Greece Picks Apostolos Tzitzikostas for EC Commissioner

The Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis announced on Thursday that Apostolos Tzitzikostas would be Greece’s new European Commissioner.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, 45, is the acting governor of the region of Central Macedonia, while he is a Member of the European Committee of the Regions.

The government spokesperson said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had already informed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about his choice.

In July 2017, Tzitzikostas was elected Head of the Greek Delegation and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions. As per his EC resume, he speaks fluent English and French.

The government spokesperson emphasized that the selection underlines the significance of Macedonia and Northern Greece for Europe, given their strategic position, connectivity, and geopolitical significance in the Balkans and Southeastern Europe, as well as their role as the northeastern edge of the Mediterranean.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas was born on September 2, 1978, in Thessaloniki. He studied Political Science, Foreign Policy, and Diplomacy at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He worked in the Office of the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in the United States.

The Greek PM is scheduled to meet with Tzitzikostas at the Maximos Mansion at 6 pm local time.