Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Loverdos in Canberra ahead of Melbourne visit

Greece’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs liable for the Greek diaspora, Ioannis Loverdos, visited Canberra yesterday and today earlier departing for Melbourne, arsenic portion of his tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The Deputy Minister is accompanied by elder officials from Athens: Athanasios Balerbas and Dimitrios Karnavos, Secretaries-General of the Interior Ministry, and Katerina Ouli, Director-General for Citizenship.

While successful Canberra, Loverdos visited Federal Parliament, gathering with MPs Steve Georganas and David Smith, successful the beingness of Greece’s Ambassador to Australia, Stavros Venizelos. According to the Embassy, discussions, held successful a warm atmosphere, covered bilateral issues and highlighted the Greek community’s important publication to Australia’s political, κοινωνικά and economical life.

Speaking to Neos Kosmos, Georganas said helium was pleased to big Loverdos astatine Parliament alongside Smith, a subordinate of the Australia–Greece Parliamentary Friendship Group.

“It was an honour to sermon a scope of matters, including the projected visit to Australia by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis adjacent year, a treble taxation agreement, and involvement successful a wellness practice memorandum betwixt Greece and Australia,” Georganas said, adding that Greek connection retention successful Australia was besides a cardinal topic.

He besides briefed the Deputy Minister connected the Athens–Adelaide sister-city memorandum and different diaspora issues.

The Greek delegation attended an evening reception astatine the Embassy connected Tuesday, joined by galore assemblage members. Guests included Georganas, erstwhile Australian Ambassador to Greece Arthur Spyrou, and Greece’s Honorary Consuls Ioannis Anichtomatis (Darwin) and Zisis Antoniadis (Newcastle).

Next stops: Melbourne and Tasmania

Loverdos will clasp a bid of meetings successful Melbourne with elder Victorian Government officials and Greek assemblage organisations earlier travelling to Tasmania connected Saturday morning.

Before Canberra, the delegation visited Brisbane, where Loverdos met Bartholomew of Brisbane, accompanied by Ambassador Venizelos, Honorary Consul George Mastrokostas, Messrs Balerbas and Karnavos, and Ouli.

He then met members of the diaspora astatine the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of St George, Brisbane, speaking with president Frida Valassakis, and aboriginal visited the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of St Anna connected the Gold Coast, gathering president Sandra Voukelatos.

Loverdos thanked the Queensland Greek assemblage for preserving Hellenic identity, customs and traditions, assuring them that Greece “stands with its diaspora” and is taking factual initiatives to strengthen ties with the homeland. He besides met Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who praised the Greek community’s publication to the city.

A item of the visit was the oath ceremonial for two caller Greek citizens of Greek-Australian inheritance astatine the Honorary General Consulate successful Brisbane, with the Deputy Minister proudly administering the oath and welcoming them arsenic citizens of Greece.

Photo: Supplied

New Zealand leg

Prior to Australia, the tour included New Zealand, concluding successful Auckland with a gathering betwixt Loverdos and Minister Paul Goldsmith (Culture & Heritage; Justice; Media & Communications; and Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations). Both sides underscored the fantabulous bilateral relations and the span relation played by the Greek community.

The delegation besides visited the Holy Trinity Christian Greek Orthodox Church of Auckland, attending services with parishioners and discussing assemblage issues successful a warm exchange, reaffirming that the Greek state is adjacent to its diaspora.