January 16, 2026
Handelsblatt reports on the suspension of operations at the Athens FIR - Tageszeitung criticizes Kyriakos Pierrakakis and the Greek economy.
https://p.dw.com/p/56uUG
The financial review Handelsblatt reflects on the "unprecedented incident" of the blackout in the Athens FIR on January 4th, which resulted in air traffic in Greece being paralyzed for hours, citing the report by the Investigation Committee on the specific incident. According to the publication, "the report documents an operational confusion during the event and reveals significant deficiencies in the outdated air traffic control systems in Greece." It is also noted that "the controllers found no evidence of a possible cyberattack, as was initially suspected."
As the newspaper's correspondent in Athens emphasizes, "the system suffers from chronic underfunding. It will take years until the vulnerable equipment is replaced. But it's not just travelers to Greece who will have to get used to delays. The bottlenecks in Greek airspace have repercussions for all of Europe."
Image: Markus Mainka/dpa/picture alliance
More specifically, the publication states that "the technical deficiencies were known to those familiar with the subject. As a rule, air traffic control systems have a lifespan of about ten years. The last large-scale modernization took place in conjunction with the 2004 Olympic Games. Radar facilities at Athens airport date back to 2001, and most communication systems are 20 to 30 years old. The blackout on January 4th was not the first warning sign. Already on August 19th of the previous year, malfunctions in Athens' radars caused significant disruptions in Greek airspace, which also had repercussions across Europe."
Image: Markus Mainka/dpa/picture alliance
More specifically, the publication states that "the technical deficiencies were known to those familiar with the subject. As a rule, air traffic control systems have a lifespan of about ten years. The last large-scale modernization took place in conjunction with the 2004 Olympic Games. Radar facilities at Athens airport date back to 2001, and most communication systems are 20 to 30 years old. The blackout on January 4th was not the first warning sign. Already on August 19th of the previous year, malfunctions in Athens' radars caused significant disruptions in Greek airspace, which also had repercussions across Europe."
Criticism of Pierrakakis and the Greek Economy
A report by Tageszeitung (taz) from Athens critically addresses the Greek economy, as well as the election of Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis to head the Eurogroup. Among other things, it refers back to the establishment of the gov.gr platform when Kyriakos Pierrakakis was Minister of Digital Governance.
Image: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu/picture alliance
"Critics point out that Pierrakakis merely digitized the notorious monster of bureaucracy in Greece, instead of first tackling bureaucracy and then digitizing it," the publication states. "Digital illiteracy, power outages, and the collapse of any digital platform during peak hours force millions of Greeks to entrust tax consultants and accountants with the management of digital transactions with the state – for a fee."
Image: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu/picture alliance
"Critics point out that Pierrakakis merely digitized the notorious monster of bureaucracy in Greece, instead of first tackling bureaucracy and then digitizing it," the publication states. "Digital illiteracy, power outages, and the collapse of any digital platform during peak hours force millions of Greeks to entrust tax consultants and accountants with the management of digital transactions with the state – for a fee."
"Growth on borrowed money"
Furthermore, the publication expresses doubts about the praise concerning the course of the Greek economy: "The Greek economy may be growing again at moderate rates, but this is not difficult considering the low starting point of the Gross National Product in the 2025 forecast: 249 billion euros, which is as much as the annual GDP of Berlin and Bremen combined. Most importantly: Without generous funding from the European Union, Greece would likely present a dismal picture. From 2021 to 2027, European funds amounting to almost 60 billion euros flowed into Athens, a huge amount, corresponding to 4% of GDP. Meanwhile, Greece's trade balance remains negative, as does the country's Net International Investment Position, i.e., the balance of claims and credits abroad. In addition, the debt of private households and businesses reached staggering heights of 166% of GDP by the end of 2024. Together with state debt, Greece's total debt now exceeds 300% of GDP. The 'economic miracle' of Greece that everyone celebrates is growth on borrowed money. An admission of failure for the euro."
Greece Athens 2025 | DW Employee Jannis Papadimitriou at the Airport
Giannis Papadimitriou Lawyer and journalist at DW. He mainly deals with European, political, and economic issues.
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