A wave of bomb threats has disrupted air travel across Europe this week, with at least 27 flights affected on Thursday alone, according to Reuters. Some aircraft were diverted, others were escorted by fighter jets, and passengers faced evacuations and extensive security checks. Two Aegean Airlines flights were among those targeted on Thursday, one from Thessaloniki to Milan and another from Athens to Vienna. Both landed safely after the threats were found to be unfounded. Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Chatzivassiliou was aboard the Vienna-bound flight and confirmed that Austrian authorities found nothing suspicious. The threats, which began earlier in the week, have affected airlines and airports from Ireland to Bulgaria. No explosives have been found, and authorities have yet to identify those responsible. The apparent coordination has raised concerns among aviation security experts about possible hybrid warfare, particularly as Europe has experienced a series of cyberattacks targeting other essential services, including supermarket refrigeration systems and blood banks. However, there is no public evidence linking the incidents to Russia, Iran or any other state. Experts say the bomb hoaxes could be intended both to disrupt flights and to test how airlines and authorities respond. EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the European Commission was following developments closely but cautioned that it was too early to determine whether the incidents were connected.

‘Tis the season for EU annual reports, and Brussels has some uncomfortable findings for two of Greece’s neighbors. Its assessment of Turkey acknowledges improved relations with Athens but records increased military flights over Greek islands, violations of territorial waters and concerns over Ankara’s Blue Homeland doctrine appearing in schoolbooks. The Commission also notes that Turkey’s 1995 casus belli remains in force and reiterates its opposition to the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement. Ankara dismissed the report as biased, accusing Brussels of adopting Greek and Cypriot positions. Meanwhile, North Macedonia came under criticism for failing to consistently honor the 2018 Prespa Agreement, which ended its long-running dispute with Greece. The Commission notes that government members and senior officials sometimes disregard the agreement by referring to the country as “Macedonia” rather than its constitutional name, North Macedonia, potentially damaging relations with its neighbors.

Of all the corruption scandals to emerge in Greece over recent weeks, this may be the most disturbing. A Thessaloniki-based charity called Paidiki Chara (Children’s Joy) allegedly diverted millions of euros donated to help seriously ill children, using their photographs and medical records to solicit contributions. Investigators say the organization collected approximately €3.9 million, of which only €1.1 million reached the intended beneficiaries. One father says he sold his house to pay for his son’s treatment while the charity raised tens of thousands of euros in the boy’s name without handing over a cent. Meanwhile, police allege that donations were used to pay for luxury hotels, expensive restaurants and gambling. The organization’s founder and his partner have been remanded in custody pending trial. And then there is the question of oversight: despite years of fundraising, the charity was not listed in the relevant government registries and reportedly lacked the required fundraising certification.

After months of delays, the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), the planned electricity cable between Greece and Cyprus, may be moving again. Athens is expected to issue a NAVTEX maritime notice today, allowing seabed surveys to resume near Kasos, where work stopped in July 2024 following Turkish objections. The French survey vessel Abeille Marengo has been waiting in Heraklion since late October. Turkey says it does not oppose the project itself, but insists on written notification of surveys in waters where it claims jurisdiction. Athens maintains that only Greek authorities can authorize the work. Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said Greece was prepared for any Turkish attempt to obstruct it, although he considered that unlikely. Meanwhile, a new study estimates the cable could save consumers in Greece and Cyprus up to €138 million annually by 2035, with most of the savings benefiting Cyprus.