GREECE AND POLITICS
Conventional Long Form Name: Hellenic Republic
Capital: Athens
Type of Government: Parliamentary Republic
Date of Independence: 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National Holidays: Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
Chief of State: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Antonis SAMARAS (since 20 June 2012)
Executive Branch Powers: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections. President elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); President appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government
Legislative Branch Powers: Unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial Branch Powers: Supreme Civil and Criminal Court; all judges are appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council; Supreme Administrative Court and Court of Auditors; Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S. : Ambassador Christos P. PANAGOPOULOUS
Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S. : 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S. : Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa, Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans;
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM: Ambassador Daniel Bennett SMITH
Location of U.S. embassy THERE: 91 Vasillisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE: Thessaloniki (2012)
Name of THEIR representative to UN: Ambassador Anastasis Mitsialis
Flag Description: Nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square bearing a white cross appears in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country; there is no agreed upon meaning for the nine stripes or for the colors; the exact shade of blue has never been set by law and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time:
National Symbol: Greek cross (white cross on blue field; arms equal length)
Capital: Athens
Type of Government: Parliamentary Republic
Date of Independence: 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National Holidays: Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
Chief of State: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Antonis SAMARAS (since 20 June 2012)
Executive Branch Powers: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections. President elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); President appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government
Legislative Branch Powers: Unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial Branch Powers: Supreme Civil and Criminal Court; all judges are appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council; Supreme Administrative Court and Court of Auditors; Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S. : Ambassador Christos P. PANAGOPOULOUS
Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S. : 2217 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S. : Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa, Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans;
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM: Ambassador Daniel Bennett SMITH
Location of U.S. embassy THERE: 91 Vasillisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE: Thessaloniki (2012)
Name of THEIR representative to UN: Ambassador Anastasis Mitsialis
Flag Description: Nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; a blue square bearing a white cross appears in the upper hoist-side corner; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country; there is no agreed upon meaning for the nine stripes or for the colors; the exact shade of blue has never been set by law and has varied from a light to a dark blue over time:
National Symbol: Greek cross (white cross on blue field; arms equal length)