One day after presenting his credentials to Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto, Dimitrios Anninos – the former Greek General Consul to Victoria and Ambassador to New Zealand was dead.
Taken to hospital in Mexico City on February 15 with a ruptured aortic aneurysm, he died shortly after. His sudden passing has shocked the Greek diplomatic community worldwide, and in Australia and New Zealand in particular, where he had many friends.
Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos described Ambassador Anninos’ passing as a great loss to the country’s diplomatic service.
“He was a distinguished career diplomat who furthered the interests of Greece and global Hellenism significantly, and was distinguished for his ethos, his conscientiousness and his love for his homeland.
“The leadership and personnel of the Foreign Ministry express their deep condolences to his loved ones”.
Neos Kosmos understands Mr Anninos’ son who lives in Melbourne has returned to Greece for the funeral.
The current Greek Consul to Victoria, Eleni Lianidou paid tribute to Mr Anninos this week, telling Neos Kosmos:
“Dimitrios Anninos was an extraordinary man. He loved Melbourne and its people and he considered the city as his second home.
“He was a very simple but outgoing man, he was not living in his glass castle. It’s a great loss for our diplomatic corps. He will be greatly missed.”
Neos Kosmos expresses its deepest condolences to Mr Anninos’ family and friends.