The Greek EU presidency: key players

Date: 19/12/02

Greece takes over the EU's rotating six-month presidency from 1 January, 2003. Renée Cordes profiles the country's main movers and shakers

Prime Minister: Constantinos ("Costas") Simitis

Born: 1936, Athens

Education: Law, University of Marburg (Germany); post-doctoral studies, London School of Economics

The 66-year-old socialist will use Greece's stint at the helm of the EU to push for closer ties between the Union and the countries of eastern Europe and the Mediterranean - especially Turkey, with which Greece has had a rapprochement recently. Like his country's figurehead, President Constantinos Stephanopoulos, Simitis has served two terms. But his academic demeanour means he will never win a popularity contest between the two. Forced to flee Greece in 1969, because of his opposition to the military regime, Simitis returned once democracy was restored and helped found PASOK, the socialist party he still leads. Head of the Greek government since 1996, Simitis speaks English, French and German and has written legal articles on consumer protection, patent law and nearly a dozen books on political thought and the socialist agenda. The next few months won't leave him much time to write.

National Economy and Finance Minister: Nikos Christodoulakis

Born: 1952, Armeni, Chania

Education: Athens Polytechnic; post-graduate studies, University of Cambridge, UK

Like the prime minister, Christodoulakis began his professional life as an academic. His cv boasts professorships in economic analysis at the University of Athens, applied economics at Cambridge and a professorship at the University of Prague.

Like any good academic, he's also published extensively - in his case on economic policy, growth, forecasting and economic models.

After a research fellowship at the London School of Economics he was appointed general-secretary of Greece's research and technology ministry in 1993, but is still something of a fresh face to Greek politics.

He served as deputy economics minister in 1996-2000 and development minister in 2000-2001. A diehard numbers' nerd, he's pushed for all members of the eurogroup to adopt a standardised system for collecting inflation and economic data. After a low-key start to his year as chairman of the eurogroup (he took the seat during the Danish EU presidency, as Denmark has not adopted the single currency) he faces the challenge of overhauling the much-derided Stability and Growth Pact that restricts budget deficits.

Foreign Minister: George Papandreou

Born: 1952, St Paul, Minnesota, US

Education: Sociology, Amherst College (Massachussets) and Stockholm University; master's degree in sociology and development, London School of Economics

One of Greece's most popular politicians, Papandreou is tipped by many as a future prime minister. Some might say it's his rightful legacy, as the son of former premier Andreas Papandreou and grandson of another prime minister after whom he was named. He may have inherited his father's bushy eyebrows, but in terms of political style the two couldn't be more different; in contrast to his father, Georgios is a true reformer. Like many others in the government, he's held a number of ministerial posts including culture and education and religious affairs. He's twice coordinated Greece's bid to host the Olympic Games, including the 2004 event. But his mainsuccesses have been in foreign policy, where he's managed to smooth relations with Turkey and secure Greece's place on the international stage. Simitis couldn't have a better advocate for development-friendly trade policy and the reform process in the Western Balkans.

National Defence Minister: Yiannos Papantoniou

Born: 1949, Paris

Education: Economics, Universities of Athens, Wisconsin and Cambridge

Papantoniou is the second Greek minister who started his stint at the EU presidency six months before his country actually took over the rotating job. Due to the Danish opt-out, Greece has been in charge of the European Security and Defence Policy since mid-2002. He will face the challenge of making the EU's 60,000-strong rapid-reaction force operational for peacekeeping missions in the Balkans and elsewhere, but will be boosted by the EU-NATO asset-sharing deal at the Copenhagen summit. Papantoniou has said that EU countries must address their military capability weaknesses by 1 March 2003 and "to contribute their own national resources to fill these needs".

Papantoniou was drawn to politics as counsellor to then-Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Ironically, he left the economics department after a quarrel with the defence ministry, which he now oversees.

Public Order Minister: Mihalis Chrysohoidis

Born: 1955, Veria

Education: Law, University of Thessaloniki

The lawyer-turned-minister hit the headlines earlier this year with the arrests of key suspects linked to the "November 17" terrorist group, which had been operating with apparent impunity since the mid-1970s. The public affairs ministry post has long been an unpopular one, but Chrysohoidis - a man of often few words - has taken on the job with energy and enthusiasm. Greece is particularly concerned about stemming organised crime and illegal immigration, so Chrysohoidis is the man to watch on those issues during the presidency. He also feels strongly about the fight against international terrorism, fearing further "abhorrent acts" post-11 September. One can understand Greece's nervousness about such attacks at home as Athens prepares to host the 2004 Olympic Games. Aided by experts from London's Scotland Yard, Chrysohoidis' ministry has already organised a three-day exercise to cope with the eventuality of an attack during the event.

Agriculture Minister: George Drys

Born: 1944, Potamos, Corfu

Education: University of Athens; post-graduate studies, Automation Control Systems, England

Do not be fooled by Drys' physicist background: he has deep agricultural roots. He helped organise farming cooperatives in the 1980s and was elected president of the Agricultural Cooperatives' Union in 1982. A year later he was elected to the board of the Panhellenic Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives' Unions. But he was destined for greater things, and entered national politics as a member of Parliament in 1989. In 1990 he returned to PASOK, where he was active even as a youth, this time as a member of its central committee and then secretary of its social movements department. He served as deputy economics minister under Yiannos Papantoniou. During discussions on the Common Agricultural Policy mid-term review, Drys is likely to bristle at any suggestion of cutbacks and press for strengthening the second CAP pillar to support investment and job creation in rural areas.

Public Order Minister: Mihalis Chrysohoidis

Born: 1955, Veria

Education: Law, University of Thessaloniki

The lawyer-turned-minister hit the headlines earlier this year with the arrests of key suspects linked to the "November 17" terrorist group, which had been operating with apparent impunity since the mid-1970s. The public affairs ministry post has long been an unpopular one, but Chrysohoidis - a man of often few words - has taken on the job with energy and enthusiasm. Greece is particularly concerned about stemming organised crime and illegal immigration, so Chrysohoidis is the man to watch on those issues during the presidency. He also feels strongly about the fight against international terrorism, fearing further "abhorrent acts" post-11 September. One can understand Greece's nervousness about such attacks at home as Athens prepares to host the 2004 Olympic Games. Aided by experts from London's Scotland Yard, Chrysohoidis' ministry has already organised a three-day exercise to cope with the eventuality of an attack during the event.

National Defence Minister: Yiannos Papantoniou

Born: 1949, Paris

Education: Economics, Universities of Athens, Wisconsin and Cambridge

Papantoniou is the second Greek minister who started his stint at the EU presidency six months before his country actually took over the rotating job. Due to the Danish opt-out, Greece has been in charge of the European Security and Defence Policy since mid-2002. He will face the challenge of making the EU's 60,000-strong rapid-reaction force operational for peacekeeping missions in the Balkans and elsewhere, but will be boosted by the EU-NATO asset-sharing deal at the Copenhagen summit. Papantoniou has said that EU countries must address their military capability weaknesses by 1 March 2003 and "to contribute their own national resources to fill these needs".

Papantoniou was drawn to politics as counsellor to then-Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou. Ironically, he left the economics department after a quarrel with the defence ministry, which he now oversees.

Greece takes over the EU's rotating six-month presidency from 1 January 2003. Article profiles the country's main movers and shakers.

http://www.eu2003.gr/en/cat/0/index.asp? http://www.eu2003.gr/en/cat/0/

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