Delegation from Greece discuss climate, defence and interparliamentary cooperation
From 29-31 January 2024, BGIPU hosted a delegation from the Hellenic Parliament. The delegation was led by Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos accompanied by the Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, Mr. Christos Dermentzopoulos, Mrs. Dionysia Avgerinopoulou, Mr. Symeon Kedikoglou and Panagiotis Doudonis.
The delegation began their visit with a tour of the Palace provided by Tim Loughton MP. He shared with them some interesting historical facts and anecdotes about the Palace. After the tour, they met with Emma Makey, Deputy Head of the Interparliamentary Relations Office, who gave them an introduction to the Westminster parliamentary system. The delegation then participated in a roundtable on the topic of climate, chaired by Chris Law MP. During this meeting, the delegates discussed the possibility of organising a parliamentary meeting during the Our Ocean Conference that will be held in Athens in April 2024. They also discussed the importance of collaborating at a global level to tackle climate change.
A welcome lunch was hosted by The Rt Hon Dame Karen Bradley DBE MP, chair of BGIPU with discussions focused on the IPU and ways to expand our interparliamentary engagement. After that, the group had an opportunity to participate in a roundtable on the topic of migration. During the meeting, both countries’ policies on migration were discussed. Representatives from the Hellenic parliament underlined the importance of creating legal pathways for migration, of global cooperation, and of putting migration on the IPU agenda. The first day of the visit finished with a meeting with the Defence Select Committee, chaired by The Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Quin MP. This was an occasion to discuss current global issues, as well as the vital role of NATO.
The final day of the visit started with a meeting with Stephen Doughty MP, Shadow Europe Minister. Once the role of a Shadow Minister was explained to the delegation, discussion centred on current security issues and the central role of NATO. They also talked about the situation in Cyprus and Ukraine. Both parties called for greater cooperation between Greece and the UK, for example, in the fields of energy security and international trade. The delegation also met with The Rt Hon Lord Vaizey, former Culture Minister and Member of the Parthenon Project’s advisory board. This meeting was an occasion to exchange views on the question of the Parthenon Marbles. The parliamentarians then witnessed a very lively Prime Minister’s Question Time before moving on to a well-attended working lunch hosted by Lord Kirkhope.
Delegation with Tim Loughton MP on the Parliament Terrace
Delegation with the House of Commons Defence Committee
Roundtable on Climate
Roundtable on Migration
Delegation with the Shadow Europe Minister Stephen Doughty MP
