With the countdown to the reshuffle having started days ago, it seems that the prime minister is closer to finalising his decisions. Given that most ministers have “put down their pencils”, while ND MPs have also…picked up the phones, investigating who has information about the prime minister’s moves, it is not wrong to say that the whole government staff is moving in the constellation of reshuffle.
However, in an effort to ensure that tomorrow’s cabinet meeting, which is meeting in the shadow of extreme scenarios, is not without an agenda, the government staff has identified a few topics for discussion. Thus, Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis will present the Ministry of Finance’s legislative initiatives on the Hyperfund and the digital transaction fee, Health Minister Adonis Georgiades will present initiatives on dementia, and Infrastructure Minister Christos Staikouras will present progress mainly on irrigation projects, Minister of Environment and Energy Theodoros Skylakakis on river basin management plans and Minister of State Makis Voridis on progress on the Codification Commission and the National Anti-Corruption Plan.
An obvious conclusion one could draw is that ministers who have “material” for the cabinet remain unmoved. Of course, the governmental scene these days resembles quicksand, although there is beginning to be “light at the end of the tunnel” as to the planned interventions of Mitsotakis. Interventions that may be made tomorrow, or else a week from now, after Mitsotakis returns from Switzerland and Brussels.
Exits and ministerial moves
With the backstage scene “on fire”, two names that are being heavily rumoured to exit are that of Rural Development Minister Lefteris Avgenakis and Development Minister Kostas Skreka. Both the tension with the agricultural world, and the accuracy, after all, counted for the negative election result for the Southwest. In fact, the name of former minister Kostas Tsiaras has begun to be strongly heard for the prospect of moving to the Ministry of Rural Development.
Names that are also being heard and may be out of the picture are those of Immigration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis and Shipping Minister Christos Stylianidis. Indeed, for the controversial posts, two “former” names are again being heard, that of Takis Theodorikakos and Notis Mitarakis, although no one has made contact with the Prime Minister, who is discussing with a very close circle of his associates.
The Interior Ministry is also at the centre of the scenario, with Minister Niki Kerameos being “heard” either to move to another post or to leave the scheme. In fact, one name that could be upgraded to a ministerial position in the Interior is the current deputy, Maximos’ “election lawyer” Theodoros Livanios.
One name that enters the equation, most likely for a ministerial post and not for the Maximou Mansion, as originally said, is that of communications adviser Thomas Varvitsiotis. Also, according to one line of information, Justice Minister George Florides could be involved in a “carom” move. Some also put Labour Minister Domna Michailidou’s name in the equation, although she took over in that ministry a few months ago.
MPs to be utilised
At the moment there is silence as to whether there will be any changes in the Maximou building, where a person with strong political characteristics has not been found to complete the existing line-up.
Beyond that, there will also be broad changes in the deputy ministers, with several current ones leaving the line-up and others being recruited by the K.O. The “tank” that is being formed includes the names of Tasos Hadjivassiliou (Serres), Euripides Stylianidis (Rodopi), Katerina Papakosta (Trikala), Christos Kellas (Larissa), Anna Efthymiou (Thessaloniki), Makarios Lazaridis (Kavala), Kostas Karagounis (Aitoloakarnania), Kostas Katsafadou (Piraeus) and Kostas Gioulekas (Thessaloniki).
