Sachinidis appointed new FinMin

Alternate Finance Minister Filippos Sachinidis on Wednesday took over the top spot at the ministry, following the resignation of Evangelos Venizelos to lead Socialist PASOK, and was to have his first official briefing with Prime Minister Lucas Papademos at 5.30 p.m. following a swearing-in ceremony.

Sachinidis was widely expected to take over the Finance Ministry post, as he worked closely with Venizelos in negotiating and drafting economic policy, though there had been speculation about Interior Minister Tassos Yiannitsis or Papademos himself taking on the role.

The 48-year-old economist is to hold the post in the countdown to general elections, expected by early May.

The Canada-born politician, who has stood twice as an MP for the central city of Larissa, was also deputy finance minister in the previous PASOK government of George Papandreou and worked as an adviser to former premier Costas Simitis between 2000 and 2004.

Ekathimerini.com