| Native Name: | Πολιτική Επιτροπή Εθνικής Απελευθέρωσης |
| Conventional Long Name: | Political Committee of National Liberation |
| Era: | World War II |
| Status: | Provisional government, Democratic republic, Socialist state |
| Status Text: | National Liberation Front and Communist Party of Greece dominated government |
| Year Start: | 1944 |
| Date Start: | 10 March |
| Date End: | 5 November[1] [2] |
| P1: | Hellenic State (1941–1944) |
| Flag P1: | Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg |
| S1: | Provisional Democratic Government |
| Flag S1: | Flag of the Democratic Army of Greece (red star).svg |
| National Anthem: | "Hymn of Political Committee of National Liberation" (Ýmnos tis PEEA)[3] |
| Common Languages: | Greek/Demotic Greek |
| Capital: | Athens (official), Koryschades (Evrytania) (headquarter of PEEA) |
| Title Representative: | Chairman of PEEA |
| Representative1: | Evripidis Bakirtzis |
| Year Representative1: | 10 March 1944 – 18 April 1944[4] |
| Year Representative2: | 18 April 1944 – 9 October 1944 |
| Legislature: | National Council |
| Currency: | Greek drachma (₯) |
| Demonym: | Greek, Hellene |
| Government Type: | Provisional Marxist–Leninist socialist republic |
The Political Committee of National Liberation (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Πολιτική Επιτροπή Εθνικής Απελευθέρωσης, Politiki Epitropi Ethnikis Apeleftherosis, PEEA), commonly known as the "Mountain Government" (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Κυβέρνηση του Βουνού, Kivernisi tou Vounou), was a Communist Party-dominated government established in Greece in 1944 in opposition to both the collaborationist German-controlled government in Athens and to the royal government-in-exile in Cairo. It was integrated with the Greek government-in-exile in a national unity government at the Lebanon conference in May 1944.
See also: Axis Occupation of Greece and Greek Resistance.
The PEEA was established on 10 March 1944 by the leftist National Liberation Front (EAM)/Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) movement, which was then in control of much of the country. Its aims, according to its founding charter, were, "to intensify the struggle against the conquerors ... for full national liberation, for the consolidation of the independence and integrity of our country (...) and for the annihilation of domestic fascism and armed traitor formations".
The PEEA's authority was significantly reinforced after the establishment of the National Council (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Εθνικό Συμβούλιο) in 1944. The National Council was an assembly elected by secret elections organised by the PEEA in late April 1944 in both the liberated parts of Greece and the still-occupied cities, mainly Athens. Between 1.5 and 1.8 million Greeks voted in these elections, which are notable for the fact that for the first time in Greece, women were allowed to vote. The Council first converged in Koryschades, a mountain village of Evrytania, from 14 to 27 May 1944. Its main act was voting a resolution, an extract of which is quoted:
The PEEA's first president was Evripidis Bakirtzis, the former leader of National and Social Liberation (EKKA). On April 18 Alexandros Svolos, a prominent professor of constitutional law of the University of Athens, took his position and Bakirtzis became vice-president. Not only communist leaders but also many progressive bourgeois, who had nothing to do with communist ideas, participated in the PEEA.
ELAS not only resisted German and Italian occupation forces but also re-organised life in Free Greece, the mountainous areas (i.e. the biggest part of Greece) it controlled. EAM, with the co-ordination and organization of the PEEA, helped the local people organise schools, hospitalise refugees from the big cities and protect the crops from German looting. Amateur actors and musicians created travelling theatres and bands, something that most rural communities had never seen or heard before. Another achievement of ELAS (due partially to the progressive ideas and partially to the lack of men) was to promote women's rights. Young girls, who until then were working at home or the fields, had the opportunity to educate and express themselves. There were also improvised telecommunications either by telephone lines or by messengers and systems of re-distribution of food-resources, so that no village would starve.
| Minister | Portfolio | Party | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evripidis Bakirtzis | President Secretary of Foreign Affairs | Communist Party | 10 March 1944 – 18 April 1944 | |
| Evripidis Bakirtzis | Secretary of Military Affairs | Independent | 10 March 1944 – 18 April 1944 | |
| Georgios Siantos | Secretary of the Interior | Communist Party | 10 March 1944 – 18 April 1944 | |
| Ilias Tsirimokos | Secretary of Justice | Union of People's Democracy | 10 March 1944 – 18 April 1944 | |
| Kostas Gavriilidis | Secretary of Agriculture | Agricultural Party | 10 March 1944 – 18 April 1944 | |
| Office | Incumbent | Party | Dates | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President of the Cabinet | Alexandros Svolos | Union of People's Democracy | 18 April – 2 September 1944[5] | ||
| Deputy President of the Cabinet and Secretary of the Food | Evripidis Bakirtzis | Communist Party of Greece | 18 April – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of Justice | Ilias Tsirimokos | Union of People's Democracy | 18 April 1944 – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of the Interior | Georgios Siantos | Communist Party of Greece | 18 April 1944 – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of Military Affairs | Manolis Mantakas | Independent | 18 April – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of Transport | Nikolaos Askoutsis[<nowiki/>[[:el:Νικόλαος_Ασκούτσης|el]]] | Communist Party of Greece | 18 April – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of Finance | Angelos Angelopoulos[<nowiki/>[[:el:Άγγελος_Αγγελόπουλος|el]]] | Independent | 18 April – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of Social Welfare | Petros Kokkalis | Independent | 18 April – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of Agriculture | Kostas Gavriilidis | Agricultural Party of Greece | 18 April – 2 September 1944 | ||
| Secretary of National Economy | Stamatis Hatzibeis[<nowiki/>[[:el:Σταμάτιος_Χατζήμπεης|el]]] | Independent | 18 April – 2 September 1944 |
