Penelope Galiou

“With zero exception, we are all evaluated every day, so this is an ongoing process.” This sentence of the government representative further strengthened the behind-the-scenes discussions that bring closer further changes in the government structure, beyond the resignation of Miltiadis Vavritsiotis from the Ministry of Shipping.

A phrase, which those who know the climate inside the Maximos Palace perceive it as a message to specific members of the government, who are estimated that by their actions or omissions they could not adequately respond to the tasks they assumed in the new – just two months – government.

The “signal” was given by the resignation of Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, which – according to information – was the subject of communication between the Prime Minister and the former Minister over the weekend, as well as his replacement by Christos Stylianidis, which was announced a few minutes apart , after the announcement of the resignation of Mr. Varvitsiotis, by the government representative.

Given that the Prime Minister will today be in Strasbourg, where he will meet the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in order to discuss and claim additional European funds to support Greece after the catastrophic disaster, the undertaking of any initiative in relation to the government shape, it is postponed in the following days, from Wednesday onwards.

The scenarios being discussed by sources close to the government are that the prime minister could close the issue of a “mini” reshuffle, before his trip to Thessaloniki where he will hold his speech and press conference at the TIF, which was postponed due to the disasters .

A milestone, in which the supporters of this movement consider that a clear message of “restart” should be sent for the government, after the obstacles and difficulties it faced at the beginning of its second term. A message that, according to the same sources, will be more clear and unambiguous if it is accompanied by the necessary changes to persons who did not send the intended messages either with their actions or with their possible omissions.

An alternative scenario, which is being discussed behind the scenes, is any changes that could be made after the return of Kyriakos Mitsotakis from New York and the UN General Assembly, i.e. after September 22, however, it is estimated that such a delay, since the changes have been decided, it will only prolong an awkward intergovernmental situation.

In any case, the “privilege” and the decision of a reshuffle belongs exclusively to the prime minister, who has not yet said the “last word”. Besides, those who know his way of thinking know very well that Kyriakos Mmitsotakis is not used to making decisions in the heat of the moment.