Public Works Minister Giorgos Souflias yesterday accused his opponents of «playing games» after 11 PASOK MPs submitted a question in Parliament about claims that the civil engineer who built his summer house had also been assigned a number of projects by the ministry.

Souflias defended his record as a politician, stressing that he had served the country for 35 years and demonstrated his «deep faith in principles and values.»

An investigation by Skai TV revealed that the ministry had assigned projects worth some 190,000 euros to Nikos Metaxas, the engineer who built Souflias's house in Anavyssos, southeast of Athens. Souflias has denied any wrongdoing.

The minister has had to defend himself in the past over his dealings with Metaxas after it was revealed last year that his out-of-town house was built without a permit.

Souflias blamed delays at a town-planning office and incorrect information supplied by Metaxas for the oversight. He reiterated this defense in his statement yesterday.