Greece’s Shipping Minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, announced his resignation on Monday, a few days after the death of a ferry passenger who was forcefully pushed off a ferry in Piraeus last week.
Varvitsiotis will be replaced by Christos Stylianidis, who served as Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister in the previous government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The incident, captured on a video and shared on social media, sparked anger across the country.
“In the last few days, I have become the target of an attack that is acquiring more and more toxic characteristics. A statement of mine that was easily misinterpreted caused outrage. I immediately apologized sincerely. In no way did I equate the victim with the perpetrators. In no way did I wash away the responsibilities that the ship-owning company has, which it still refuses to assume,” he said in a statement announcing his resignation.
“My political career and my personal dignity dictate that I do not remain in the position of Minister of Shipping and Island Policy. That is why I submitted my resignation to the Prime Minister,” he added.