Greek Prime Minister Tsipras Takes Post Of Foreign Minister After Kotzias' Resignation

Fakhir Rizvi Published October 20, 2018 | 07:42 PM

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras officially became the country's foreign affairs minister to hold both positions concurrently after the ceremony of transfer of powers on Saturday in the presidential palace in the presence of head of state Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2018) Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras officially became the country's foreign affairs minister to hold both positions concurrently after the ceremony of transfer of powers on Saturday in the presidential palace in the presence of head of state Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

Tsipras was sworn in as the new foreign minister, and then the ceremony of handing over the affairs took place at the Greek Foreign Ministry. Tsipras warmly thanked his predecessor, Nikos Kotzias, who resigned a few days ago. According to the prime minister, Kotzias strengthened Greece's role on the international arena, created a new foreign policy doctrine, prepared and signed an agreement on the name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

"In 2015, we received a country not only with economic problems, discredited in financial markets and among creditors, a pariah in the international economic arena, but also a country with a weakened geopolitical role.

Today, the prestige and geopolitical opportunities of the country are strengthened. It is the leading power on the Balkans and the pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean," Tsipras said, also supporting the actions of the former minister to expand the country's territorial waters to 12 miles.

Tsipras said Kotzias had been a valuable employee and expressed hope for continued cooperation.

Kotzias stated that he is the happiest minister retiring because he managed to achieve many goals. In his speech, he listed the Prespa Agreement on the new constitutional name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, improvement in relations with Albania and the Cyprus settlement among his major achievements.

Kotzias remains a member of the Greek parliament. He also intends to teach at the university.