Nikos Filis
Member of the Parliament, Former Minister

George S. Koumoutsakos
Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, MP, Nea Demokratia

Moderator
Dr. Andreas Andrianopoulos
Director, Institute of Diplomacy and Global Affairs, The American College of Greece

When: Thursday, June 21, 18:30

Where: 17b Ipitou Street, Plaka, Athens

Organized by: Institute of Diplomacy & Global Affairs

For more information, please contact: 210 600 9800 ext. 1107

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George S. Koumoutsakos

Curriculum vitae

George Koumoutsakos is a member of the Hellenic Parliament and Nea Demokratia’s Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was appointed Nea Demokratia’s contact person for Brexit with the EPP. He is a member of the National Council for Foreign Policy and of the Standing Committee for National Defense & Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament.

He studied Political Science and holds postgraduate degrees in Diplomacy and Defense Policy and in International Politics (magna cum laude distinction).

He was a career Diplomat at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he also served as the Spokesman.

He was a Member of the European Parliament. In 2013 he was elected “MEP of the Year” in the Transport category. He was awarded the “Eukrantis Award” for his contribution to the international promotion of Greek shipping as a MEP.

He was the Spokesman of Nea Demokratia during 2016.

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Nikos Filis is a Greek politician and journalist. He held the office of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs of Greece from 23 September 2015 to 5 November 2016.

Early life and education

Filis was born in Athens in 1960. He studied law the University of Athens and was heavily involved in protests at the time. He was a member of both the Central Committee and Senate of the national students union, EFEE, and was secretary of the youth of the Communist Party of Greece (Interior).

Journalism

Since 2008, Filis has been the director of the Greek newspaper Dawn. He has been a member of the board of the Greek journalists union, ESIEA. He has worked as an editor at various radio stations, including FLASH, Polis, VimaFm and EPA 4. He has written a number of articles on politics for newspapers Ta Nea, Epochi and the magazines Anti and Politis’. He also contributed to the Encyclopedia of the Greek Press.

Political career

Filis is a member of the Central Committee of Syriza. In March 2015, Filis was one of only five Syriza MPs to turn down the offer of a state car. In an interview with Mega TV in May 2015, Filis stated that: “A state must be ready for every eventuality. A Greek default is a concern of the whole of Europe. There is a systemic risk there. The chosen strategy is to negotiate an agreement but we are ready for every possible outcome.”