A wave of resignations has forced a rapid government shake up, raising fresh questions about accountability and next year’s election prospects.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled the government amid resignations of several ministers over the agricultural subsidies scandal.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis announced the cabinet changes during a press conference.
Evangelos Turnas, the former deputy minister for climate crisis and civil protection, will replace Ioannis Kefalogianis as minister of civil protection.
Margaritis Schinas, the former vice president of the European Commission, will take the post of Minister for Rural Development, replacing Kostas Tsiaras.
Makarios Lazaridis, the representative of the New Democracy party in the Parliament’s OPEKEPE investigative committee, was appointed deputy minister for rural development, replacing Christos Kellas.
Kefalogianis and Tsiaras had submitted their resignations earlier after they were mentioned in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office investigation into the subsidies scandal. Dimitris Vartzopoulos, also mentioned in this investigation, left his post as Deputy Minister of Health.
The investigation focuses on alleged fraud related to payments overseen by the now-defunct state agency OPEKEPE, which administered the EU subsidies for agriculture.
Reaction and Next Steps
In the wake of the scandal, the opposition Syriza has called for early elections following the cabinet reshuffle.
“Resignations of ministers are not enough, as are cabinet reshuffles”
– Kostas Zachariadis
“Political responsibility for the scandals, corruption, and breakdown lies with Mr. Mitsotakis himself, and he is part of the problem – he is the problem”
“Political responsibility for the scandals, corruption, and breakdown lies with Mr. Mitsotakis himself, and he is part of the problem – he is the problem”
– Kostas Zachariadis
The next general elections in Greece are scheduled for next year.
It is also reported that the government plans to allocate 300 million euros in subsidies in April and May to support consumers and farmers amid rising energy prices.
Overall, the events demonstrate growing political tension in the country amid the corruption scandal and the strengthening of the opposition.