Cypriot-born Christos Stylianides has been named shipping minister in Greece on Monday, following the resignation of the previous Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, who caused controversy with his statements on the death of passenger pushed off a ferry boat last week.
Video footage released on social media after the incident showed crew members appearing to argue with the man on the stern ramp just as the ferry was leaving the port of Piraeus for the island of Crete.
Varvitsiotis said last week that the man, who had bought a ticket, had boarded the ship before disembarking for unknown reasons and then tried to board again, which was when he was pushed back and fell into the sea just as the ship departed.
The man’s death sparked outrage and protests in Greece and Varvitsiotis faced a backlash for appearing to sympathise with the crew members on Greek television. Varvitsiotis, who later apologised, said his comments had been misinterpreted.
Previously, Stylianides, who is a Greek national as well, had run in Greek parliamentary elections on the ruling New Democracy ticket.
Stylianides held two different stints as government spokesman in Cyprus for President Glafcos Clerides between 1998-99, and between 2013-14 under President Nicos Anastasiades’ government.
He then served as European humanitarian aid and crisis management commissioner between 2014-19.
In 2021, Stylianides was appointed as minister of climate crisis and civil protection in Greece. He received honourary Greek citizenship to make the appointment possible.