A publication in the American newspaper "Wall Street Journal" about the actions of the US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, energy agreements in the Balkans and the actions of an American lobbyist of Greek origin has caused political tension in Athens, reports the electronic edition of the Greek newspaper "Ethnos".
The central figure in the American newspaper's report is 39-year-old Christos Marafatsos, a representative of the Greek community in the United States. According to the publication, he is close to Guilfoyle and has often attended meetings with representatives of governments from the Balkan region, although he has no institutional or diplomatic status, the publication indicates.
"Wall Street Journal" notes that Marafatsos is listed as a lobbyist for AKTOR (part of the Greek construction and infrastructure company ΑKTOR GROUP - ed.) in the United States. According to the publication, he attended Guilfoyle's meetings so often that some of the representatives of the countries in the region accepted him as the chief of staff of the American ambassador.
The American newspaper raises the issue of tying American energy diplomacy to certain business interests, since Guilfoyle has taken an active role in US efforts to increase the export of American liquefied gas to Europe through the so-called Vertical Gas Corridor.
According to the newspaper's information, the American diplomat has visited Bulgaria several times in attempts to advance the implementation of agreements worth billions of dollars related to liquefied gas. "Wall Street Journal" notes that the American ambassador insisted that the Bulgarian side cooperate with AKTOR, which participates in a consortium with the Greek state-owned natural gas supply company DEPA to import American natural gas to Southeast Europe.
The most politically sensitive moment in the article is the claim that a dinner was held in Athens in March in the presence of Greek and American high-ranking officials, the Greek newspaper "Ethnos" indicates. According to the American newspaper, during the meeting and in connection with the fall of the then government in Romania, Guilfoyle stated that Washington could cause something similar in any country it wanted. "We can do it here too", the Greek ambassador said at the time, according to the "Wall Street Journal".
After this remark, the tone of the conversation became more heated, and Greek Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou stated that the United States cannot change the government of Greece, which was elected by the Greek people. The American newspaper refers to a person who was present at the dinner and to other people informed about what happened. Kimberly Guilfoyle's lawyer expresses doubts about the way the newspaper describes the conversation, writes the Greek "Ethnos".
According to information from the "Wall Street Journal" Christos Marafatsos, 39, who is said to have participated in the meetings with the US ambassador, has been working as a lobbyist for ΑΚΤΟR since November 5, 2025, shortly before Guilfoyle arrived in Athens. His company, "Catalyst Strategies", received $160,000 through June of this year to establish contacts with the Executive Office of the President, the State Department and the US Department of Energy.
According to the "Wall Street Journal" Marafatsos often attended meetings with the US ambassador, and Guilfoyle sometimes referred him to for follow-up communication.
The US ambassador's lawyer told the American publication that Guilfoyle cooperates with all companies in the energy sector and that official meetings are coordinated through embassy channels, not through Marafatsos.
For his part, AKTOR's lawyer commented to the "Wall Street Journal" that the US ambassador did not promote the company's commercial interests in an unethical manner, and AKTOR's participation in the Vertical Gas Corridor began long before contact was made with Guilfoyle.
According to the opposition parties in Greece, however, the information provided is problematic. The main center-left opposition PASOK – Movement for Change Change notes that "serious questions" are being raised that require answers from the government.
The Greek Left Alliance is also demanding explanations from the ruling party. SYRIZA is asking the government and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to explain exactly what happened at the meeting in Athens in March described by the "Wall Street Journal".
The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) believes that the publication confirms Guilfoyle's involvement in the launch of an American energy plan for the Balkans and links the topic to the upcoming visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Athens and Greek-American strategic cooperation.
The ruling New Democracy party is not commenting on the American publication's allegations at the moment.
Marco Rubio is expected to visit Greece in early October.