Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras waited until Friday evening to announce a long-expected Cabinet reshuffle for this embattled leftist government, with a handful of ministers trading portfolios, and at least three controversial ruling party cadres finding themselves without a seat.
The reshuffle was more-or-less a given after a decision this week to create four new ministries by merging responsibilities of others.
One of the more noteworthy changes was the transfer of Giorgos Katrougalos from the labor and social security ministry to “second fiddle” at the foreign ministry, where he assumes the alternate minister portfolio for European affairs. Katrougalos has been the leftist government’s “point man” in negotiations with creditors for nearly two years, on burning issues such as social security reforms and looming labor sector liberalization.
Another top minister, however, Nikos Pappas, emerged with an even more expansive portfolio, as he was tapped for the newly established ministry of digital policy, telecommunications and information, a portfolio that includes at least three general secretariats.
Speculation previously held that Pappas would be shifted to a less high-profile seat after a controversial law he spearheaded on broadcast television licenses was struck down by a high court last month.
Another change in ministries is in store for Panos Skourletis, who as energy minister was viewed as a stern opponent of memorandum-mandated privatizations in the energy sector and against a massive gold mining investment by a Canadian multinational in northern Greece.
Skourletis was given the interior ministry, which enjoys top seniority among Cabinet members but lacks any developmental scope.
Another diehard leftist, Thodoris Dritsas, was also reshuffled from the shipping and maritime ministry, a portfolio taken up by the up-until-now health minister, Panayiotis Kouroumblis, a former long-time social PASOK deputy before joining leftist SYRIZA.
Joining Dritsas in the exit from the Cabinet was Nikos Fylis, a hard left cadre who recently bore the brunt of criticism by the Orthodox Church, among others, for his views on the public education system.
In terms of ministries affecting the country’s foreign relations, the ministers of finance, foreign affairs and defense remained unchanged.
