Antonis Diamataris handed over his portfolio to the new Deputy Foreign Minister for Greeks Abroad Kostas Vlasis.

He posted a photo of the handover on social media with heartfelt words and wishes for the new minister, the conservative candidate from Arcadia. He wrote:

“I congratulate him on his new duties and wish him every success in his mission from the bottom of my heart.

“Furthermore, I wish to thank Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for the honour he bestowed upon me by offering me the deputy ministry, the deputy ministry of my heart. It was an honour that I will guard as a treasure for the rest of my life.

READ MORE: Diamataris Fiasco: How a visit to Greeks abroad was marred by scandal 

“I also wish to thank from the bottom of my heart my people, the diaspora, Greeks of Hellenism everywhere, that viewed my appointment as though it were theirs, that embraced me with so much love and believed and continue to believe in me until the end.

“In the last six months exactly over which I managed to serve Greeks abroad from my post – because, as you may know, I’ve been serving the Greek community of the USA for more than forty years as publisher/manager of the National Herald – my colleagues and I took advantage of every hour and minute to serve the mutual interests of our mother country and ecumenical Greeks; to give solutions to daily problems.

“Whether or not and how much my mission achieved is not something I will judge, but will be judged by Greeks in and out of the country.”

READ MORE: ‘I am coming to listen to you,’ says Antonis Diamataris, Deputy Foreign Minister for Greeks Abroad