Minister of Maritime Affairs resigns following tragic ferry incident

·

In the wake of a tragic incident involving a ferry passenger in Piraeus last week, Minister of Maritime Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, tendered his resignation on Monday.

According to government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, Christos Stylianidis, former Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection in Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ previous administration, will assume the role.

The incident, which was captured on video and circulated on social media, elicited widespread outrage. The footage depicted the passenger attempting to board the Blue Horizon ferry just before its departure, only to be forcefully pushed off the loading ramp into the turbulent waters churned by the vessel’s propellers.

Regrettably, no rescue efforts were made, and the ferry continued its journey far from port until it was eventually recalled, reported Ekathimerini.

Varvitsiotis expressed his profound shock and sorrow over the incident, while identifying the victim as Antonis Karyotis, aged 36. However, during a separate television appearance, he remarked: “Today, there are people grieving for the unjustly departed; yet, the families of those who were seeking a day’s wage and are now facing accusations of a heinous act are also in mourning.”

This statement sparked considerable backlash, with many interpreting it as an attempt to equate the actions of the crewman with the tragedy suffered by the victim. Varvitsiotis sought to clarify that his words were misconstrued, attributing the misinterpretation to political motives. Nevertheless, the criticism persisted.

Minister of Maritime Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis. Photo: AFP.

“In recent days, I have become the subject of a vitriolic attack, taking on increasingly toxic overtones. A statement of mine was easily misinterpreted and caused tremendous consternation. I promptly and sincerely extended my apologies.

“I never intended to draw a parallel between the victim and those responsible. I never absolved the shipping company of the responsibilities it vehemently shirks,” he asserted in a statement announcing his resignation.”

He added, “Both my political trajectory and personal integrity dictate that I relinquish my role as Minister of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy. Consequently, I have submitted my resignation to the Prime Minister.”

Varvitsiotis’ departure marks the second resignation within Mitsotakis’ government in under two months, following Notis Mitarakis’ decision to step down from his position as Citizen Protection Minister after vacationing on a yacht near the island of Patmos while devastating wildfires ravaged Athens.

Mitarakis had also faced widespread criticism after two of his announcements regarding the police were subsequently retracted by Mitsotakis himself.

Read more: Ferry crew members testify on passenger’s death at Port Piraeus

Source: Ekathimerini

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Capturing legacies: The proika exhibition’s emotional tribute to Greek migrants

On Wednesday, November 20, the proika exhibition opened to a crowd of eager guests at the Thematikos x MBO Tailors creative space.

Golden Era Gala: A reunion with a cause to combat brain and rare cancers

White Pearl Foundation and Cquence Foundation have announced the Golden Era Gala to be held at the Hyatt Regency Sydney on November 30.

Melbourne scientist Steven Petratos offers hope to thousands with multiple sclerosis

The image of Steven Petratos’ grandfather, confined to a chair with trembling hands, left an indelible mark on his childhood.

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett to launch book on Nick Thyssen’s legacy

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, supporter of Greece and its diaspora, will launch the biography of Nick Thyssen (Nikos Theodosiadis).

Ithacans in Melbourne enjoy sell-out film screening to support archaeological preservation

On Sunday, at Palace Como in Melbourne, a sell-out crowd of 135 Ithacans and friends gathered to see the historical epic, The Return.

You May Also Like

Metro Trains executive Peter Bollas admits accepting corrupt payments

A public transport executive has been caught on a phone tap telling a cleaning company he would "cover up" for them, after it emerged they had failed to spray down a Melbourne train at the start of the state's first coronavirus surge.

Ambitious new budget revealed for Greece, tax cuts in 2020

Greece is aiming for higher investment and tax cuts to assist with economic growth in 2020 as the country recovers from a decade-long debt...

Greek and Turkish leaders to meet in Turkey in May

Kyriakos Mitsotakis has revealed that he will meet with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 13 in Ankara.