Does W.H.I.A. have a future?

Sotiris Delis*

The concept of creating a global network of elected parliamentarians with Greek origins began in Sweden by the former MP Nikos Papadopoulos.    

Greece is in need of a stable bridge of communication with its Diaspora of some eight millions around the globe. A number that causes shivers of emotion among Greeks but also fear among the Greek personnel, for decades protecting their interests by any means necessary.

The World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association (W.H.I.A) is an organization set up in 1996 as an initiative of the Greek government. It is composed by current and former members of foreign legislative bodies of Greek origin and aims to: 

a) Communicate and develop relations of said members with the Greek parliament 

b) Strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation with Greece and developing a common strategy on matters of Greek interest, and

c) Promote the Greek culture and the Greek language. 

In 2004, the legal entity of the association was created, which has 94 elected Members of Parliament and Senators of Greek origin in foreign parliaments of 20 countries. About as many others are counted as the honorary members, or people who have served W.H.I.A from positions of responsibility. There are even more who are not members, but are eligible to become. 

The Association’s sponsor and competent authority is the Greek parliament. 

My first question whether W.H.I.A. has a future or not, is of course a rhetorical question which the reader can answer with the help of the following thoughts and questions that I outline.

Within the above operational framework W.H.I.A. is cooperating with the Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad of the Greek parliament to address topics about Greeks abroad. 

In accordance with the operating statute, the Board of the association meets in Greece once or twice annually, whereas the General Assembly is held every two years in Athens.

To date, the W.H.I.A. General Assembly, GA, has endorsed important resolutions in supporting Greek matters on an international level.

Please note that until now the GA is held in the midst of summer, when the Greek parliament is closed and most are absent. Also take into consideration that the statute of the association has not been renewed since it became a legal entity and of course it lags behind in the maelstrom of the novel conditions that the world has experienced so far.

It is my assessment that in the recent years of 2019-2023, W.H.I.A. has unfortunately become sluggish and has been limited to travels, customary visits, dinners etc.

At the General Assembly of the association on July 19-21 in Athens, in the parliament, where the forthcoming elections of the President and Board will be held, important questions about the result of the Raptakis’ presidency are expected to be raised, as well as the need of a new beginning.

All regular and honorary members have the right to be informed and to be given the chance to attend by invitation. I personally have received no update or invitation since 2018. 

My communication with the W.H.I.A. social media, namely its Facebook page, has been blocked presumably by choice of the president or the communications officer.

Since I am obviously being silenced and not allowed to communicate with W.H.I.A. , I am forced to resort to the public media, like the Panhellenic Post, to address my questions and comments.

My assumption is that I am not the only one blocked from updates and communication with W.H.I.A. My question would be then, why members and honorary members etc. are being blocked? Are there elements of autocracy in a democratic association like W.H.I.A., and if so, why is that? 

If indeed a systematic blocking of members or honorary members is taking place, this is a matter of concern and needs to be answered in a responsible and reasoned manner.

The above question also raises a second one. Are there two-speed members in W.H.I.A. ? Should that be the case, this is of course a matter of an internally divided association which, in a conflict-ridden atmosphere, is anything but concerned with its objectives.

W.H.I.A. is a highly democratic organization and this requires transparency in its financial affairs, its protocols and generally its work as defined by its statutes, as well as informing its members about the concrete results of this work. Does such transparency of information and communication exist and how is it exercised?

Internal information reports of stagnation and conflicts. Is this true or can the president and the Board prove the opposite? 

Another interesting question would be if W.H.I.A. has ever been audited for the financial and other organisational matters by its sponsor? 

In this context, that has a negative impact on W.H.I.A. and its work, the association will be holding elections in a few days for the new president and board.

Information to W.H.I.A. members and honorary members is stiflingly terse and details surrounding the conduct of the elections are very limited, accompanied by “warnings” of exclusion of members, who openly offer criticism, or even the risk of legal action by the president and the board. 

This situation naturally creates a problem of transparency and fear among members and honorary members.

I am hoping that at the 14th General Assembly in July, in Athens, a lot of burning questions will be put on the table. The association is not and will not become a small shop for anyone. It has the power to move things forward for the good of the Homeland and Diaspora, but today they shine in its absence.

So far there is no program, no working group or programme statements of the president and the Board, and no information about the outcome of the resolutions, the association’s financial situation with a budget of about 100-150 thousand euros, to my knowledge. And I am not referring to protocols of meetings, sessions etc. that an association has to present when requested.

Unfortunately, circumstances oblige me to raise these questions in public, since I am not allowed to submit them to the competent bodies of the W.H.I.A., an association built to become an important instrument in the hands of competent and responsible individuals. I am compelled to admit, as many others like me, that this is not what is happening today.

Sotiris Delis

Honorary member of the Swedish parliament 

Honorary member of the W.H.I.A.  

Economist MBA, 

Former manager of the Swedbank Group in Sweden

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