The Formation of the New Government Cabinet - Inside Scoop

Rumors have begun to circulate in the Greek press about the formation of the new government Cabinet. According to what has been circulating, it is expected that Yannis Dragasakis will play a prominent role in Tsipras’ government and some believe that he will assume the position of government Vice President and general coordinator of financial affairs. The Ministry of Finance, on the other, may be taken over by (former George Papandreou advisor) Yannis Varoufakis, with Euclid Tsakalotos as the alternate Minister in charge of revenue.

The Ministry of Development could merge with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works, and it is believed that George Stathakis will be appointed as its Minister, and Gabriel Sakellaridis will also take a role there as well. The Ministry of Interior is expected to merge with the Ministry of Administrative Reform and be operated by Dimitris Papadimoulis. The former PASOK MP, Alekos Mitropoulos, is also rumored to join the same ministry.

Theodoros Dritsas could possibly take over the Ministry of National Defense, where retired general Nikolaos Toskas will be appointed as his Alternate Minister. This is, however, not certain, because Panos Kammenos has already hinted that he wants this particular Ministry for himself.

(Surprise, surprise) There is also news that SYRIZA will create a new Ministry of Migration. The contender for this seat is Tasia Christodoulopoulou.

On the other, the Ministry of the Press is going to be abolished, with Panagiotis Skourletis being the likeliest candidate for the position of government spokesman. Tsipras’ trusted consultant Nikos Pappas is probably going to be appointed in a prominent position as Minister of State, as is the SYRIZA-backed Avgi newspaper journalist Thanasis Krateros.

Nikos Kotzias is also one of the likeliest candidates for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Dimitris Tsoukalas is one of the favorites for the Ministry of Culture.

The (controversial and extreme leftist) Dimitris Stratoulis seems to be one of the more likely SYRIZA MPs to take over the Ministry of Labor, while it looks like former PASOK MP Petros Kourouplis is going to be proposed as the new Minister of Health.

Also, the outspoken Zoi Konstantopoulou could be appointed at the Ministry of Justice, although Panagiotis Nikoloudis, the current chief of the Authority for Combating Money Laundering has also been considered for the same position.

Nikos Voutsis, on the other, is also expected to assume a central role in the new government and some reports are claiming that he could  possibly be appointed as the new President of Parliament.