Panagiotis Chinofotis
Encyclopedia
Admiral Panagiotis Chinofotis (Greek
Παναγιώτης Χηνοφώτης, also transliterated Panayiotis Khinofotis, born 12 August 1949) is a Member of Parliament with the New Democracy
party, a former Vice-Minister of the Interior and a former Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff
.
Born in Athens
, Chinofotis graduated from the Hellenic Naval Academy
and was commissioned an Ensign in 1971. He served aboard several patrol boats, destroyers and frigates of the Hellenic Navy
before being sent to the Hellenic Naval War College, from which he graduated in 1986. He was then sent to study at the United States Naval War College and Salve Regina University
, from which he graduated with a master's degree in international relations.
After graduation, Chinofotis was promoted to Commander, and was made commandant of the Hellenic Naval War College. In 1991, he was made commander of the HS Lemnos, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Hellenic Fleet.
In 1993, Chinofotis began a two-year assignment as Hellenic Military Representative to NATO in Brussels
. He next spent a year as Commander of the Hellenic First Fleet, followed by a tour as Deputy Military Representative of Greece to the European Union
, serving as chairman of the Military Working Group during Greece's EU Presidency.
Chinofotis next progressed through several staff assignments until, in 2004, by now a rear admiral, he became Commander-in-Chief of the Hellenic Fleet. A year later, he was promoted to Admiral and became Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff.
On 21 August 2007, he resigned in order to participate in the September legislative elections, where he was elected MP on the statewide ticket for New Democracy. On 19 September he was sworn in the new cabinet as Vice-Minister of the Interior, a position he held until 2009.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
Παναγιώτης Χηνοφώτης, also transliterated Panayiotis Khinofotis, born 12 August 1949) is a Member of Parliament with the New Democracy
New Democracy (Greece)
New Democracy is the main centre-right political party and one of the two major parties in Greece. It was founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis and formed the first cabinet of the Third Hellenic Republic...
party, a former Vice-Minister of the Interior and a former Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff
Hellenic National Defense General Staff
The Hellenic National Defence General Staff is the senior staff of the Hellenic Armed Forces. It was established in 1950, when the separate armed services ministries were consolidated into the Ministry of National Defence...
.
Born in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Chinofotis graduated from the Hellenic Naval Academy
Hellenic Naval Academy
The Hellenic Naval Academy is a military academy with university status and has the responsibility to educate and suitably train competent Naval Officers for the Hellenic Navy. Its full name is Hellenic Naval Cadets Academy and was founded in 1845. The academy is one of the oldest educational...
and was commissioned an Ensign in 1971. He served aboard several patrol boats, destroyers and frigates of the Hellenic Navy
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
before being sent to the Hellenic Naval War College, from which he graduated in 1986. He was then sent to study at the United States Naval War College and Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University is a university in Newport, Rhode Island. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, the university is a Catholic, co-educational, private, non-profit institution chartered by the State of Rhode Island in 1934. In 1947 the university acquired Ochre Court and welcomed its first class...
, from which he graduated with a master's degree in international relations.
After graduation, Chinofotis was promoted to Commander, and was made commandant of the Hellenic Naval War College. In 1991, he was made commander of the HS Lemnos, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Hellenic Fleet.
In 1993, Chinofotis began a two-year assignment as Hellenic Military Representative to NATO in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. He next spent a year as Commander of the Hellenic First Fleet, followed by a tour as Deputy Military Representative of Greece to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, serving as chairman of the Military Working Group during Greece's EU Presidency.
Chinofotis next progressed through several staff assignments until, in 2004, by now a rear admiral, he became Commander-in-Chief of the Hellenic Fleet. A year later, he was promoted to Admiral and became Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff.
On 21 August 2007, he resigned in order to participate in the September legislative elections, where he was elected MP on the statewide ticket for New Democracy. On 19 September he was sworn in the new cabinet as Vice-Minister of the Interior, a position he held until 2009.