Mardas denies report he transferred cash abroad after joining gov't

Greece's alternate Finance Minister Dimitris Mardas has denied a report in Germany's Bild newspaper that identified him as the government official alleged to have recently transferred 80,000 euros to a bank in Luxembourg.

Reports, which however did not reveal the name of the minister, first emerged in a Thessaloniki-based newspaper earlier in the week.

In comments made to local media on Wednesday, Mardas admitted that he had sent about 40,000 euros in November or December to pay for the tuition fees of his daughter, who is studying in Brussels. However, he said, no money had been sent abroad since taking up his post in January.

SYRIZA came to power after winning Greece's national elections on January 25.

Mardas said he has handed his derivation of wealth (pothen esches) to the prime minister's office.