Ioannis Varvitsiotis

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the New Democracy lawmaker and former shipping minister who relinquished his parliamentary seat last week to pursue a career in the private sector, has ruled out a return to politics. 

New Democracy lawmaker and former shipping minister MIltiadis Varvitsiotis announced on Thursday he had resigned his seat in Parliament and is leaving politics, without citing a reason.

The surprise announcement was made after he informed Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis this morning, sources said.

Understanding the intent behind Shipping Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis' statement following the tragic death of 36-year-old Antonis Karyotis is challenging. Karyotis drowned late on Tuesday while attempting to board the Blue Horizon ferry after being pushed into the sea by the crew.

As an Iranian oil tanker which Washington wants seized heads toward Greece, officials Wednesday indicated that Athens would not help the ship reach Syria while seeking to play down the prospects of such a development.

The government will submit at the end of April a draft bill to accelerate and simplify the asylum procedure, Migration Policy Minister Dimitris Vitsas said on Friday, as a spike in refugee arrivals in the islands of the eastern Aegean this week deteriorated overcrowding in the so-called hotspots.

Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis and Defense Minister Nikos Dendias (photo) on Wednesday awarded 42 members of the Hellenic Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard for their contribution to rescuing passengers from the Norman Atlantic passenger ferry which caught fire off the coast of Corfu on December 28, killing at least 12 people.

 Deal with ESM to include terms against deficits and for 10 major reforms that the government will select

By Eleni Varvitsiotis

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