10th World Hellenic InterParliamentary Association General Assembly begins in Athens

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias emphasised that the involvement of Greece's diaspora was essential for the Greek state, which was "handicapped" without it, but also for the MPs elected in non-Greek Parliaments who, without the Greek state, will "stop being a diaspora with the prospect of an identity."

Newly-appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Amanatidis said specific action by expatriate Greek MPs to help Greece was needed, noting that the diaspora Greeks should be the first to demonstrate their trust in Greece.

The WHIA General Assembly was also addressed by Greek Parliament President Zoi Konstantopoulou, who said that Greece was currently in a regime where its democratic functioning was being "strangled".

"The Parliament is called since dawn last Monday, from July 13, 2015, to pass legislation dictated by the executive power and, specifically, the European Monetary Union leaders' summit," she pointed out, calling on the country's diaspora to be alert and mobilise in order to prevent the completion of this coup.

"Since July 13, democracy in our country is being disputed, the free will of Parliament, the freedom of conscience and expression of its MPs, their ability to debate," she said, referring to what she called "asphyxiating" deadlines to rush through legislation, without MPs realistically having an opportunity to study, discuss or exchange views on the draft bills.

"A government that has clearly stated that it does not agree and opposes this programme is being obliged to put it to the vote under threat of the violent death of society, under the threat of being subjected to disorderly default. All this is happening using public debt as the tool and with Greece's participation in EMU and the euro as the means of execution," she added and urged the MPs at the meeting to launch initiatives to prevent this plan to subject people to banks and financial interests from being completed.

The WHIA is a non-partisan political union with 200 members from 27 countries, originally formed in 1996 to help the networking and cooperation of MPs of Greek origin elected to parliaments abroad.