Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis exchanged key ministers after mass protests related to a tragic railway disaster.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has made a change in the government after recent mass demonstrations held on the occasion of the second anniversary of the serious railway accident. He exchanged finance ministers, transport, migration, environment and energy. This was announced on Friday by a spokesman for Pavlos Marinakis, TASR informs by referring to Reuters and AP.
Kyriakos Pierrakakis, who has been in charge of the digitization of the state administration, became the new Minister of Finance, and is considered to be the rising star of the ruling party New Democracy (ND). He will replace Kostis Chatzidakis, who takes over the function of the Deputy Prime Minister.
The appointment of Makis Voridis, a policy ranked to the far right, as a new minister for migration, is considered a concession of a traditional conservative. According to AP, this step is likely to stop the loss of ND support for the benefit of the far right.
The Ministry of Transport will lead Christos Dimas, who will replace the current head of the resort Christos Staicuras. It will also be in charge of the modernization of the railway network, which the government promised after the accident two years ago.
Mitsotakis also appointed his close collaborators and experienced technocrats Stavros Papastrosr and Nikos Tsafos for ministers of the environment and energy.
Changes are the result of mass protests and distrust of the public
The changes in the government took place a week after the left -wing opposition did not succeed in Parliament with a proposal to express distrust to the government and the day after the new Greek President Konstantinos Tasulolas had passed.
They are also a result of mass protests against the government for its access to investigating the worst railway accident in the country of 28 February 2023, which claimed 57 dead and dozens of injured. More than 40 people are prosecuted in the case, but the start of the process is not expected by the end of the year. Public opinion polls have shown that the vast majority of the Greeks believe that the government has tried to conceal evidence of this tragedy.
