Greek Economy Minister‘s resignation after wife’s ‘scandal’ triggers reshuffle

Greece’s Economy and Development Minister Dimitri Papadimitriou has resigned along with his wife, Rania Antonopoulou, a Deputy Minister herself, after she was caught up in a ‘scandal’ over a housing allowance, triggering a cabinet reshuffle in the Tsipras government on Wednesday.

Minister of State and government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos announced the appointment of Yiannis Dragasakis as Greece's new Economy and Development minister, in place of Papadimitriou, and the replacement of Yiannis Mouzalas with Dimitris Vitsas as head of the Migration Policy Ministry.

Apart from SYRIZA MP Meropi Tzoufi, the four new additions to the cabinet are not members of parliament.

The spokesman announced the following changes:

- Yiannis Dragasakis takes over as Economy and Development Minister while remaining government vice president

- Dimitris Vitsas, previously the Alternate Minister of National Defence, is taking over as Migration Policy Minister, in the place of Yiannis Mouzalas

- Former leader of the Democratic Left Fotis Kouvelis enters the government as Alternate Defence Minister, replacing Vitsas

- SYRIZA MP Meropi Tzoufi will be the new Deputy Education Minister, filling a position left vacant by resigned deputy minister Constas Zouraris.

- The former Special Secretary of the Labour Inspectorate, Thanasis Iliopoulos, is appointed Deputy Labour Minister for Social Solidarity. The labour ministry will henceforth have one minister and two deputy ministers (replacing Antonopoulou, who was an alternate minister).

- Konstantinos Stratis is appointed Deputy Culture and Sports Minister, adding a new deputy minister post to the ministry. According to sources, his portfolio will be related to culture issues

Tzanakopoulos said the competences of the new alternate and deputy ministers will be clarified in the coming days.

Dimitri Papadimitriou born 9 June 1946, in Thessaloniki  is a Greek-born, American economist, author, and college professor. He's Executive Vice President and Provost, and Jerome Levy Professor of Economics at Bard College since 1977 and President, Levy Economics Institute of Bard College since its inception in 1986.
From 5 November 2016 until February 2018, he was Greece's Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism in the government of Alexis Tsipras.

From 5 November 2016 until February 2018, he was Greece's Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism in the government of Alexis Tsipras.