The changes to the government lineup were announced at noon on Monday. Although the reshuffle was initially expected on Thursday, it was ultimately brought forward. Despite the rumors, Pavlos Marinakis remains in his position as government spokesperson.
Specifically, by decision of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Giorgos Kotsiras has been appointed Deputy Minister of Transportation.
At the same time, Dimitris Markopoulos has been appointed Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, responsible for Tax Policy, is Dimitris Markopoulos, and the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy is Marilena Soukouli.
In addition, Tasos Hatzivassiliou is returning to the government and will serve as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible for European Affairs.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Friday, as Konstantinos Kyranakis must first be elected to the position of Secretary of the New Democracy Regional Committee.
Who are the new ministers?
Ο George Kotsiras who is taking over as Deputy Minister of Transportation in place of Konstantinos Kyranakis, who has been nominated as Secretary of the New Democracy Party’s Political Executive Committee, is a member of the new generation of center-right party officials who has proven himself as a Deputy Minister in three ministries (Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Finance).
Giorgos Kotsiras, 42, is described as hardworking and unassuming; he has served as a member of parliament for Western Attica since 2019. With a Ph.D. in Law specializing in European Law, he is a highly qualified scholar and legal expert—qualities that are important for this particular portfolio.
Ο Dimitris Markopoulos who is taking over for Giorgos Kotsiras at the Ministry of National Economy is well-versed in the subject, having spent years as a financial reporter, and is also an experienced parliamentarian who has performed very well in the House of Representatives as a member of New Democracy.
Dimitris Markopoulos, 51, has a dual role at the Ministry: on the one hand, he is able to explain complex economic issues in simple terms, and on the other hand, to represent Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis in Parliament when the minister has a heavy workload.
Η Marilena Soukouli, who has been appointed Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy to replace the late Nikos Tagaras, began working as an engineer in the private sector in 1996. A young woman with extensive experience in the field, she has also served as a New Democracy member of parliament for Corinth since 2019 and is well-positioned to contribute to the critical portfolio of Spatial Planning and the Urban Environment, Environmental Permitting, as well as e-Governance and Geospatial Information.
The 44-year-old member of parliament from Serres Tasos Hadjivassiliou He will serve as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs responsible for European Affairs, a field he knows exceptionally well and in depth. Moreover, he himself, who also hails from the new generation of New Democracy officials, has, in recent years, as Secretary for International Relations, been involved in European policy and maintains strong channels of communication with European governments.
Assistant Professor of International Relations, who travels abroad accompanying the Prime Minister, is considered the most suitable person to address European challenges and, among other things, to prepare for Greece’s presidency of the European Union.
Marinakis is staying on
Despite initial reports that there would be a change in the position of government spokesperson, P. Marinakis remains in his post.
Government officials point out that he enjoys the prime minister’s trust, as the prime minister considers him to be completely trustworthy, and that he is a cornerstone of the government’s communications strategy until the election is called.
