Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ remarks during the Plenary Session of the Hellenic Parliament on the Draft Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the conversion of the ECIO to “Hellenic Export Credit Company” SA (30.03.2022)
Mr. Speaker,
Ladies and gentlemen MPs,
First of all, allow me to state that I accept, but I am also introducing the amendment by my own Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I am referring to amendment Prot. General no. 1265 and Prot. Special no. 13.
This amendment addresses the issue that arose regarding the advance payment orders of the Greek Diplomatic and Consular Authorities in the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
According to the standard procedure currently in place, the orders have to be deposited in specific accounts, within a specific frame of time. This is not possible because the banking system is not functioning due to the imposed sanctions. Therefore, the orders are kept in the Consular Receipts account and for that reason I am introducing the specific amendment.
Beyond that, there are proposed provisions in a second amendment, amendment no. 1266. I have to be absolutely clear with you, I accept the amendment formally, because that is standard practice. Their content, however, should be introduced by the competent Ministers and then you will examine and elaborate on it. They are not amendments by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is simply the vehicle to introduce them in Parliament in a specific legislation on the Export Credit Insurance Organization.
So, Mr President, I would like to ask you that the debate on the amendments and the relevant procedure should take place in the presence of the competent Ministers.
It is not possible for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to introduce them on the substance, because it ignores the purposes that led to their drafting and I simply end up submitting the editorial refinements, which are merely changes to the wording. If you have the kindness, since it is a whole page of words and it seems to me that it does not make sense to read them to you, I submit them.
Thank you so much Mr. Speaker,
I thank Parliament for its understanding.