Greece–Switzerland relations

Greek-Swiss relations

Greece
Switzerland

Greek-Swiss relations are foreign relations between Greece and Switzerland. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1830. Switzerland opened its consulate in 1865. Greece has an embassy in Bern, a general consulate in Geneva, and two honorary consulates in Zürich and Lugano. Switzerland has an embassy in Athens and four consulates (Thessaloniki, Corfu, Patras, Rhodes).

History

19th century

Greece and Switzerland have a long tradition of relations. Before and during the Congress of Vienna in 1815 Ioannis Kapodistrias, a native of Corfu in the service of Tsar Alexander I of Russia, laboured successfully for reorganisation of the Swiss Confederation and for the international recognition of Swiss neutrality.[1] In 1816, he became the first honorary citizen of the city of Lausanne[2] and in 1827, the first Governor of the Hellenic State.

In 1823, hundreds of Greeks became stranded in Switzerland after France refused them passage to the port of Marseille. These men were veterans of a failed uprising against Ottoman rule in the Danubian Principalities during the Greek War of Independence. After their defeat, they fled north and west across Europe to escape reprisals, trying to bypass Ottoman and Austrian territories. Their long journey took them from Eastern Europe through German territories and into Switzerland. They hoped to reach France and sail from Marseille back to Greece. However, political tensions and diplomatic pressure blocked their transit through France, leaving them stranded in Switzerland for several months. The refugees were distributed among 29 Swiss towns across different cantons. Six of them were sent to Zofingen, they aged between 18 and 33 and their hometowns were Messolonghi, Preveza and Smyrna. There, the Greeks were received with sympathy. Local authorities and citizens provided accommodation and basic support. To occupy themselves during their stay and gain some money, they took part in military exercises with Swiss soldiers and were entrusted with cleaning rifles in the town armoury. When France finally reopened its borders six months later, in May 1823, the refugees were allowed to travel onward to Marseille. To express their gratitude for the hospitality they had received, the six Greeks crafted two model warships, named Eleftheria and Argos. They presented the ships as gifts to Johann Jakob Suter, a local physician and military officer, and to the town of Zofingen. These ships remain on permanent display today at the Zofingen Museum. The six Greeks left Switzerland together with the other Greek refugees. Johann Jakob Suter described the Greeks as respectful and well behaved. A report by the Aargau cantonal government similarly noted that the Greeks were calm, modest and resigned demeanor, adding that they willingly accepted every arrangement and hardship.[3][4][5][6]

Switzerland was one of the nations that supported the creation of the Greek state in 1830. Two natives of Geneva exercised important functions in the newly constituted Greek monarchy: Jean-Gabriel Eynard as one of the founders of the National Bank of Greece (1842) and Louis-André Gosse was involved in fighting the plague epidemic of 1827 and was a commander in the Hellenic Navy.[1]

20th century

During the Second World War, Switzerland represented the interests of numerous countries in occupied Greece and supported the civilian population. During the rule of military junta in Greece, many opposition figures found refuge in Switzerland. The Swiss Committee for the Restoration of Democracy in Greece was formed in Bern in 1967.[1]

Agreements

Greece and Switzerland have a number of treaties between the two countries, mainly dealing with commerce.[7] Some of the major treaties between the countries deal with Social Security and the avoidance of double taxation in respect of income tax.[8]

Trade

The balance of trade between Greece and Switzerland is generally toward Switzerland, with Greece having a constant trade deficit. Between 2006 and 2007, Swiss exports to Greece increased 12.9%, while Greek exports to Switzerland increased 26.4%.[9] The main Swiss products imported into Greece are pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, watches, clocks and other luxury goods, machinery and high technology products, electronic equipment, and specific types of food. The main Greek products imported into Switzerland are food and beverages, chemicals, construction materials, and textiles.[8] There are about 48 Swiss companies in Greece[8] which employ about 10,000 people in Greece.[1] Around 300,000 Swiss vacationers visit Greece every year.[1]

Balance of Trade between Greece and Switzerland (in millions of Swiss Francs)[8]
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2007[9]
Swiss exports to Greece 928.4 852.7 848.7 910.2 948.8 1091.9 1180.7 1306
Greek exports to Switzerland 120.4 126.4 136.1 153.0 134.8 151.9 150.3 316
Balance of Trade -808.0 -726.3 -712.6 -757.2 -814.0 -940.0 -1030.4 -990

Greek population

About 11,000 Greeks live in Switzerland, with about 7,000 of them living in Zürich. Most major Swiss towns have a Greek association or community.[8] There are (as of April 2008) 2,921 Swiss living in Greece.[9]

Notable people
  • Krateros Katsoulis - Swiss-born actor and TV presenter in Greece
  • Panos Mouzourakis - Swiss-born actor - comedian and singer
  • Sofia Milos - Swiss-born actress
  • Seraina Kazamia - half Swiss model - GNTM winner
  • Melia Kreiling - Swiss-born American actress
  • Giorgio A. Tsoukalos - Swiss-born writer, ufologist, television presenter and producer
  • Theodore Modis - is a strategic business analyst, futurist, physicist, and international consultant
  • Yorgo Modis - a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow, and Reader in Virology and Immunology, at the Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge. He is head of The Modis Lab in the Molecular Immunity Unit at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology.
  • Josef Zisyadis - politician
  • Nico Georgiadis - Swiss chess player
  • Kosta Zafiriou - musician
  • Alex Fontana - Swiss racing driver of Greek descent
  • John Antonakis - professor of organizational behavior at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne and current editor-in-chief of The Leadership Quarterly
  • Hélène Guisan - writer
  • Nanos Valaoritis - Swiss-born writer, poet, novelist and playwright
  • Leonidas Stergiou - Swiss professional footballer
  • Giorgios Nemtsoudis - Swiss footballer
  • Vasias Alexandrakis - son of Greek actor Αλέκος Αλεξανδράκης and Swiss Verena Gauer Greek citizen
  • Johanna Alexandraki - daughter Greek actor Αλέκος Αλεξανδράκης and Swiss Verena Gauer Swiss citizen
  • Stavros Niarchos - Greek shipowner

Resident diplomatic missions

  • Greece has an embassy in Bern and a consulate-general in Geneva.
  • Switzerland has an embassy in Athens.

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs-Bilateral Relations accessed 11 April 2009
  2. ^ Ioannis Capodistrias, guardian angel of independence of the Vaud Archived 2012-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, Capodistrias-Spinelli-Europe, 27 September 2009
  3. ^ Griechi­sche Freiheits­kämp­fer auf Odyssee
  4. ^ Kriegsschiff
  5. ^ Griechische Flüchtlinge in Zofingen 1823 – eine Quellensuche
  6. ^ Wie Zofingen Teil der Weltgeschichte wurde
  7. ^ See Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, list of treaties Archived 2012-08-25 at the Wayback Machine for the full list. Accessed 11 April 2009
  8. ^ a b c d e Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs Archived 2020-03-31 at the Wayback Machine accessed 11 April 2009
  9. ^ a b c Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs-Key Data for the Hellenic Republic accessed 11 April 2009
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