Outgoing President Karolos Papoylias hosted a luncheon in honor of his successor, Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Wednesday, only a few days ahead of his departure from the Presidential Mansion.

The reception included PM Alexis Tsipras and opposition leader Antonis Samaras.

At the end of next week, Papoulias will hand over the presidency to Prokopis Pavlopoulos, after having served for 10 years.
 

Even though the specific dates of the swearing-in and the handing-over have not been etcned in stone, yet, there is an interesting series of dates. Ten years ago, in 2005, Papoulias took over as president on the 12th of March. The same date, twenty years ago exactly, in 1995, marked Prokopis Pavlopoulos’ departure from the Presidential Manor, where he served as head of the legal department of the -then- President Konstantinos Karamanlis. Now, two decades later, he might return, on the same day, as President.

This luncheon was the first time when Tsipras and Samaras spoke after national elections.