New faces in Greek defense and diplomacy

(BRUSSELS2) New change in Greek diplomacy and defence. These two portfolios change hands with the arrival of a government of national unity, under the leadership of the former vice-president of the national European central bank, Lucas Papademos. They will now be occupied by ministers belonging to the liberal right under a coalition agreement reached between the main Greek parties.

One (in defence) is a veteran of Greek politics, the other (in foreign affairs) is a politician who spent part of his career in Brussels. In this last choice, Greece is following the path traced by several countries - in particular its Cypriot and Italian neighbor - by choosing as Minister of Foreign Affairs a person imbued with the culture of the European institutions, a significant asset when it comes to representing Greece and defend its interests in the various European conclaves.

At La Défense, an old hand in Greek politics

The Greek Ministry of Defense will be entrusted to Dimitris Avramopoulos, a rather popular politician (or at least one who takes good care of his image). Former mayor of Athens (1995-2002) and former Minister of Tourism (2004-2006) then of Health and Solidarity (2007-2009) in the Karamanlis government, he is a member of Nea Dimokratia (right). Born in 1953, he did his military service in the air force, part of his service takes place at NATO headquarters in Brussels, his biography indicates. In 1980, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Consul of Greece in Liège in Belgium (1983-1988), he then became diplomatic adviser to Prime Minister Constantin Mitsotakis (1989-1991), the leader of the Greek right then spokesperson for the ministry (1992) and consul general in Geneva.

He definitively left diplomacy in 1993 to devote himself full-time to politics. Elected deputy in 1993 on the "Nea Dimokratia" list, he was mayor of Athens for eight years thereafter. In particular, he was re-elected against Maria Damanaki, then supported by PASOK, and since then european fisheries commissioner. In 2001, he attempted an original path by creating a new party, the movement of free citizens (KEP). Way that fails. He quickly returned to the fold of Nea Dimokratia and, thanks to the constitution of the Karamanlis government, was rewarded with two successive ministerial posts.

In Foreign Affairs, an informed European

At Foreign Affairs, Stavros Dimas has another career, marked by a stint in Brussels. Lawyer, graduate of the University of Athens and New York, he began as a lawyer on Wall Street (in 1969... it was not yet "globalization") then worked at the World Bank. In 1975, back in Greece, he became director of the Hellenic Industrial Development Bank, then went into politics at Nea Dimokratia. Elected several times to the Greek Parliament, he entered the government in 1977 as deputy minister in charge of economic coordination. In particular, he will have the task of negotiating the accession of Greece to what is then called the EEC, the European Economic Community. He then passed through several posts in Commerce (1980–1981), Agriculture (1989–1990), Industry and Energy (1990–1991) before occupying the post of general secretary of the party (1995–2000) and being a little sidelined as a member of the political analysis committee (2000-2003).

He was sent to Brussels to replace, at short notice, his compatriot, Anna Diamantoupoulou, as Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs. Then in the new committee Barroso is in charge, somewhat inadvertently of the Environment. A position for which he was not automatically the most suitable person. Dimas is more of an economist, and Greece is not known as a model in this area, he manages to make a "name" for himself in Brussels. At the end of his mandate, he thus leaves the memory of a commissioner, rather pugnacious, inclined to defend his files and who will not have been unworthy.

Read also: Dimas not renewed at the European Commission? shame

The merchant navy (and piracy) entrusted to the far right

Note the arrival in this coalition government of two ministers from the far right party (LAOS) who will be in charge of maritime piracy issues. Since Adonis Georgiadis has been appointed Secretary of State for Development and the Merchant Navy.