- Anastasios Peponis
Anastasios Peponis, Greek politician and author. He was born in
Athens , Greece, where he has worked as a lawyer since 1952. In 1951-52, he was leader of the Youth Section of the Hellenic Progressive Union of the Center (EPEK). As the General Director of the National Broadcasting Organization in 1964-65 he founded the Experimental Channel which began Greek public television. Deputy representing Athens in the Greek Parliament from 1977 to 2000 with thePanhellenic Socialist Movement (PA.SO.K). Deputy to the European Parliament in 1981. Minister for Industry and Energy in 1981-82 and again of Industry, Energy and Research in 1986-89, 1989-90, and 1995. Minister without portfolio in 1984. Minister for Public Administration in 1989 and 1993-94. Minister of Justice in 1995, and Minister of Health and Welfare in 1996. In 1985-86, as MP he acted as the chief sponsor for the revision of the Greek Constitution. [See news reports]He was an active member of two resistance organizations against the Nazi-fascist occupation (1941-44), the Panhellenic Union of Resistance Youth (PEAN) and the National Coalition of Higher Education Institutions (ESAS), being involved especially in the underground press. He played a leading role against the
Greek junta (1967-74). Arrested five times, he was imprisoned, held in solitary confinement, and ordered into internal exile.As the minister responsible for energy policy he conceived of,negotiated and signed an agreement on importing
natural gas to Greece from Russia (former USSR) and Algeria and started its realization in 1987-88. In the same capacity, he proposed and oversaw a strategy for disengaging foreign companies searching for oil in thenorthern Aegean from issues of national security and international policy.As Minister for Public Administration he introduced and secured passage for the law (2190/94) establishing the Supreme Commission for Personnel Selection (A.S.E.P) and the system of public hiring by means of objective criteria.
His books include: "Personal Testimony" (Athens 1970 and 2001), "Wider Communication" (on Mass Media ; Athens 1973), "On Popular Sovereignty" (Athens 1975), "The Constitutional Revision of 1985/86" (Athens 1986), "Greece and Democracy in a New Reality"(Athens 1996 ), "1961-81:Persons and Events" (Athens 2001), "On the Issue of the Aegean Sea: Oil, “Boundary Disputes,” the European Union and the Energy Connection" (Athens 2008).
External links:
Livanis Publications: works of A. Peponis [http://www.livanis.gr/ViewAuthors.aspx?ValueId=600595]
Greek ministers: [http://rulers.org/greegov.html]
New Greek energy minister: [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6638/is_199510/ai_n26117095]
References
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