ones, indicating a gradual strengthening of the overall perception of the country without sharp fluctuations in public opinion.
The high proportion of neutral responses indicates limited intensity of contact or informational influence. In such cases, positive dynamics develop more slowly than in countries that have a more noticeable presence in the political, economic, or humanitarian spheres for Ukraine.
“The results regarding Greece show that Ukrainians do not form strong opinions where interaction is less intense. In such cases, we see a combination of a moderately positive attitude with a large proportion of neutral responses. This means that the country’s image is still in the process of formation,” noted Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group.
Overall, the survey data indicate that Greece is gradually strengthening its position in Ukrainian public opinion, though the country’s level of engagement and influence on perceptions remains moderate. The primary potential for further improvement lies in shifting from a neutral to a more clearly positive perception.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Greece ranks 18th in total trade volume with Ukraine, amounting to $1.92 billion. Imports from Greece significantly exceed exports from Ukraine, resulting in a trade deficit of over $1.13 billion.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, GREECE, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
In Greece, from April 1, 2026, residential and commercial property rentals will only be payable by bank transfer to the landlord’s account. The measure is enshrined in amendments that postpone the launch date of mandatory cashless payments for rent to April 2026 and tighten controls on the declaration of rental income.
According to explanations provided by the Greek media and the regulations they refer to, payments must be made to an IBAN registered to the owner and declared to the AADE tax service. Payments to third-party accounts (relatives, lawyers, trustees, management companies) will not be recognized for tax purposes, and in the case of joint ownership, each co-owner will be required to provide their IBAN for the correct distribution of income.
Failure to comply with the rules will result in financial consequences for all parties to the transaction. Owners lose the standard 5% tax deduction on rental income; tenants lose their entitlement to housing benefits, including annual rent compensation of up to €800; businesses will not be able to count rent as an expense if they pay outside the banking system (as an example, there is a risk of losing €8,400 in deductible expenses per year when renting €700 per month).
The authorities link the innovation to the task of matching declared rental income with bank transactions and reducing the share of “gray” payments in the rental market, with AADE having to set up data collection from payment service providers to monitor compliance with the regime.
The Greek tax authority AADE is tightening control over short-term rentals through Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo: owners and managers of properties must verify and finalize their 2025 income data in the short-term accommodation registry by February 28, 2026, including the distribution of income among beneficiaries, amounts, and the correctness of the property registration number (AMA).
According to AADE, 2.2 million initial declarations were submitted for 2025, and the total declared income amounted to EUR 870 million (+16% y/y). At the same time, tax authorities warn that if the data is not confirmed and corrected on time, it is possible that tax will be levied on 100% of the income specified in previous declarations, even if part of the amounts was not actually received (for example, due to cancellation of reservations).
From the beginning of March 2026, AADE will launch cross-checks based on data provided directly by the platforms. If unregistered properties or properties without AMA in the listings are found, sanctions will be imposed: fines ranging from EUR 5,000 to EUR 20,000, as well as removal of listings from platforms until the violations are rectified.
Against the backdrop of the segment’s growth, the authorities are tightening requirements for correct registration and compliance with the rules for maintaining a presence in the register.
Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania have agreed to prepare a joint application for European funding for a high-speed railway line along the “Western Axis” Athens-Thessaloniki-Sofia-Bucharest, according to the Bulgarian publication Sega.
According to the publication, the initiative was discussed at a meeting between representatives of the three countries and the European Commission in the context of the development of the North-South transport corridor, which is intended to connect the Baltic, Black and Aegean Seas. The meeting was hosted by Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadzhov.
Greek Transport Minister Konstantinos Kiranakis said that by 2027, it is planned to provide high-quality passenger rail service between Thessaloniki and Sofia, while the Bulgarian side recalled that rail service on this route was interrupted in 2017.
Karadzhov also noted that the countries intend to synchronize planning, design, and permitting procedures to avoid delays and bureaucratic obstacles. Among Bulgaria’s priorities, he highlighted the acceleration of the project for a new bridge across the Danube between Ruse and Giurgiu, as well as the preparation of projects for new bridges in the Nikopol-Turnu Măgurele and Silistra-Kelerashi areas; the restoration of ferry connections on the Danube, including the Ruse-Giurgiu line, was also mentioned.
According to Sega, Romanian Transport Ministry representative Ionut Cristian Savoiu named among Romania’s priorities the modernization of the existing Giurgiu-Ruse bridge, the construction of a new Danube bridge, and the development of road and rail lines, as well as improvements on the Vidin – Calafat – Craiova section for better connectivity with Ukraine and Moldova.
The Greek authorities plan to pass a law in January 2026 reforming the Golden Visa program for investors in order to speed up the processing of applications and eliminate the problem of “backdating” the validity period of residence cards.
The key change concerns the calculation of the five-year validity period of the residence permit: currently, it is often counted from the date of application, which means that due to lengthy processing of documents, the actual validity period of the card obtained is less than five years. It is proposed to start counting from the date of issue of the card so that holders receive the full five-year period from the date of actual receipt of the document.
The reform is also aimed at reducing the administrative burden – it is planned to simplify the procedures for extending permits and reuniting families by reducing the number of stages of consideration.
According to IMI Daily, the number of pending applications under the program exceeded 49,000 in July, although the pace of processing applications has accelerated significantly in 2025. The Golden Visa program provides investors with a renewable residence permit, and in 2024-2025, Greece has already changed the parameters of the program, including real estate investment thresholds and transitional conditions.
Source: http://relocation.com.ua/greece-changes-rules-for-obtaining-golden-visas-from-january/
