PH Embassy Conducts Assistance-To-Nationals Mapping Operations on Multiple Border Crossings in Northern Greece

The ATN team, led by Ambassador Giovanni Palec, met with the Deputy Minister of Interior-Department of Macedonia and Thrace Konstantinos Gkioulekas during the conduct of the mapping operations.

ATHENS 10 January 2025 – A team from the Philippine Embassy in Athens, Greece led by Ambassador Giovanni E. Palec successfully conducted its Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Mapping Operations of Northern Greece with visits and meetings to the mayors and police chiefs of key cities near the border areas of Albania, Bulgaria, Republic of North Macedonia and Türkiye from 17 to 21 December 2024. The team included Vice Consul Christopher P. Castillo, ATN Officer Geranfel T. Abrillo and Local-Hire Byron B. Villanueva. 

Among the border-crossing points visited by the team were: (1) Krystallopigi (Albania-Greece); (2) Nymphaea (Bulgaria-Greece); (3) Evsoni (Rep. of North Macedonia-Greece); and (4) Kiroi (Türkiye-Greece). 

The Team called on the various Police Directorates covering the four (4) border crossings.

The officials briefed the Embassy ATN team about the security situation and the challenges in issues that were of concern. 

The ATN team also met the Deputy Minister of Interior-Department of Macedonia and Thrace Konstantinos Gkioulekas, Mayor of Alexandropoulis Ioannis Zampoukis and Deputy Mayor of Thessaloniki Vasileios Gakis. The said officials were glad to receive the team and were pleased to establish contacts with the Embassy. They also appreciated receiving tokens such as tourism booklets and dried mangoes from the Team.

The conduct of the ATN mapping operations had been very informative and the establishment of contacts with key government officials is seen to be beneficial in responding to any incident that could involve a Philippine national. END

The ATN Mapping Team called on the Police Directorates of four (4) border-crossing points: (1) Krystallopigi (Albania-Greece); (2) Nymphaea (Bulgaria-Greece); (3) Evsoni (Rep. of North Macedonia-Greece); and (4) Kiroi (Türkiye-Greece).

Ambassador Palec and Vice Consul Christopher Castillo also met with the Mayor of Alexandropoulis Ioannis Zampoukis.

Mr. Nikolaos Margaropoulos, Honorary Consul of the Philippines in Thessaloniki, Greece, also arranged a meeting between Ambassador Palec and the Deputy Mayor of Thessaloniki Vasileios Gakis.

The ATN Mapping Team at the border between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia in Evsoni.

The ATN Mapping Team at the border between Greece and Albania in Krystallopigi.

Ambassador Palec, Vice Consul Castillo and the members of the ATN Mapping Team also met with the members of the Filipino Organization in Northern Greece led by Ms. Rosemarie Nicolas. 

For more information, visit  https://www.athenspe.dfa.gov.ph, or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinGreece/.