International Relations
The institutional role of the Parliament in shaping Greek foreign policy is acknowledged in a series of Constitutional articles and clauses as well as in its Standing Orders, the most important of which regard:
- Parliamentary consent on various foreign policy issues, such as changing the national boundaries, allowing foreign military troops into Greek territory or simple passage, limiting the exercise of national sovereignty and entrusting international organizations and their agencies with exercising state capacities;
- Ratification of International Treaties which Parliament can nonetheless not amend or modify but only accept or adopt in their totality;
Actually, in recent years Parliament has undertaken important initiatives in favor of stronger international relations, promoting issues of national importance and communicating, in essence, the image of Greece abroad.
Parliament aims at:
- Fostering closer working relations with its foreign counterparts.
- Strengthening parliamentarian cooperation in the framework of international organizations.
- Promoting the image of Greece and Greek culture abroad, especially within foreign parliaments.
- Keeping foreign parliaments and International parliamentary Organizations up to date as to Greek views and positions on global affairs, and national issues, in particular.