Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Thessaloniki. Consulate General of Russia in Thessaloniki. What services does the Greek Embassy provide?

The history of diplomatic relations between Greece and the Russian Empire begins in 1828, it was then that they first took shape at the official level. In 1917, due to the Bolshevik coup, diplomatic relations were interrupted and resumed only in 1924. But not everything went as smoothly as before. During the years of Stalin's repressions, the USSR persecuted the Greeks, and the embassy could not help but react to such actions. The USSR had an incomprehensible policy towards its ambassadors; in the period 1932–1941, six USSR ambassadors to Greece were replaced. Two were shot, three were sent to camps, and one managed to ask for political asylum in France. In 1941, relations at all levels were completely frozen, the Greek Embassy ceased its work, resumed after the Second World War and functioned until the collapse of the USSR. In 1991, Greece recognized the Russian Federation as the legal successor of the USSR, and since that period, constant economic and political contacts have been established between the two countries.

Embassy of Greece in Russia (Moscow, 125009 Leontyevsky Lane, 4)

Tasks of the Greek Embassy in Russia

According to its diplomatic rank, the Greek Embassy is considered the highest body representing its country at the official level. The mission of the institution is determined by the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Table. Main functions of the embassy.

Embassy function	Brief description
Represent the Republic of Greece in Russia	Responsible embassy officials have the right to sign bilateral diplomatic and economic agreements on behalf of their state.
Protect the state interests of Greece in Russia	The embassy's actions cannot go beyond established international rules and comply with existing regulations of the Russian Federation.
Negotiate on behalf of the government	This task of the embassy is one of the most important and allows you to quickly resolve problems that arise between the two countries. Thanks to operational work, relations between states are improved at all levels and in all areas.
Find out the specifics of the political and economic situation in Russia	Data is collected and shared with the Greek government to develop plans to respond to changes. Information is collected only through legal means. But this rule is violated by all embassies in all countries, they engage in prohibited intelligence activities under the cover of immunity of embassy employees.

Structure of the Greek Embassy in Russia

Find out information about the functions and procedure from the new article -

The institution is located in a renovated building on the street. Spiridonovka, 14. The embassy is headed by Andreas Friganas; six departments operate under his general leadership.

Political department

It is headed directly by an ambassador with the rank of Plenipotentiary Minister of the Second Rank. Members of the department are Minister-Councillor Despina Poulou and two First Councilors (Dimitrios Michalopoulos and Christos Karras).

Department for solving trade and economic issues

The main task of the department is to protect and promote the interests of Greece in Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Belarus. To improve the business climate, the department provides information it has on the economic situation in Russia to both public and private Greek companies. The department is headed by the Plenipotentiary Minister for Trade and Economic Affairs Ilias Tanas, assisted by an adviser and a secretary.

To achieve its goals, the department performs the following functions:

collects data and conducts marketing research on various tenders and exhibitions;
organizes seminars and conferences between businessmen of both countries;
organizes business missions with specific tasks of companies by prior agreement;
provides legal assistance in resolving disputes between companies in Russia and Greece.

Russia and Greece - cooperation

Military attache department

A specific department that operates in a non-public sphere. Maintains close ties with the relevant ministry of the Russian Federation, coordinates the frequency of military exercises, and takes part in them as an official foreign observer. The department is headed by Colonel Christos Kalogiannis.

Print and Communications Department

He is responsible for providing information on political, cultural and economic issues. This is the main link between Greece and the Russian media. The main task is to form a positive image of the Republic among our compatriots. The department answers questions from local journalists, assists in organizing interviews with senior embassy officials, and issues permits to conduct journalistic activities in Greece.

Tourist department

Headed by Polykarpos Evstariou, he promotes the tourism business of companies in both countries. Gives advice to the Greek government on increasing the flow of Russian tourists, monitors the work of visa departments at the embassy.

Culture Department

The department is headed by Dimitrios Yalamas, the department’s task is to form delegations for cultural exchange between countries. The department is entrusted with an important ideological task - creating the prerequisites for the maximum rapprochement of the peoples of the two countries.

Modern economic relations between the Russian Federation and the Greek Republic

Due to existing sanctions against the Russian Federation and trade restrictions imposed by it, economic relations between the two countries are going through a difficult period. Despite the efforts of the Greek Embassy, trade between the two countries has decreased by almost 40% in recent years. The negative trend is caused by two reasons: a ban on imports of products from EU countries and the economic recession of the Russian Federation. An additional negative factor is the significant devaluation of the Russian ruble.

At the last International Book Exhibition, embassy staff presented printed products of their country, both in the original and in translation, at a separate stand. The opening of the stand took place after a successful visit to Moscow by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; the visit was organized by the Greek Embassy in Russia. Immediately after the political visit, the Secretary General for International Economic Relations arrived in Russia. The results of the meeting between the government official and his Russian colleagues will certainly have a beneficial impact on trade relations between the countries.

Political relations

The two countries have long-term friendly relations, and this despite modern negative realities. The Greek Embassy is constantly working to renew political contacts between the leaders of the two countries at all levels. Frequent visits by the leaders of both countries demonstrate their desire to establish more trusting ties, even given the current situation. The development of tourism hardly loses momentum, and interparliamentary ties are being resumed. The embassy proposed to award V. Putin a medal from the Thracian University named after Democritus.

And 2016 was declared the year of Russia in Greece and the year of Greece in Russia. During official events, a desire was demonstrated to restore frozen contacts in the interests of the two peoples. Representatives of the chambers of commerce and industry of Thessaloniki and Athens meet separately with their Russian partners. The Greek Exporters Association is trying to find ways to bring its interests closer together and adapt them to the existing restrictive measures taken by the Russian Federation in response to political sanctions.

On November 25, in Gelendzhik, with the assistance of the embassy, the cultural center of Greece was inaugurated; the Ambassador, Consul General and Governor were personally present at the ceremony. All participants treated the existing political situation with understanding and expressed confidence in its speedy stabilization. During the visit, the Ambassador held a number of meetings with the Chairmen of Greek organizations, local businessmen and government officials.

Greek societies in the Russian Federation

Supporting Greek communities in the Russian Federation is an important area of the embassy’s activities. Currently, such formations are active not only in Moscow, but also in Voronezh, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and other cities of the Russian Federation. Just for the New Year holidays, the Moscow Greek Society is planning a children's matinee, a concert by the famous singer Ariadna Prokopidou, and an exhibition by the artist Anastasia Konstantinidi.

All members of societies have the right to receive significant discounts in partner stores and clinics, learn Greek for free, and participate in meetings at various levels. Children of society members can travel to Greece on numerous summer programs. The embassy's patronage over societies allows them to significantly expand their local capabilities and involve the state media of the Russian Federation in covering their activities.

What services does the Greek Embassy provide?

Consulates general provide direct services to citizens of the Russian Federation and Greece; they are located in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novorossiysk. The embassy is not involved in issuing visas; these functions are assigned to the consulates and service centers officially operating under them. Embassies issue passports and citizenship; reception is carried out only after personal registration and contact numbers of the institution.

Registration of citizenship

Each applicant must bring documents for citizenship in person; all originals, except the passport, must have an Apostille stamp.

The appearance of the apostille and the records contained in it are prescribed in the Hague Convention of 1961. The text itself is free-form, but should contain the following information:

name of the country that issued the apostille;
position, full name of the responsible person who signed the certificate with a seal;
name of the city and date when the document was drawn up;
apostille number and name of the authority that issued it;
official seal of the institution that affixed the apostille and signature of the authorized person.

All certificates and documents issued by government agencies of the Russian Federation must have an Apostille stamp. Official translation can only be done at the Consulate General of Moscow or at the translation service of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

An applicant for Greek citizenship must have such documents with him.

Foreign passport and a copy of its first page.
Internal passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and copies of all pages on which there are entries or corresponding marks. If you have children, you need to have their birth certificates and copies. If citizenship is based on the presence of Greek roots of the parents, then copies of their marriage certificate are needed. When changing your surname, documents are required that allow you to track the actual changes.
Certificate of no criminal record.

After all documents have been officially translated, the applicant is given a personal questionnaire to fill out. The rules for filling out are indicated on the website, and if necessary, consulting assistance is provided.

Issuance or renewal of Greek passports

All applicants should be aware that since the entry into force of Law 3103/2003 in 2006, passports can only be issued by the Greek Police. In this regard, the time for receiving them increases significantly; the competence of the consulates only includes checking and receiving documents, sending them by diplomatic mail to Greece, receiving ready-made passports and issuing them to recipients.

The finished passport is issued personally to the applicant; for this he must present any identification document and a receipt for submitting the application. The old passport is confiscated for cancellation. If the recipient does not show up to receive a new passport within six months, it is returned to the Greek Police Passport Department.

Issuance of temporary documents for returning to Greece

This need arises in the event of a lost or stolen passport. In order to obtain a temporary document for traveling outside the Russian Federation to their homeland, Greek citizens must personally write an application of the appropriate form.

Important. To write such an application, there is no need to register in advance; persons are accepted immediately as soon as the relevant employees are released.

You should have a ticket or a copy of it with you; if the travel document has not yet been purchased, then it is enough to provide your reservation number. To confirm the fact of theft or loss, a certificate from the police department is required that the person has written a complaint. Temporary travel documents require two standard size color photographs. The travel document is issued no earlier than 48 hours before the time of departure from the Russian Federation. There is no charge for such services.

Video – Greek Embassy in Moscow

When traveling to any other country, you need to remember that in various emergency situations, as well as in some legal problems, you can always contact your native consulate. For example, citizens of the Russian Federation located in Greece, if necessary, can visit the Russian consulate in Thessaloniki or Athens. To resolve a visa issue, foreign citizens must also contact the consulate or visa center.

Where is the Russian consulate in Greece?

Russian consulates are located in two major cities of Greece: Athens and Thessaloniki. The Consulate General is located in the city of Thessaloniki, 546 24, on Demosthenous street, building 5. You can call there by phone: 231-025-72-01. Email address: [email protected]. The website is located here: www.saloniki.mid.ru

The Consulate in Thessaloniki is open from 8:30 to 13:30, and documents can be submitted from 8:30 to 13:00, every day, Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are days off. On holidays, namely: from January 1 to January 7, February 23, March 8, May 1 and 9, June 12 and November 4. If holidays suddenly fall on weekends, they are transferred to the next working day.

Since April 2016, the consulate has switched to non-cash payments. That is, you can pay for his services only by making a transfer to a bank account. At the cash desk of the consular section, the bank and account to which the money needs to be transferred will be indicated. Ready documents are issued upon presentation of a receipt for payment.

What services does the Russian Consulate in Thessaloniki provide?

You can contact the consular department for the following purposes:

obtain information about visa services,
register with the consulate,
apply for a foreign passport,
perform various notarial actions,
clarify citizenship issues,
register a civil status act and others

It should be remembered that citizens of Russia who have not only Russian citizenship, but also any other, in accordance with the law, are considered by the authorized bodies of the Russian Federation as citizens of Russia. It should also be remembered that entry into and exit from the Russian Federation can only be carried out by persons holding valid identity cards identifying a person outside of Russia. Thus, its citizens cannot obtain a visa to enter the territory of the Russian Federation.