On Thursday 15 October 2015, Luxembourg's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, was presented with the insignia of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix of the Hellenic Republic by President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

The ceremony took place yesterday in Athens, upon the Minister's second visit to the country in less than ten days, in his capacity as President of the 'Justice and Home Affairs' Council of the EU. In this context, Minister Asselborn was involved in discussions with the Greek authorities on the support that the EU can bring to Greece in the management of migratory flows, particularly with regard to Greek Islands.

The Minister was reported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to have been deeply honoured to receive the Order, stating that Luxembourg can contribute to European cohesion and solidarity in order to establish shared responses to common challenges.

The Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix of Greece is the highest honorary decoration, having been established in 1926 under the second Hellenic Republic as a means of rewarding individuals for professional and personal mertis achieved or their acts or works created, as well as for community service advocacy.

Whilst the Order is often bestowed on Greek citizens, but is also awarded to foreigners who have helped raise the international prestige of the country. Citing Minister Asselborn as 'deeply European', President Pavlopoulos emphasised "the role of facilitator and conciliator played by Luxembourg in major negotiations within the European Union", reaffirming that "Jean Asselborn is constantly striving to uphold the interests of Europe, always promoting the idea of European solidarity in his actions".

Today the Minister will be travelling to the island of Lesbos with European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, Dimitris Avramopoulos, in order to assess the migration situation on the ground.

 

Photo by MAEE (Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn; President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos)