A mini Cabinet reshuffle was announced on Wednesday by a spokesman for the Mitsotakis government, more-or-less confirming earlier media reports during the day and with the highlight being the return of Michalis Chrisochoidis to the citizens’ protection ministry, essentially the public order portfolio.
Chrisochoidis was transferred from the health ministry, which will be assumed by another prominent minister, Adonis Georgiadis, who leaves the labor and social welfare portfolio. The latter’s post will be covered by Domna Michailidou, who assumes her first minister’s chair after being switches from deputy education minister.
MP Andreas Nikolakopoulos, elected from Ilia prefecture in southwest Greece, was tapped as the deputy minister under Chrisochoidis, while Ioanna Litrivi was appointed as the new deputy education and religious affairs minister.
Additionally, the up-until-now government spokesman, Pavlos Marinakis, was promoted to the post of deputy minister to the prime minister, while retaining the spokesman’s role.
According to government sources, Mitsotakis has previously shown that when he determines a need for a change in the Cabinet he proceeds with “corrective measures” in order to reinforce the government’s work. The same sources referred to a “more dynamic start of the New Year” in several crucial sectors.
A change of guard at the citizens’ protection ministry, which oversees law enforcement in the country, was by all accounts a priority over the recent period, with “old hand” Chrisochoidis returning for an unprecedented fifth stint. A spate of particularly heinous crimes of late, including deadly hooligan violence and voter disapproval – as shown in polls – over perceived lax law enforcement essentially forced out outgoing minister Yannis Economou, the previous government spokesman.
In terms of the all-important health ministry, the same government sources played up the outspoken Georgiadis as enjoying “experience in reforms”, in this case meaning a continuation of reforms in the sector begun by preceding ministers.
Litrivi, whose name was not among those circulated over the day, joins the Cabinet as a deputy education minister whose portfolio includes vocational training. She was elected on a state deputies’ list with ruling New Democracy (ND) party in the last general election.
A swearing-in ceremony will take place on Thursday afternoon at the presidential mansion before President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
