A statement released today by the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) points to a recent meeting between GCM president Bill Papastergiadis and the Greek minister for health, Adonis Georgiadis. The discussion centred around a long-proposed, yet unresolved, bilateral health agreement between the two nations.
The statement said Georgiadis replied to Papastergiadis, “Yes, we support the GCM in its endeavours to secure a bilateral health agreement between Greece and Australia.
“I will work with the GCM and the Australian Government to achieve this”, Georgiadis said.
The GCM statement also underscores that the organisation has been working on seeing an agreement ratified “for a number of years.”
Papastergiadis told Georgiadis – Greece’s health minister – that such an agreement aims to “support our respective citizens when travelling”.
It will protect citizens of both Australia and Greece, at “their most vulnerable state and experiencing ill health while overseas”.
“It is important as an agreement would allow our citizens, particularly the elderly, to have peace of mind whilst in Greece,” Papastergiadis said.
He called on “the bond between Australia and Greece that stretches beyond our mutual support as allies in two world wars.”
“Through significant waves of migration, Greeks call both lands home. Our two countries have shared values and ideals.
“Further developing these ties through bilateral agreements is critical to this relationship. Such agreements have a real benefit to our citizens.”
