Thodoris Dritsas

Thodoris Dritsas (Greek: Θοδωρής Δρίτσας; born 23 August 1947) is a Greek Syriza politician who has served as the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy in the Second Tsipras Cabinet since September 2015. On 27 January 2015 he was appointed the Alternate Minister for Shipping and the Aegean in the First Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras, and he served in this role until 28 August 2015. On 23 September, he was appointed as the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy in the Second Cabinet of Alexis Tsipras. He is also the husband of Immigration minister Tasia Christodoulopoulou.

Thodoris Dritsas
Θοδωρής Δρίτσας
Minister of Shipping and Island Policy
In office
23 September 2015 – 5 November 2016
Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras
Preceded byChristos Zois
Succeeded byPanagiotis Kouroumblis
Alternate Minister for Shipping and the Aegean
In office
27 January 2015 – 28 August 2015
Prime MinisterAlexis Tsipras
Preceded byMiltiadis Varvitsiotis
Succeeded byChristos Zois
Personal details
Born (1947-08-23) 23 August 1947
Piraeus, Greece
Political partyCoalition of the Radical Left (Syriza)
Spouse(s)Tasia Christodoulopoulou
Alma materNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens
ProfessionLawyer

Early life and education

Dritsas was born in Piraeus in 1947. He graduated in law from the University of Athens.[1]

Political career

Dritsas was four times a mayoral candidate for the Municipality of Piraeus in the 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2014 elections with a platform called "The Port of Agony". From 2002 to 2007 he served as a Municipal Councillor in Piraeus.[1] In the 2007 legislative election, he was elected as a Member of the Hellenic Parliament (MP) for Piraeus.[2] He has been re-elected in all legislative elections since, including 2009, May 2012, June 2012, January 2015 and September 2015.[1]

In the 15th parliamentary session from 2012 to 2014, he was one of the two Vice Presidents of the Special Permanent Committee on Institutions and Transparency. From his election in 2007 to 2015, Dritsas served as a coordinator on maritime and defence issues for the Syriza group in the Hellenic Parliament.[1]

Following the formation of the First Tsipras Cabinet in January 2015, Dritsas was appointed as an Alternate Minister for Shipping and the Aegean. On his very first office day, just before taking the oath, he already announced the immediate cancellation of the privatization of the Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) promising that "the public character of the port will be maintained. The OLP sell-off stops here."[3]

Following the September 2015 snap legislative election, Dritsas was appointed as a full minister responsible for the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy in the Second Tsipras Cabinet.[4] From 5 to 9 November 2015, Dritsas took part in a visit to China, including speaking at the Maritime Cooperation Forum of Mediterranean Countries of the European Union at Xiamen port.[5]

References
  1. "Mr Thodoris Dritsas". European Maritime Day. European Commission. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  2. "Short Biography from Greek Parliament's official site". Archived from the original on 2009-09-08. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
  3. Mandravelis, Vangelis (27 January 2015). "Dritsas announces cancellation of OLP sale". Kathimerini. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  4. "New Tsipras cabinet announced with few new faces". The Times of Change. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  5. "Shipping minister Dritsas to visit China". ANA-MPA. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2016 – via Sigma Live.


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