President: Government reshuffle aimed at serving agenda

The aim of the government reshuffle is to serve the government agenda and all the announcements related to the Recovery and Resilience plan, President of the Republic Nicos Ansatasiades said on Tuesday.

In statements at the Episkopio village where he attended the unveiling of the statue of Stavros Stylianides, hero of the EOKA liberation struggle 1955-1959, the President remarked that the government is now more widely accepted.

The goal is to serve in the best possible way both his agenda, and the recently announced Recovery and Resilience plan, he said.

Asked about the former Speaker Adamos Adamou’s refusal to accept the post offered in the new cabinet, the President said he was very sorry because some people intervened to stop a very capable citizen from serving his country instead of looking at what’s best for the country.

President Anastasiades appointed Stefi Drakou as new Minister for Justice, Michalis Hadjipantelas as new Health Minister, Marios Pelekanos assumes the duties of Government Spokesman, Niovi Parissinou as new Deputy Government Spokeswoman and Anastasia Anthousi is appointed as Deputy Minister for Social Welfare. Andreas Iosif will be the new Director of the President`s Press Office, while Victoras Papadopoulos will be transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he will be responsible for the foreign press.

Panayiotis Sentonas will be the new Commissioner of the Citizen (former Commissioner of Volunteerism).

They will assume their duties on July 1st.