25 Facts About Panos Kammenos

Panagiotis "Panos" Kammenos is a Greek politician and the founder of the right-wing party "Independent Greeks", which formed the governing coalition of the Hellenic Parliament with the Syriza Party after Kammenos met with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, on 26 January 2015.

Panos Kammenos was named Greece's Minister of National Defence on 27 January 2015.

Panos Kammenos served until 20 August 2015, when the Syriza-ANEL coalition resigned, and continued as a lame duck until 28 August, when he was succeeded by the interim Minister, Ioannis Giangos.

Panos Kammenos again became Minister of National Defence on 23 September 2015 when the Syriza-ANEL coalition was re-created following the election of 20 September 2015.

Panos Kammenos studied economics and psychology at the University of Lyon Business Administration School of Managers.

On 24 February 2012, through his personal social networking sites, Kammenos announced the establishment of the new party called "Independent Greeks " and published the Declaration.

Panos Kammenos expressed support for Elena Kountoura, Panagiotis Melas and other MPs.

Panos Kammenos advocated for eliminating a large part of Greece's debt, which was equivalent to 175 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

Panos Kammenos co-founded with his friend, University of Thrace professor Filippos Tsalidis, Athens-based Institute of Geopolitical Studies.

Panos Kammenos has been honored with the Grand Cross of Merit from the Primate of the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church, the Medal of Honor Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Order of Knight of the National Order of Merit by the President of France Nicolas Sarkozy.

Panos Kammenos was sometimes involved as an expert mediator and an official observer in elections in foreign countries.

Panos Kammenos accused the former Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou of treason.

Panos Kammenos said that the Hellenic Postbank, a public banking arm of the Greek government, oddly purchased a $1.3 billion worth of credit default swap to insure against a default of the Greek government in spring and summer of 2009, and those CDS was then subsequently sold in December 2009 to a private firm named IJ Partners for $40 million.

In 2013, a Greek court decided that he should pay 30,000 euros for libel against the brother of George Papandreou and in 2014, a court decided that Panos Kammenos accusations were false and slanderous and he should pay 100,000 euros to the IJ PARTNERS.

Panos Kammenos has stated that "Europe is governed by German neo-Nazis".

Panos Kammenos has called German Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schauble persona non grata because of war reparations that Kammenos demands from Germany.

In December 2014, Panos Kammenos stated on television that Greek Buddhist, Jewish and Muslim religious institutions do not pay taxes as part of a comment on actions or perceived policies of the Antonis Samaras government with which he disagreed:.

Panos Kammenos has very close links with the inner circle of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

In March 2015 Panos Kammenos said that "If they deal a blow to Greece, then they should know Greece will suspend the Dublin II treaty, and migrants will get their ID and documents and will travel to Berlin".

In 2017, Panos Kammenos made a trip to London where he admitted staying in an expensive hotel and using the Greek Embassy's luxury car to go shopping for a Barbie doll for his daughter.

President of To Potami, Stavros Theodorakis, wondered how Panos Kammenos could afford to go on vacations to the Alps and play at the casino while he officially claims that his bank deposits worth only 8,500 euros.

Panos Kammenos did not clarify whether it was his son or some hacker.

Panos Kammenos's explanation was not accepted and the opposition, twitter users and media condemned the tweet.

People wondered if Panos Kammenos had intentionally uploaded the controversial tie photo in a clumsy but clear attempt to link the agreement with the promise of prime minister Alexis Tsipras to wear a tie when the country returns to growth.

Panos Kammenos is the owner of Iliatoras of London, a 60 feet yacht.