Greek Presidency of the EU Council

During the first semester of 2014, the activity of the Embassy was conditioned by the assumption of the local Presidency of the EU Council.

On 12/01/2014 the Ambassador presented the priorities of the Greek Presidency at a special joint session of the Parliamentary Committees on Foreign Affairs and European Affairs and replied to the questions of party representatives. The aforementioned session confirmed the convergence of the two countries’ positions on a series of issues related to the economic, social and political situation in Greece and Portugal, both subject to Fiscal Adjustment Programmes agreed with external lenders (ECB, EU Commission and IMF).

Also, during the semester of the Greek Presidency six meetings were hosted for the HOMS of the EU Member States. Guest speakers at these meetings/luncheons were in chronological order the Minister of Economy, Mr. Pires de Lima (31.1.2014), the Mayor of Lisbon, Mr. Antonio Costa (21.2.2014), the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Paulo Portas (27.3.2014), the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Rui Machete (7.4.2014), the Minister of Finance, Ms Maria Luis Albuquerque (31/5/2014) and the Prime Minister Mr Pedro Passos Coelho (23.6.2014).

At the initiative of the Embassy and in the framework of the Greek Presidency, the Economic and Commercial Affairs Department of the Embassy organized on the 26.5.2014, in collaboration with the Private Telecommunications Group Portugal Telecom, a visit/ tour of the HOMS EU M.S. at the Data Center of the Group in Covilha (Northeastern Portugal).

Finally, under the auspices of the Greek Presidency of the EU Council and with the organisational support and co-financing of the Embassy, a painting exhibition of the famous Greek artist Christos Bokoros, entitled << The essentials >>, was presented at the Cultural Center of Cascais (March-May 2014). The exhibition was highly successful and was embraced by the Portuguese artistic community and beyond. The artist gave interviews to the local media and, in general, it can be maintained that part of the contemporary artistic Greek creation became known in Portugal.

In the same context, a concert by the Greek pianist and composer Alexandros Nathaniel, titled <<Greece-Portugal: A music bridge>>, was held on the 15.5.2014 in the premises of the renowned Centro Cultural de Belem (CCB), in collaboration with the artist and the organizational assistance of the Embassy. The concert received enthusiastic reviews both from the local and international audience that attended.