The anticipated Work and Holiday Visa agreement (subclass 462) between Australia and Greece, that will enable approximately 500 people from the two countries, aged 18-30 years, to work for a period of up to one year, is to be signed in early May during the Australian visit of the Greek Minister for Tourism Olga Kefalogianni.

This was confirmed on Monday by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Mr Kyriakos (Akis) Gerontopoulos, at his press conference at the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne.

In the same interview Mr Gerontopoulos announced that the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad had resumed, albeit on a small scale, its summer camp hospitality programs for diaspora children.

Referring to the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), Mr Gerontopoulos said that efforts are being made to make SAE work in the near future on a completely different basis as well as for the organisation to become “self-financing “. He also stated that in the last few years the amount of state money given to SAE were minimal.

For the amount of money spent for SAE up until 2010, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece said that the finances of the organisation were audited and that the auditor’s report was handed over to Mr Leandros Rakintzis, the General Inspector of Public Administration in Greece. ” If something has to be stated it will be stated once the process is completed”, he said.

During his press conference at the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne, Mr Gerontopoulos expressed his support for granting voting rights to the Hellenic diaspora. However, he added, this should be done after consultation, in order to find an acceptable system that is supported by a broad majority in the Greek Parliament and not only by the parties forming the government. “I am one of those who believe that Greece will benefit if our diaspora obtains the voting right. The right to elect and to be elected.”, he said.

On the matter of signing an agreement between Greece and Australia in order to avoid double taxation Mr Gerontopoulos noted that “Athens wants and seeks such an agreement but Canberra does not seem to be interested.”

The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister stated that the Greek consulates in Australia are not sufficiently staffed because of the crisis, and he went on to say that the Greek Department of Foreign Affairs will examine the issue of the understaffed Consulates of Greece in Australia as well as the issue of having a Commercial Attache in Melbourne. He also acknowledged that perhaps there were some ” failures ” in the latest price increase of consular fees. But, he added, the consular fees remained did not increase for a number of years and noted that the Greek people have been burdened at the same time with many and often unfair weights.

Kyriakos Gerontopoulos when told that the Greek Australian community in Melbourne was impressed by the fact that he travelled to Australia with a very small contingent (himself and two advisors), and that he is staying in low cost reputable hotels he responded by saying that “In these times anything else would have amounted to a provocation.”

The Deputy Foreign Minister did not fail to mention during his press conference that he was particularly impressed by Melbourne’s Greek community’s Independence Day Parade last Sunday.

While in Melbourne the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Greece met with Bishop Ezekiel, visited Greek schools and the state Parliament where he met with Greek Australian parliamentarians and other officials and he attended a special function in honor of Greece’s Independence Day. He also visited the Hellenic Museum and met with the Board of Helelnic- Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

After Melbourne Mr Gerontopoulos traveled to Canberra, where he laid a wreath at the “Hellenic Memorial” on March 25, and visited the “Hellenic Club” and the Home for the Aged of the Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of St. Nicholas. At Federal Parliament the Deputy Foreign Minister met with Senator Sinodinos and other Greek Australian federal parliamentarians.

In Sydney Mr Gerontopoulos met Archbishop Stylianos, the Board of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, New South Wales Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts George Tourism, as well as Sophie Cotsis, MLC and local government Greek Australian Councillors. He also visited St Spyridon College and attended a Greek flag raising ceremony at the neighboring municipalities of Hurstville / Kogarah.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece was also present and spoke at the Australian launching of The Hellenic Initiative on Wednesday 26 March.