Deputy minister refuses to resign over academic qualifications

Deputy Agriculture Minister Makarios Lazaridis refused connected Tuesday to resign implicit his disputed world qualifications, saying helium “did not person to justify” his credentials to absorption parties calling for his removal.

Just 11 days aft helium was appointed curate successful a constricted authorities reshuffle, Lazaridis is facing backlash implicit the grade helium submitted to take the presumption of adept idiosyncratic successful the bureau of precocious acquisition curate Marietta Giannakou, successful 2007.

PASOK and SYRIZA person questioned however the New Democracy MP served arsenic an adept successful 2007, when Law 2190/1994 required a minimum of a university degree, doctorate oregon postgraduate qualification for the post, nary of which helium possessed. the parties besides said Lazaridis 

“I bash not person to warrant beingness choices I made 40 years ago,” Lazaridis told Open TV connected Tuesday, saying his inheritance is “clear and honest.” Asked why helium had antecedently claimed to person graduated from a nationalist university successful a κοινωνικά media station connected January 2, the curate attributed it to a “mix up” successful syntax.

More questions were raised by the absorption when Lazaridis presented his grade successful the aforesaid interrogation and said helium graduated successful 1992. Stefanos Kasselakis, the person of the small Movement for Democracy party, noted that the assemblage successful question was founded successful the US state of Delaware successful 1991, which means it is unlikely that Lazaridis graduated a year later.

New Left person Gavriil Sakellaridis besides said that Lazaridis has to instrumentality the wages helium received for the amerciable appointment.

The premier minister’s bureau has not commented connected the issue.