NEWS

New ministers sworn in after Papoutsis departure

Three new ministers have been sworn in as members of the interim government in a mini reshuffle that was prompted by the departure of one Cabinet member ahead of the PASOK leadership race.

The reshuffle was triggered by the resignation 10 days ago of Citizens’ Protection Minister Christos Papoutsis, who said that he would be focusing his attentions on the leadership race of the PASOK socialist party.

He was replaced by PASOK’s Michalis Chrysochoidis, who has held the portfolio before.

Chrysochoidis, who served as minister for development, competitiveness and shipping, was replaced by Anna Diamantopoulou, another Socialist politician who held the post of education minister.

Diamantopoulou’s ministry, meanwhile, was assigned to the academic Giorgos Babiniotis, a former rector of the University of Athens and one of the architects of the reform of Greece’s education sector.

?I am only taking up the position so I can provide my services, I have no political ambitions,? he said. ?The country is going through tough times and there is no way someone who is called on to offer something can turn that opportunity down.?

Former Greek Police chief Lefteris Economou has also been named a deputy minister of citizens protection and will serve alongside the other acting deputy minister, Manolis Othonas.

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