“It was a positive step to be able to vote from here,” he tells K. Dr. Konstantinos Drosatos, Professor of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology at the University of Cincinnati and Vice President of ARISTEiAwho has flown enough miles to vote. In the previous elections, in 2019, he voted again, just like in Greece. “However, in 2015 and 2012 I was absent,” he explains. “This time I chose Chicago, Boston, New York, where there is a consulate,” he adds, combining the vote with a weekend in New York.

“Many were offended”

About 500 foreigners voted at the indicated polling station, which was established at the Greek Consulate in the city. “The emotions of all of us were great, but there was also bitterness,” he notes. considers the process of registration in the voter lists unfair. “Stakeholders had to prove that they had lived for two years in Greece in 35 years, and also that they had a tax presence in Greece,” he explains. “I know of two cases where people deliberately did not acquire foreign citizenship and lived here for 35 years but were unable to vote.”

Mr. Drosatos has confirmed his years of residence in Greece, although he has been a permanent resident in the US since 2002, graduating from Greek universities. “Many were unable to register due to this condition, and many others felt offended and did not want to go through the process of verifying their Greek origin.” For him, the above restrictions “constitute discrimination against a part of Greek citizens”. This question has “ignited” a lot of discussion among expats in America, an extremely dynamic population group. “Whenever politicians come to us, they insist that we are more Greek than in Greece, but when the elections came, they abolished this through legislation.” For Professor Drosatos, this is also a matter of representativeness. “In the end, we voted for about 20,000 expatriates to allocate 1% of Parliament, but how many are there really when the census finally takes place?he wonders.

“Hopefully next time more people can sign up”

Only in the elections of 2015 he was absent Apostolis Giftogeorgiou, 3rd generation immigrant from Egypt., who traveled to Greece from 1991 to the present day to carry out his electoral duties. “I was born and raised in Cairo, then lived in Greece for ten years and then in Saudi Arabia for another ten years,” he explains. “Ten years ago I returned to Cairo, where yesterday I had the pleasure of voting at the Greek Embassy.” About 70 foreigners were registered at the said polling station, “among whom were Greeks from Israel, Ethiopia and Tunisia.” It is clear that “these expatriates had no reason to come here, if they were going to go, then they also went to Greece to vote.” The sensation, however, is caused by the fact that from Alexandria, voters were counted on the fingers of one hand. “I think so criteria were not fair and I hope next time more expats from families that have lived here for many decades can register,” he concludes.

“I don’t vote on whether I or my child will return”

She waited an hour without complaining Dr. Theodosia Kurakis vote in one of the four polling stations established in London. “We live in Southampton, about 1.5 hours from London, but I was very happy that I was given this optionshe highlights herself where she is professor at the University of Southampton and closes ten years later in the UK. “The registration process was easy for me, I proved my years in Greece with my high school diploma and through a phone meeting they referred me for the rest of the documents,” he explains. In the Greek community of Southampton, there is often a “joking” about how closely Dr. Kuraki follows current events in Greece. “I consider myself in contact with Greek reality – after all, my whole family is still in Greece – I systematically follow the development of events and worry about what is happening,” she herself answers the reasonable question of whether emigrants can be unperturbed. “I don’t vote based on whether I or my child will ever return,” he concludes.

“Voting is a way to help change my country”

AND Dimitris Atanasakis, a citizen of the world, has flown many times to “be present” in national elections. “Yesterday I came to his polling station with great excitement. Amsterdamwhere I have been living for the last five years,” explains Mr. Atanasakis, who lawyer by profession. “For me, voting is a way to help change my country.” In the Netherlands, five polling stations have been established in the five largest cities. Many people from his closest friendly and professional entourage were not on the voter lists. “Many did not have time, others did not fulfill the conditions,” he clarifies. “But I think that the taxation criterion is unfair to many expatriates doing business in Greece.“. Two factors influenced his own attitude towards life. “On the one hand, from Greek education, given that democracy and the concept of an active citizen originated in Greece, on the other hand, from everyday life in the Nordic countries, where voting is considered the highest right of the individual,” he explains.

historic day

“May 20 is a historic day as Greek women and men living abroad exercised their right to vote outside Greek territory for the first time,” he told K. Secretary General of Hellenism Abroad and Public Diplomacy Mr. Yannis Chrysolakis. Recall that 22,855 voters were registered, and elections were held at 99 polling stations around the world. “This is a first step and an achievement that is expected to gradually take root in the minds of Greek voters abroad, opening up prospects for greater participation in the future,” he emphasizes. “It may be a small first step, as there are many restrictions, but it encourages us to continue.”