Greece’s first female president, a former high court judge, was formally sworn in to office on Friday, nearly two months after the country’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to elect her.The swearing-in ceremony for Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou, 63, took place in an almost empty parliament, as part of measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Only a handful of officials and a limited number of journalists were present.
Greece has shut down schools, universities, cinemas, theatres, gyms and nightclubs, and authorities have warned people to stay home and avoid large gatherings in an effort to contain the outbreak. The country so far has reported 117 confirmed cases and one death. The ceremony was being covered live on state television.
After the swearing-in, Sakellaropoulou lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the square outside parliament, before a presidential honour guard. Despite the warnings about the virus, a small crowd gathered to watch, standing behind a security cordon across the street.
Post Your Comments