Kostis Hatzidakis

Konstantinos (Kostis) Hatzidakis (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος (Κωστής) Χατζηδάκης; born 20 April 1965 in Rethymno) is a Greek politician of New Democracy who has been serving as the Minister for Labor and Social Affairs in the Cabinet of Kyriakos Mitsotakis since 2021. Among other offices, he previously held the post of Minister for the Environment and Energy.[1] Within his party, he serves as vice president under Mitsotakis' leadership.

Kostis Hatzidakis Κωστής Χατζηδάκης
Minister for Labor and Social Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 January 2021
Prime Minister	Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Preceded by	Giannis Vroutsis
Minister for the Environment and Energy
In office 9 July 2019 – 5 January 2021
Prime Minister	Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Preceded by	Giorgos Stathakis
Succeeded by	Kostas Skrekas
Minister for Development and Competitiveness
In office 25 June 2013 – 10 June 2014
Prime Minister	Antonis Samaras
Preceded by	himself (Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructure, Transport and Networks)
Succeeded by	Nikos Dendias
Minister for Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructure, Transport and Networks
In office 21 June 2012 – 25 June 2013
Prime Minister	Antonis Samaras
Preceded by	Yannis Stournaras (Development, Competitiveness and Shipping) Simos Simopoulos (Infrastructure, Transport and Networks)
Succeeded by	himself (Development and Competitiveness) Michalis Chrisochoidis (Infrastructure, Transport and Networks)
Vice President of New Democracy
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 January 2016 Serving with Adonis Georgiadis
President	Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Personal details
Born	20 April 1965 Rethymno, Greece
Political party	New Democracy
Profession	Lawyer

Political career

Hatzidakis was elected President of the Youth Organisation of New Democracy (ONNED), serving from 1992 to 1994.

Member of the European Parliament, 1994–2007

Hatzidakis was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for New Democracy in the European elections of 1994, 1999 and 2004. During his time in parliament from 1994 until 2007, he served on the Committee on Regional Development. From 2004 until 2005. He was also a member of the Temporary committee on policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013. In addition to his committee assignments, he was part of the parliament's delegations to the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee (1994–1999); to the parliamentary cooperation committees for relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (1999–2004); and to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee.[2]

Career in national politics

In the 2007 Greek legislative election, Hatzidakis was elected to the Hellenic Parliament for the Athens B constituency and consequently resigned from the European Parliament.[3]

Hatzidakis served as Minister for Transport and Communications from 2007 to 2009 and then as Minister for Development in 2009.

On 15 December 2010, Hatzidakis was ambushed and assaulted by violent rioters during a general strike at the height of the Greek government-debt crisis.[4][5]

In his capacity as energy minister, Hatzidakis was tasked to work on a rescue plan for state-owned Public Power Corporation (PPC) which had been struggling with 2.7 billion euros ($2.99 billion) of unpaid bills from customers unable to pay during the country’s financial crisis.[6] From 2020, he also oversaw efforts to liquidate majority state-owned nickel producer LARCO, another company struggling under heavy debt, and then look for an investor for some of the company’s assets.[7] Under his leadership, Greece also began the sale of a minority stake in PPC-owned power distribution operator HEDNO[8] and of power grid operator ADMIE in 2020.[9]

References

1. Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou (January 4, 2021), Greek PM keeps key ministers, seeks fresher image in cabinet makeover Reuters.
2. Konstantinos Hatzidakis European Parliament.
3. Schinas in Greek MEP re-shuffle European Voice, October 3, 2007.
4. "Clashes as Greece gripped by fresh strike". BBC News. 15 December 2010.
5. Squires, Nick (15 December 2010). "Former Greek minister attacked by mob as riots break out in Greece". The Daily Telegraph. London.
6. Angeliki Koutantou (September 16, 2019), Exclusive: Greece seeks new mining jobs, higher royalties in talks with Eldorado Reuters.
7. Angeliki Koutantou (January 24, 2020), Greece to sell troubled nickel producer Larco's assets: minister Reuters.
8. Angeliki Koutantou (February 14, 2020), Greece to start power distribution operator sale in September Reuters.
9. Angeliki Koutantou (December 16, 2019), Greece plans to sell 49% stake in power distribution network Reuters.

External links

• Official website (in Greek)
• Personal profile of Kostis Hatzidakis in the European Parliament's database of members
• Terms of office of Kostis Hatzidakis at the Hellenic Parliament (in English)