On 21 January 2021, the Ambassador of Latvia, Pēteris Kārlis Elferts, presented his credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, on the occasion of taking up the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the Hellenic Republic.
In his conversation with the Greek President, Pēteris Kārlis Elferts commended what has been accomplished through cooperation between Latvia and Greece and pledged to work actively so that the dialogue and cooperation between the two countries will further expand and diversify. The Ambassador expressed gratitude to Greece for never giving recognition to the occupation of the Baltic States.
The Greek President expressed her appreciation for an invitation from the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, to visit Latvia and for its support shown to Greece in the EU and NATO, mentioning Latvia’s participation in an operation by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, for the surveillance of the maritime borders of Greece and stemming the flow of illegal migration.
Background information
Pēteris Kārlis Elferts has been working for the Foreign Ministry since 1999. He has held various posts, including those of the Foreign Ministry’s Parliamentary Secretary and Ambassador-at-Large for the renewal and democratisation of Iraq, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia at the Permanent Representation to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to the Republic of Ireland, and Advisor on Foreign Affairs to the Speaker of the Saeima and the Prime Minister. From 2016 to 2020, Pēteris Kārlis Elferts was posted as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the Republic of Turkey.