Mitsotakis receives Archbishop of America Elpidophoros; vote for Greek citizens living abroad discussed

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday received visiting Archbishop of America Elpidophoros at his Maximos Mansion office in Athens.

The Greek premier thanked the hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church in America for what he called his valuable services to the ethnic Greek communities in the United States, and the Archdiocese’s overall spiritual, social and educational work.

Both sides also discussed soon-to-be-unveiled draft legislation that will ostensibly eliminate remaining restrictions on the right of Greek citizens living abroad to vote from their place of residence.

Mitsotakis expressed confidence that such draft legislation will receive approval by more than 200 deputies in the country’s 300-MP Parliament, referring to “a revolution in the political participation of Greeks abroad in the homeland’s public affairs”.

Ethnic Greek organizations from around the world have long called for Greek citizens whose names are on elections rolls to enjoy the right to vote from their place of residence, as is the case with numerous other countries around the world.

On his part, His Eminence Elpidophoros congratulated Mitsotakis over his party’s convincing election victory last month, which allowed him to begin a second term as the country’s head of government.