ATHENS — Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias presented the draft bill for the ministry's restructuring to the parliament's Standing Committee on National Defense & Foreign Affairs on Friday.

Among the key points discussed and proposed by political parties' representatives was the need to boost the ministry's budget, which Dendias conceded was "very low".

Responding to party comments on the organizational aspects of the bill, Dendias said the draft legislation under consideration is "the first phase of the digital restructuring of the foreign ministry's new Organization."

The minister also underlined the significance of integrating economic diplomacy in the upgraded functions and reintroducing the Council for Greeks Abroad, which he said is "an important chapter in public diplomacy".

All parties said they reserved judgement until the bill came to plenary, except for the Greek Communist Party which rejected the draft bill outright.