In a cabinet reshuffle aimed at damage control following a burgeoning political scandal, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has appointed Thanos Plevris as the country’s new Minister of Migration and Asylum, replacing Makis Voridis. The decision, announced on Saturday, is part of a broader attempt by the government to contain the fallout from a corruption investigation that has rocked the administration.
The changes also include new deputy ministers across key departments. Haris Theocharis has been named Deputy Foreign Minister following the resignation of Tasos Hatzivasileiou. Giannis Andrianos takes over as Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food, replacing Dionysis Stamenitis. Meanwhile, Christos Dermetzopoulos has been appointed Deputy Minister of Digital Governance in place of Christos Boukoros.
These appointments come just one day after the resignation of four cabinet members, following the submission of a case file to the Greek Parliament reportedly containing allegations of financial misconduct and illegal subsidies under investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The new ministers and deputy ministers will be sworn in on Monday morning before the President of the Hellenic Republic, with the full cabinet scheduled to meet shortly afterward at the Maximos Mansion, the official seat of the Prime Minister.
Government sources have emphasized that the resignations do not imply criminal guilt. Rather, they are being presented as political decisions intended to uphold standards of accountability and allow the accused to clear their names. In particular, Voridis’ departure is described by insiders as a move to facilitate his legal defense, though the contrast between his abrupt resignation and his defiant tone in a recent television interview has drawn attention.
The scandal has forced Mitsotakis’ administration onto the defensive at a critical political moment. After months of effort to reverse the damage caused by the Tempi train disaster in early 2023, the Prime Minister now faces renewed public scrutiny. According to officials close to Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister is determined to send a message of zero tolerance toward institutional misconduct—not just in words, but through decisive action.
The gravity of the situation became apparent during Mitsotakis’ recent trip to Brussels for a European Council summit. As the details of the investigation emerged, senior aides convened an emergency meeting that led to the decision to remove those implicated. Notably, Christos Kellas, another figure mentioned in the case file, has remained in office after internal reviews found no indication of wrongdoing that would justify dismissal.
The broader implications of the case are still unfolding. It remains unclear whether the investigation will proceed through a formal parliamentary inquiry or a fast-tracked judicial process. There is even speculation that the government may wait for the opposition to propose an inquiry before taking an official stance. Some have raised concerns about whether former ministers Voridis and Lefteris Avgenakis, who is also reportedly implicated, would cooperate with expedited proceedings.
This reshuffle marks the first time during Mitsotakis’ two terms in office that four ministers have resigned simultaneously. The last comparable incident occurred in March 2024, when two senior officials stepped down.
The political opposition has seized on the crisis to deliver scathing critiques of the government. SYRIZA, the main opposition party, accused Mitsotakis of doubling down on far-right politics by appointing Plevris, a controversial figure with roots in the nationalist LAOS party. SYRIZA leader Sokratis Famellos called the appointment provocative, referencing past inflammatory remarks made by Plevris about refugees. Famellos further condemned the Prime Minister as the “premier of scandals, entanglement, and corruption,” and urged a wholesale change in government.
Adding to the chorus of criticism, SYRIZA’s shadow minister for migration, Giorgos Psychogios, dismissed the reshuffle as cosmetic. “The same policies remain in place, just in different clothes,” he said, warning that the government’s approach to migration is inhumane and damaging to Greece’s international reputation. Psychogios pledged that his party would continue to fight both inside and outside Parliament for justice, the rule of law, and a society in which no one is left invisible or destitute.
