Green light for new Greek commissioner

Date: 11/03/04

THE replacement for the former EU employment and social affairs commissioner has been named and approved by Brussels after Anna Diamantopoulou won a Greek parliamentary seat in last weekend's (7 March) elections.

62-year-old Stavros Dimas, a lawyer and economist, was proposed by Athens after Commission President Romano Prodi received Diamantopoulou's resignation letter.

"Mr Dimas is an experienced politician who also has extensive knowledge of European affairs," said Commission spokesman Reijo Kemppinen.

He added that Dimas' nomination could be approved by EU governments as early as today (11 March).

Diamantopoulou stepped aside last month to run in the Greek elections, which her Socialist PASOK party lost to the New Democracy party.

Stavros Dimas replaces Anna Diamantopoulou as the Greek European Commissioner, following the latter's election as a MP in the general election held on 7 March 2004.

• Primary Source