The Index uses data from the International Air Transport Association and ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holder can visit without a visa.
According to the data, passports from Greece and Australia allow citizens to holiday in 185 countries without organising a visa.
Both countries have tied with Canada, the Czech Republic and Malta in seventh place.
Meanwhile, at the top of this year’s index are Japan and Singapore, with their passports allowing citizens to visit a whopping 192 countries without requiring a visa.
Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking with its nationals only able to access 26 destinations visa-free.
Here are the top rankings:
Japan, Singapore, 192
Germany, South Korea, 190
Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, 189
Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, 188
France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom, 187
Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States, 186
Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Malta, 185
Russia’s embassy in Athens on Wednesday warned of “consequences” after Greece asked 12 Russian diplomats to leave the country over the war in Ukraine.
“We have strongly protested against this unjustified and hostile step which aims to further destroy our bilateral relations,” the embassy said in a statement.
“We made clear that this action will not remain without consequences.”
Со своей стороны выразили решительный протест против такого безосновательного конфронтационного шага, направленного на дальнейшее разрушение всего комплекса наших двусторонних отношений. Сказали, что эти действия не останутся без последствий. https://t.co/tloqNRuXYx
This statement comes after Greece declared 12 Russian officials personae non gratae earlier on Wednesday.
According to Ekathimerini, Russian Ambassador Andrey Maslov was summoned to the Greek Foreign Ministry to be notified of the decision.
The Foreign Ministry said the decision was made in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.
The Greek Foreign Ministry announcement comes as Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, also said on Wednesday that Greece will push back the phase-out of lignite plants to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas.
Mitsotakis made the announcement at the inauguration of a 204.3 MW photovoltaic park by Hellenic Petroleum in Kozani. Photo: Twitter.
Mitsotakis said Greece will boost coal mining by 50% and extend the operation of all its coal-fired power plants to 2028, instead of closing them down by 2023 as previously planned.
“It is a temporary measure,” Mitsotakis said at the inauguration of a 204.3 MW photovoltaic park by Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE), Greece’s biggest oil refiner, in Kozani.
Mitsotakis added that “in no case” will these changes affect Greece’s announced goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Αυτή η προσαρμογή του Εθνικού Σχεδίου για την Ενέργεια & το Κλίμα δεν καθυστερεί, δεν αναβάλλει και δεν μειώνει όλες τις δράσεις του προγράμματος για τη δίκαιη μετάβαση που συνοδεύει την πολιτική της απολιγνιτοποίησης. Διότι αυτή είναι μία αδιαπραγμάτευτη, μία στρατηγική επιλογή.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) April 6, 2022
US Undersecretary of State: Russians must access the truth on Ukraine
Elsewhere, the US Undersecretary of State, Victoria Nuland, paid a visit to Cyprus on Wednesday and stressed that Russian “disinformation” about its war against Ukraine needs to be exposed, including on Russia’s “war crimes.”
“We all have an interest in exposing Russian disinformation, ensuring our citizens have the truth and ensuring that Russian citizens also (have the truth)… despite the Iron Curtain that Putin has put down over that,” Nuland said during her official visit.
Pleasure to welcome @undersecstatep Nuland to #Cyprus 🇨🇾 to inaugurate #CYCLOPS | A state-of-the-art facility funded by the #US 🇺🇲 | a great and concrete achievement which further strengthens the existing bilateral strategic partnership | pic.twitter.com/hJbedWz3a7
According to Ekathimerini, Nuland was asked whether the US had asked Cyprus to transfer its Russian-made weapons and she said: “It is not for the United States to ask of Cyprus. It is for Cyprus to make its own decisions about what it wants to and can do.”
Cypriot officials said no weapons would be transferred to Ukraine without securing replacements, to avoid weakening the war-divided island nation’s defences.
Nuland was in Cyprus as part of a five-nation tour aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and rallying support for Ukraine. This included a visit to Greece as well.
After two years of covid hiatus award winning comedian, actress, writer and creator of the iconic 90s character Effie, Mary Coustas, will for the first time in her career take the Opera House’s Playhouse in May to premiere her intimate one-woman-show, This Is Personal.
But what is personal in a world that experiences this level of speed and connection?
“Everything is personal,” Mary Coustas tells The Greek Herald, promising the audience a candid, unplugged performance that combines the colourful tapestry of her migrant upbringing in Melbourne’s suburbs and her recent experience of motherhood.
“When I was growing up, I used to think that racism, is not personal. It happens to lots of people that look like me, but it didn’t stop it from happening to me. And it felt very personal at the time,” says Mary.
“And you try to be bigger than that although you continuously not fit in with what is considered the norm,” she says. “I didn’t see faces that looked like mine in the media or in the public sphere.”
Neither racism nor the fear of the unknown stopped the then young migrant from entering the entertainment industry with optimism and with the goal to show that being a strong female and comfortable in your own skin is not a hinderance but an advantage.
“You need to build strength from the inside out and my Greek grandmothers were my role models,” she says. “Being strong is not a threat but a box you have to tick before any other.”
It was Mary’s younger self who created the suit of armour we’ve come to know as “Effie” and have loved for over three decades.
I ask her if it’s tempting to put her theatrical character aside to perform this new show but Mary says “Effie is never too far away.”
“I am at my most fearless when I’m performing her [Effie]. Literally nothing worries me. It’s like time stands still,” she says.
“I talk to the audience and it’s electrifying. I can walk into parliament house and get up as Effie and perform for whoever the leader is at the time and feel like I have every right to be there and that I’m representing working class ethnic women, or just people that are like me, the everyday person. Effie represents that,” she says.
“But I felt like it’s time to sort of go commando without the comfort and security of Effie. And to really strip myself back away from the bells and whistles.”
Laced with Mary Coustas’ comedic flair, This Is Personal, under the direction of Blazey Best, is a kaleidoscopic exploration of love, loss, laughter, fear and the characters that shaped the comedian’s life.
“This is Personal gives me the freedom to discuss the themes we all face in this life – race, gender, belonging, and freedom of expression. Now, I feel I am ready to tackle these issues of the human condition as Mary. To step away from the puppet and expose the puppeteer,” she says.
Mary Coustas, the celebrated Australian comedian, actress, writer, and creator of the iconic 90’s character Effie, premieres her most intimate show to date, This Is Personal. Showing 25-29th May Tickets on sale now! https://t.co/4RBg2OF0gDpic.twitter.com/WdJ5bjKEVh
“It is a funny show because I have to bring comedy even to the most tragic of things. That’s just how my mind works.”
Mary Coustas believes that sharing pain through laughter is “a much more intravenous way of dealing with life stuff.”
And I can’t disagree with her.
“I think people walk away from all of my shows -whether it’s an Effie show or not- standing a little taller and feeling a bit better about themselves.”
“I want my people, my audience, to come to the Opera House. This show is not just for the white middle class,” she says.
“Whether they are from the suburbs, from different cultures, from different sexual inclinations I invite them to the Opera House, to look at that Harbour Bridge, marvel how beautiful this place is and to feel like they belong.”
*This Is Personal, will premiere in the Opera House’s Playhouse from 25 – 29 May 2022. The performance on 28 May at 7.30pm will be livestreamed to audiences around the world via the Opera House’s online streaming platform, Stream.
Two heads of the Liberal Party’s Strathfield women’s branch withdrew their support for the campaign of sitting Member for Reid, Fiona Martin, on Monday night, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
In a statement made at a Reid presidents’ meeting on Monday night, Strathfield women’s branch president Liana Ross and secretary Vivian Hodgson said their friendship with Natalie Baini, who is running against Dr Martin as an independent, was a conflict of interest.
They also claimed Dr Martin had told Liberal Party members that she lived in the suburb of Rhodes, which is within Reid, when she was living outside the electorate in Ryde.
Dr Martin told the SMH she had “always been upfront about purchasing a place for the family five minutes outside the electorate.”
The turbulence comes ahead of an anticipated tightly fought contest in the Sydney seat, which straddles wealthy inner-west areas such as Rodd Point and Canada Bay, working-class suburbs of Auburn and Lidcombe, as well as strong religious and ethnic communities around Strathfield, Homebush and Burwood.
Professor George Paxinos officially launched his environmental crime novel, A River Divided, at Ashfield Town Hall on Tuesday night.
The event, which was part of The Greek Festival of Sydney and hosted by the Inner West Council Library, was a huge success with over 100 people in attendance.
This included the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Christos Karras; the Trade Commissioner of Greece in Australia, Katia Gkikiza; the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW), Harry Danalis; and the Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris.
Every attendee listened intently as a number of speakers spoke at the book launch such as Professor Paxinos, Dr Con Costa, Professor Mat Santamouris, the novel’s editor, Kiriaki Orfanos, and guest speaker, Angelya Vassiliadis.
Professor Paxinos discussed the storyline of his novel and how it pays homage to religion, the environment and neuroscience.
Dr Costa then spoke of the relevance of the novel to feelings of grief today, whilst Professor Santamouris focused on the topic of over-population, which is also a theme which runs through A River Divided.
After this, Ms Orfanos shared what it was like to edit and transform Professor Paxinos’ scientific writing into literature, before Ms Vassiliadis read a passage from the novel and spoke of how she couldn’t put the book down once she had started reading.
At the conclusion of these formal proceedings, which were chaired by prominent environmentalist Liz Courtney, attendees were treated to a special performance of five songs by Efi Karra and two Argentinian singers, Justo and Miguel.
This was followed by question time and a book signing session by Professor Paxinos.
“I felt that I was amongst friends yesterday,” Professor Paxinos tells The Greek Herald after the event. “It didn’t have to be a good joke for the audience to laugh. It was great.”
It was all things Greek on Sunday at the Hermes-Ilion Club in Sydney where Labor spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians and Member for Barton, Linda Burney, launched her re-election campaign in an event hosted by the Hellenic Caucus – Greek Friends of Labor.
Among the 180 attendees were NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Property and Multiculturalism Steve Kamper and state parliamentarians Courtney Houssos, Mark Buttigieg MLC and Rose Jackson along with local government representatives Bayside Mayor Christina Curry and Councillors Bill Saravinovski, Joe Awada and Ann Fardell.
My heartfelt thanks to @ChrisMinnsMP , Steve Kamper and every one of the 100s who launched my campaign for Barton today – especially Harry and Greek Friends of Labor for hosting!
Speaking about the event President of the Greek Friends of Labor, George Houssos said that the electoral division of Barton is home to a big Greek community and reiterated that if re-elected, Ms Burney will focus on the wellbeing of the elderly citizens in line with the Party’s pledge for $2.5bn extra for the struggling aged care system.
“The budget is about funding aged care better, making sure there are nurses available 24 hours in nursing homes and aged care facilities and higher wages for the carers. For the Greeks this is a big issue,” Mr Houssos said.
“Children and elderly are important in our community and these are Labor’s priorities for this election.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to call the federal election any day now with available dates narrowed down to May 7, 14 or 21.
Bondi Beach is about to get a little Greeker with the addition of a new diner and bar inspired by the islands of Greece.
The new restaurant will have all the staple Greek menu items, meze, fresh seafood cooked on the charcoal grill and home-made pita all made from Australian produce paired with their ace cocktails and wine.
‘Topikos Dining Room & Bar’ will open in mid-April in the space that was formerly occupied by the Bondi Beach Public Bar (BBPB) by restaurant powerhouse The Point Group, who used to operate BBPB and are also behind restaurants like The Dolphin Hotel in Surry Hills and Shell House in Sydney’s CBD.
Bondi Beach Public Bar outside terrace
The groups culinary director Joel Bickford, who oversees the menus at Shell House, will be working with the group’s executive chef Danny Corbett and newly appointed head chef Charles Woodward to create a menu inspired by the varying cuisines of the islands of Greece.
“We’re staying true to Greek cuisine, calling on traditional recipes, cooking techniques and flavours, combined with incredible Aussie produce,” said Bickford in a statement.
“We’re presenting our contemporary take on classic Greek dining. At the heart of the menu are the essentials, an olive oil program and house-made pita – a simple base to build out our menu from.”
The ATP has warned players in an internal note on Monday that tennis officials will dish out stricter punishments for on-court misconduct, ABC News reports.
ATP Chairman, Andrea Gaudenzi, said in a note seen by Reuters: “Effective immediately and as we head into the clay court swing, the ATP officiating team has been directed to take a stricter stance in judging violations of the Code of Conduct.”
“Additionally, we are also undertaking a review of the Code, as well as the disciplinary processes, to ensure that it provides appropriate and up-to-date penalties for serious violations and repeat offenders,” Mr Gaudenzi added.
Nick Kyrgios. Photo: SMG via ZUMA Press Wire.
This warning comes as the men’s governing body reviews its guidelines in an attempt to clamp down on repeat offenders such as Nick Kyrgios and Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
Just last month, Kyrgios was fined $80,000 for a series of angry outbursts at the Indian Wells and Miami Open events.
The ATP came under fire for what many pundits and fans perceived to be soft punishments from the governing body.
Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has had a significant victory in a long-running internal Liberal stoush over NSW pre-selections, after a court challenge against the legitimacy of his hand-picked candidates was dismissed.
The NSW Court of Appeal on Monday dismissed a claim that pre-selections of 12 Liberal candidates by the Prime Minister, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and former president of the federal Liberal Party, Christine McDiven, were invalid.
ABC News reports that the case centred on a decision made late last month by the Liberal Party’s federal executive to appoint Mr Morrison, Mr Perrottet and Ms McDiven to pick candidates.
Initially, the three-person committee endorsed only sitting MPs Sussan Ley, Alex Hawke and Trent Zimmerman in the seats of Farrer, Mitchell and North Sydney respectively.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is a close ally of the PM. Photo: ABC News / Adam Kennedy.
However, on Saturday, nine other candidates were pre-selected hours before the committee’s term was due to expire.
On Tuesday, the court ruled this process was valid and Mr Morrison later defended his decision to intervene in the NSW pre-selections.
In an interview with ABC 7.30, Mr Morrison said he made the controversial decision to intervene because he is “very serious about having great women” in his ranks.
Scott Morrison defended his decision to intervene in the NSW pre-selections.
Mr Morrison said he was concerned the futures of Environment Minister Sussan Ley and the member for Reid, Fiona Martin, were under threat from “factions.”
“I’m asked all the time, ‘Why wouldn’t the Prime Minister do more about getting good women in Parliament and stand up for the women in Parliament?'” he said.
“So, I stood up for the women in my team… That was what the principal reason was and people know that.”
Mr Morrison is expected to fire the starting gun for the election campaign in the coming days and Australians will go to the polls in mid-May.
