Avramopoulos named Migration Commissioner

The financial portfolios:

Former French finance minister Pierre Moscovici will take up the important economic and monetary affairs portfolio, despite opposition from German Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schäuble. Moscovici will be supported by a former Finnish prime minister, Jykri Katainen, and former Latvian premier Valdis Dombrovskis.

German Commissioner Günther Oettinger will move from his former position as energy commissioner to the digital economy portfolio, a post involving the overhaul of the EU's telecoms market.

Britain's Jonathan Hill was given the portfolio described as Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union, for which David Cameron's government had lobbied hard for.

The Greek portfolio:

Faced with a disproportionate burden of illegal migration inflows due to its geographical position, Greece was in particular interested in the new portfolio.

Greek officials felt that with Avramopoulos assuming his new role Athens could better promote its arguments regarding the shaping of the EU's migration policy.

"The decision of our friend European Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker decision to give Greece one of the most critical portfolios is a great honor and a sign of the trust in our country," Samaras said in a statement issued by his office.

The Greek Premier wished "strength and success" to the entire Commission in the demanding work awaiting the team and also congratulated Greek Margaritis Schinas who takes over as new European Commission spokesman.

European Commission President-elect Jean Claude Juncker announced the lineup of the new European Commission on Wednesday, which is composed of 28 commissioners.