Evangelos Apostolakis, who was appointed as the new Minister of Civil Protection has turned down the position.

Mr. Apostolakis is said to be refusing to take over at this time as, as he told his associates, no cross-party consensus was reached regarding his assignment to the post.

SYRIZA leader and former PM Alexis Tsipras talked with Apostolakis, reportedly calling him an “apostate” if he accepted the post offered to him by PM Mitsotakis in the reshuffle.

An announcement from the Maximos Palace is expected soon.

In a statement on the ieidiseis website, Mr. Apostolakis said:

“This was done (s.s. the initial acceptance of the proposal) on the condition that there will be a bi-party agreement. This was the one condition for an independent ministry, to which Mitsotakis agreed. One was observed as far as the ministry is concerned. There was no bi-party support or discussion between them. I do not shy away from responsibility. But I can not accept a proposal that has no bi-party support for a national issue. I am particularly honoured by the prime minister’s proposal, but it should have bi-party support.”

Apostolakis contacted Alexis Tsipras again today after the leaks from Koumoundourou street (SYRIZA offices). He informed him that he did not accept the proposal, stressing that this happened because there was no cross-party consensus after Koumoundourou’s reaction. SYRIZA, in a statement issued after the leaked information, claims that the reshuffle is turning into a “historic fiasco” and attributes to the prime minister an attempt to “redeem” Mr. Apostolakis.