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Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Greece)

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών

Syggrou Mansion [el] -Ministry of Foreign Affairs' headquarters
Agency overview
Preceding agency
  • Ministry of the Royal House and Foreign Affairs (up to 1863)
JurisdictionGovernment of Greece
HeadquartersVasilissis Sofias Avenue 5 - Athens
Employees1.847 (2024) [1]
1.860 (2016) [2]
Annual budget420.237.000 euro (2025) [3]
Minister responsible
Deputy minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Teresa – Paraskevi Angelatou, Secretary General
Child agencies
  • Secretary General for International Economic Affairs
  • Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy
Websitewww.mfa.gr Edit this at Wikidata


This article is part of a series on
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  • International Relations

The Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Greek: Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών) is a government department of Greece, headed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The ministry has its headquarters in Athens.

The incumbent minister is Giorgos Gerapetritis in the Second Cabinet of Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

History

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is one of Greece’s oldest ministries. Theodoros Negris is regarded as its first minister, serving from 1822 to 1823. [4]
However, the ministry was dissolved in May 1823, as Greece had not yet gained official recognition from any state. It was re-established in 1827 as an independent entity under the name Secretariat of State for Foreign Affairs and Merchant Marine. In 1828, Greece was formally recognized as a state by the three protecting powers, leading to the appointment of the first ambassadors to the country. This title persisted until April 1833, when, following the arrival of King Otto, it was renamed the Secretariat of State for the Royal House and Foreign Affairs, with Spyridon Trikoupis as its first minister. [4]During this period, Greece expanded its diplomatic relations with Austrian Empire, Belgium, Danish Unitary State, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and the Kingdom of Sweden and Norway.[5] In 1846, the title was updated to the Ministry of the Royal House and Foreign Affairs. In February 1863, it adopted its current official name, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[6]

Responsibilities

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The mission of the Ministry is to implement the country's foreign policy, and its responsibilities include, among others:

  • Supporting and promoting Greek interests in foreign states and the international community
  • Providing information and updates on Greek issues and positions
  • Representing the Hellenic Republic and its government in international organizations and bodies
  • Offering diplomatic support to state institutions, public enterprises and organizations, political parties, and members of parliament during their international contacts
  • Promoting and protecting the rights and interests of Greeks abroad
  • Promoting and safeguarding Greece's economic, commercial, maritime, tourism, and other interests abroad
  • Managing the diplomatic correspondence of the President of the Republic
  • Maintaining relations of the Hellenic Republic with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, autocephalous Orthodox churches, and other religious denominations
  • Politically administering Mount Athos
  • Handling matters related to the awarding of Greek Orders of Excellence and the authorization to accept foreign distinctions

[7]

List of ministers for foreign affairs since 1974

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Main article: List of foreign ministers of Greece
Photo Name Took office Left office Party
George Mavros 24 July 1974 9 October 1974 Centre Union
Dimitrios Bitsios 17 October 1974 20 November 1977 New Democracy
Panagiotis Papaligouras 29 November 1977 10 May 1978
George Rallis 10 May 1978 10 May 1980
Konstantinos Mitsotakis 10 May 1980 21 October 1981
Ioannis Charalambopoulos 21 October 1981 26 July 1985 PASOK
Karolos Papoulias 26 July 1985 2 July 1989
Tzannis Tzannetakis 2 July 1989 12 October 1989 New Democracy
Georgios Papoulias 12 October 1989 23 November 1989 Independent
Antonis Samaras 23 November 1989 16 February 1990 New Democracy
Georgios Papoulias 16 February 1990 11 April 1990 Independent
Antonis Samaras 11 April 1990 14 April 1992 New Democracy
Konstantinos Mitsotakis 14 April 1992 7 August 1992
Michalis Papakonstantinou 7 August 1992 13 October 1993
Karolos Papoulias 13 October 1993 22 January 1996 PASOK
Theodoros Pangalos 22 January 1996 18 February 1999
George Papandreou 18 February 1999 13 February 2004
Tasos Giannitsis 13 February 2004 10 March 2004
Petros Molyviatis 10 March 2004 15 February 2006 New Democracy
Dora Bakoyannis 15 February 2006 7 October 2009
George Papandreou 7 October 2009 7 September 2010 PASOK
Dimitris Droutsas 7 September 2010 17 June 2011
Stavros Lambrinidis 17 June 2011 11 November 2011
Stavros Dimas 11 November 2011 17 May 2012 New Democracy
Petros Molyviatis 17 May 2012 21 June 2012
Dimitris Avramopoulos 21 June 2012 25 June 2013
Evangelos Venizelos 25 June 2013 27 January 2015 PASOK
Nikos Kotzias 27 January 2015 27 August 2015 Syriza
Petros Molyviatis 28 August 2015 21 September 2015 New Democracy
Nikos Kotzias 23 September 2015 20 October 2018 Syriza
Alexis Tsipras (also PM) 20 October 2018 15 February 2019
Georgios Katrougalos 15 February 2019 9 July 2019
Nikos Dendias 9 July 2019 25 May 2023 New Democracy
Vasilis Kaskarelis 25 May 2023 27 June 2023 Independent
Giorgos Gerapetritis 27 June 2023 present New Democracy

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Αnnual statistical data (el)
  2. ^ "Πόσοι υπάλληλοι υπηρετούν ανά υπουργείο – Η «ακτινογραφία» του δημοσίου σε πίνακες" [How many employees serve per ministry - The "radiography" of the public sector in tables] (in Greek). 21 July 2016.
  3. ^ budget for 2025
  4. ^ a b https://200years.mfa.gr/en/mfa-history-en/ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Revolution and the early years of Independence]
  5. ^ https://200years.mfa.gr/en/diplomatic-consular-relations-en/
  6. ^ Government Gazette, FEK A6/1863
  7. ^ "Νέος Οργανισμός του υπουργείου Εξωτερικών - Οι αρμοδιότητες" [New Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - The responsibilities]. voria.gr (in Greek). 28 May 2020.
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