Vassilis Kikilias Appointed New Tourism Minister of Greece

In a cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, Vassilis Kikilias was appointed as the new tourism minister for Greece, replacing Harry Theoharis. Kikilias previously held the position of health minister.

Born May 15, 1974, in Athens, Kikilias is an orthopedic surgeon and a former professional basketball player, having played for Panionios B.C., Ionikos Nikaias B.C., AEK B.C., Apollon Patras B.C. and the Greek national team. He is a graduate of the Medical School of the University of Athens and has a MSc in Health Care Management from the National School of Public Health and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Athens.

In 2006 he was elected municipal councilor of the Municipality of Athens and in 2007 was appointed as the president of Youth & Sports Organization (OPANDA), a position he held until 2011.

In 2007 Kikilias was elected as a member of the political committee of New Democracy and he has been a member ever since. In local elections of 2010, he was nominated prefect in the Region of Attica, winning second place with a share of 47.50 percent and was the head of the major opposition of the Attica Region until 2010.

Kikilias was elected to the Hellenic Parliament at every election since May 2012. From June 2014 to January 2015 he served as minister for Public Order and Citizen Protection in the Cabinet of Antonis Samaras. In July 2019 he was appointed Health Minister by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He also served as New Democracy spokesman from November 2016 to October 2017.

Kikilias is married to former Greek model Jenny Balatsinou and has a son.

He speaks English and French.

Greece’s new cabinet will be sworn in on Tuesday at 4pm.