Aristos Doxiadis’ appointment to Greece’s Deputy Minister of Development in last week’s Greek government reshuffle was surprising to many, even within the ruling party, given his past involvement in a foreign-language book cartel scandal, his company’s receipt of €50 million from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, and his public statements dismissing Tempi demonstrators as “misguided.”
Greece’s political opposition was quick to highlight accusations that Doxiadis was involved in a foreign-language book market cartel in Greece. As a board member and legal representative of Apollon S.A., a company fined by the Competition Commission for cartel practices, his appointment immediately drew scrutiny. Apollon S.A. also appears on Greece’s list of companies with outstanding public debts, reportedly owing €10 million.
Though Doxiadis was acquitted in court, the hefty fines imposed on the involved companies highlighted systemic issues with how justice is served in high-profile economic cases. The true owners of Apollon S.A. were never publicly identified, as the company was linked to an offshore entity in the British Virgin Islands.
Beyond his involvement in the book cartel scandal, Doxiadis was a key member of the Pissarides Committee, responsible for allocating EU Recovery and Resilience Fund resources. His company, Big Pi Ventures, received €50 million in public funding to invest in deep-tech startups.
This raised ethical concerns, given Doxiadis’ previous criticisms of self-employed professionals for depending on state funds, despite his own company benefiting from significant public financing.
His resignation has further fueled debates over conflicts of interest in government appointments. Critics argue that a Deputy Minister of Development responsible for approving grants should not have business ties to government-funded projects. The swift acceptance of his resignation indicates the administration’s effort to limit political damage.
While some in the centrist political establishment lament his departure, many in Greece believe that transparency issues like these can no longer remain hidden in a country where past financial dealings often resurface.
