A delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate met today with the general secretary of the Communist Party of Greece – KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumpas, at the party’s parliamentary office, in the Greek Parliament.
The delegation was composed of Elder Metropolitan Dimitrios of Princes Islands, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selino, Metropolitan Amphilochios of Adrianoupolis, Grand Archdeacon Theodoros and legal counselor Dimitrios Milathianakis.
In the delegation of KKE also participated parliamentarian Thanasis Pafilis and MP Giannis Gkokas.
The delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate informed Mr. Koutsoumpas about their positions on the Constitutional Revision, the dialogue with the government, the clergy payroll, and other issues.
Mr. Koutsoumpas briefed on the standing positions of KKE, which he developed in the recent Constitutional Revision process in the Parliament, for the complete separation of State and Church. He reiterated their position on securing the salary and insurance rights of the clergy in order to ensure a dignified living for them and their families. Finally, he pledged to study all their proposals in detail.
“We are very grateful to the general secretary of the Communist Party of Greece, who received our delegation, which visits Athens on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with great honour and cordiality. We relayed to him too the expectations of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the occasion of the amendments, unfortunately, planned for the Constitution of the country and the changes in the employment status of the clergy of Greece,” Elder Metropolitan Demetrios of Princes Islands said after the meeting.
Source: ANA-MPA
