Conservative MP Varvitsiotis says he quit to work in the private sector

New Democracy (ND) lawmaker and former shipping minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said on Thursday he left politics to work in the private sector.

Varvitsiiotis announced earlier in the day he had resigned his seat in Parliament, after being elected MP 11 times, without citing a specific reason.

In an interview with private broadcaster ANT1, Varvitsiotis denied rumors that his unexpected resignation was the result of the government's efforts to legalize gay marriage and enable same-sex couples to adopt children.

He reminded that he was one of the few ND lawmakers, who voted in favor of civil union legislation, when ND was in opposition in 2015.

"I was born into politics, born into this political faction, and I know very well that politics has its good and its bad moments … but my decision today does not come at a difficult moment."

He said that he...