Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos confers by phone with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton regarding developments in Ukraine. -Hellenic MoFA

MFA, Wednesday, 26 February 2014

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EU High Representative and President of the Foreign Affairs Council Catherine Ashton and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, in his capacity as President of the EU General Affairs Council, had extensive telephone talks today on the developments in Ukraine.

Baroness Ashton briefed Mr. Venizelos on the picture she formed during her visit to Kiev. She also briefed him on the preparations being made by the European Commission, in collaboration with the European External Action service, the European Investment Bank and other European institutions to shape a format for immediate financial support for Ukraine, in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the Russian Federation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos’ remarks following the Visegrad+3 Ministerial Meeting (Budapest, 24 February 2014). -Hellenic MoFA

MFA, 24/2/14 
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E. VENIZELOS: Many thanks to the Hungarian hosts for the excellent organisation and also for the warm hospitality. I am here in my double capacity: first of all in my national capacity as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, but also as the current President of the Council of the European Union, in order to preserve the institutional character and the continuity of this format.

Let me make, very briefly, three remarks on the three main topics of our agenda.

name dispute alongside European integration. -FYROM News

By Naser Pajaziti
The head of the Greek diplomacy, Evangelos Venizelos met today (20.02) during his official visit to Skopje the president of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia , George Ivanov.

The meeting was held without the presence of the media and there was no press conference after it.

Foreign Ministry statement on the results of the Swiss referendum. -Hellenic MoFA

MFA, Sunday, 09 February 2014

The Hellenic Presidency of the EU regrets the result of the Swiss popular vote on the initiative “against mass immigration”.

The introduction of quotas on immigration from the EU citizens goes against the principle of free movement of persons between the EU and Switzerland as enshrined in the bilateral agreement in place, which is a key factor in the harmonious development of our relations.

A sign of solidarity

FFO, 9/1/14
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrives in Greece today to continue his series of official visits to European partners. At the start of Greece’s EU Council Presidency, the Foreign Minister will meet a range of high-ranking representatives from the fields of politics, business and civil society for discussions in order to see the situation in the country for himself and to show solidarity with the people in Greece.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos’ New Year’s message as Greece assumes the Presidency of the Council of the EU. -Hellenic MoFA

MFA, Tuesday, 31 December 2013

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Greece assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and it does so with a keen sense of its responsibility to its EU partners and all European citizens. Because the next six months will be a major turning point, not only for Greece itself, as it emerges from a crisis that has exacted many hard sacrifices from the Greek people, but also for the Union as a whole, as we make our final arguments in the debate on the future of our Union, ahead of the May 2014 European elections.

ΥΠΕΞ: Πρωτοβουλίες Αντιπροέδρου της Κυβέρνησης και ΥΠΕΞ Ευ. Βενιζέλου σε σχέση με αποτελέσματα χθεσινού Συμβουλίου Γενικών Υποθέσεων σε ό,τι αφορά την προώθηση της ευρωπαϊκής προοπτικής των Δυτικών Βαλκανίων

ΥΠΕΞ, Τετάρτη, 18 Δεκέμβριος 2013

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Ο Αντιπρόεδρος της Κυβέρνησης και Υπουργός Εξωτερικών, κ. Ευάγγελος Βενιζέλος, έδωσε οδηγίες στον Πρέσβη της Ελλάδος στο Βελιγράδι, κ. Κωνσταντίνο Οικονομίδη, να ενημερώσει, σήμερα, επισήμως τη Σερβική Κυβέρνηση για την πρόθεση της Ελληνικής Προεδρίας του Συμβουλίου της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να συγκληθεί η Διακυβερνητική Διάσκεψη για την έναρξη των ενταξιακών διαπραγματεύσεων της Σερβίας στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, στις 21 Ιανουαρίου 2014, καθώς και για την πρόθεσή του να επισκεφθεί το Βελιγράδι αμέσως μετά, ως Πρόεδρος του Συμβουλίου της Ε.Ε. αλλά και διμερώς.

MFA: Statements of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos and the President of the S&D European Parliamentary Group, Hannes Swoboda

Hellenic MoFA, Monday, 02 December 2013

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E. VENIZELOS: It is a great pleasure to welcome Hannes Swoboda, the President of the Parliamentary group of the European Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, here to the Foreign Ministry, along with select members of the Parliamentary Group who make up the delegation.

My pleasure is double, because I welcomed them here not just as the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, ahead of the Hellenic Presidency, but I also welcomed them as the President of Pasok, a party that participates in the European Socialist Party and participates with a strong group of MEPs in the Parliamentary Group of the European Socialists and Democrats.

Hellenic MoFA: Joint statements of Deputy Prime Minister Venizelos and UK Foreign Secretary Hague, following their meeting (London, 28 November 2013). -video

Greek MFA, Thursday, 28 November 2013
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W. HAGUE: It’s been a great pleasure to welcome my friend and colleague Evangelos here to London today.

It’s an important time for Greece preparing for the Presidency of the European Union. The United Kingdom is enthusiastic about the Greek Presidency. We discussed the priorities during that period particularly the economic growth across the whole of Europe, the maritime priority, which of course Greece and Italy will be able to take forward . We discussed the issues of migration and issues within the eurozone. So we had a good discussion about European issues.

Modesty amid Austerity: Greece Aims for Frugal Council Presidency

By David Böcking and Georgios Christidis
Greece has announced it will offer fewer perks and spend considerably less than other countries on the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union when it assumes the role in January. Doing otherwise would send the wrong message, Athens stressed.

Greece's finance ministry announced Monday that its government would run its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union on a shoestring budget of only €50 million ($68 million). 

Hellenic MoFA: Deputy FM Kourkoulas’ statements on Hellenic Public Television following the presentation of the logo of the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the EU

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JOURNALIST: Minister, the symbol for the Greek presidency is simple and symbolic and, I would say, rather moving.

D. KOURKOULAS: Yes, simple as Mr. Venizelos said, and loaded with symbolism.

JOURNALIST: Today is essentially the day that we commence the Greek Presidency.

Hellenic MoFA: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos presents the logo of the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union

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MFA, Monday, 25 November 2013
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E. VENIZELOS: We now come to the presentation of the logo. The Presidency’s logo is very important, because it is the Presidency’s hallmark.

This hallmark will accompany and certify our every action. It will accompany every event that happens within the framework of our Presidency. I think it sets out in a very clear manner our basic communication strategy for a Greek European Presidency.