Anna Diamantopoulou
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Anna Diamantopoulou (Greek: Άννα Διαμαντοπούλου, born 1959 in Kozani, Greece), is a Member of Parliament in Greece for the main opposition party, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). She is also a former EU Commissioner, for Employment and Social Affairs, in the Prodi Commission, a post she held between 1999-2004.
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[edit] Career
A civil engineer by training, Diamantopoulou's political career began early. As one of the youngest Prefects in Greek history, Diamantopoulou served the Prefecture of Kastoria for two years ending in 1986 with her appointment as Secretary General for Adult Education and later for Youth. She was appointed President of the Hellenic Organisation of Small and Medium-Sized Undertakings and Handicrafts (EOMMEX) in 1993 and left the position to become Secretary-General for Industry.
[edit] Political career
Anna Diamantopoulou's parliamentary career began in 1996 when she was elected to represent the district of Kozani. She was appointed as Deputy-Minister for Development in charge of privatisation and industrial restructuring, a position she left in order to become European Commissioner. Following her return to Greece, she is an Opposition MP with responsibilities ranging from External Affairs and Defence to Development Policies. She was recently appointed in charge of PASOK's political platform. In 2001, Diamantopoulou led the PASOK wing that advocated the instituting of English as the second official language in Greece [1]. The proposal was vociferously turned down by the Greek public.
[edit] Europe
Diamantopoulou has been very active in European affairs both from her position at the European Commission and since her return to Greece. A champion of women's issues and a staunch supporter of stronger, more competitive Europe, Anna Diamantopoulou continuously stresses the importance of balancing economic efficiency with social justice. She is currently Chair of the Party of European Socialists' Committee on the European Dimension of Social Europe and an active participant in Europe-wide debates on the future of European competitiveness, the constitutional treaty and social issues.
[edit] External links
- (Greek) Official website
