International
-Sathish Raman
A
hard-right
politician
has
taken
over
as
Greece’s
migration
and
asylum
minister,
replacing
a
fellow
right-wing
figure
accused
of
fraud.
Thanos
Plevris,
48,
steps
into
the
role
after
Makis
Voridis,
60,
resigned
to
address
allegations
of
involvement
in
a
fraudulent
scheme
related
to
farm
subsidies.
The
European
Public
Prosecutors
Office
investigated
the
case
and
submitted
a
detailed
report
to
the
Greek
Parliament.
image
Voridis,
in
his
resignation
letter,
denied
any
illegal
actions.
He
stated
that
he
stepped
down
to
clear
his
name.
During
his
time
as
agricultural
development
and
foods
minister
from
July
2019
to
January
2021,
he
claimed
to
have
capped
individual
subsidies
and
initiated
numerous
investigations.
Critics
argue
these
actions
indicate
his
awareness
of
the
corrupt
subsidy
system
without
taking
steps
to
reform
it.
Political
Shifts
and
Replacements
On
Friday,
four
other
lawmakers
also
resigned.
Among
them
were
three
former
deputy
ministers
from
the
Agricultural
Policy
Ministry
and
a
current
deputy
minister.
Government
spokesman
Pavlos
Marinakis
announced
their
replacements
on
Saturday,
noting
they
will
be
sworn
in
on
Monday.
Plevris
is
not
expected
to
alter
Greece’s
strict
migration
policies.
Like
Voridis
and
current
Health
Minister
Adonis
Georgiadis,
Plevris
joined
the
conservative
New
Democracy
party
in
2012
after
leaving
the
right-populist
Popular
Orthodox
Rally
(LAOS).
Voridis’
Political
Journey
Before
joining
LAOS
in
2006,
Voridis
led
the
youth
wing
of
the
far-right
National
Political
Union.
He
was
appointed
by
jailed
former
dictator
George
Papadopoulos.
Voridis
succeeded
Nikos
Michaloliakos,
who
later
founded
the
neo-Nazi
Golden
Dawn
party
and
is
now
serving
a
prison
sentence
for
leading
a
criminal
gang.
Voridis
established
his
own
far-right
party,
Hellenic
Front,
participating
in
various
elections
between
1994
and
2004.
In
2000,
he
allied
with
Konstantinos
Plevris,
Thanos
Plevris’
father,
who
is
known
as
a
far-right
activist
and
self-proclaimed
“proud
fascist.” Voridis
has
been
a
lawmaker
since
2007.
Voridis’
Reputation
and
Current
Stance
Despite
his
controversial
past,
Voridis
is
regarded
as
a
political
heavyweight.
Many
believe
that
if
not
for
his
far-right
history
and
occasional
violent
tendencies,
he
could
have
been
a
potential
conservative
leader.
He
now
identifies
as
an
economic
liberal
and
describes
himself
as
a
“non-extreme”
nationalist.
The
Greek
Parliament
holds
the
power
to
lift
immunity
from
prosecution
for
its
members
through
a
parliamentary
vote.
This
immunity
is
crucial
in
cases
like
Voridis’,
where
allegations
involve
government
ministers.
With
inputs
from
PTI
