Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos, the minister in charge of preparations for the Athens Olympics, was fired Sunday after criticizing contentious government labour reforms and cabinet members. Pangalos criticised the way in which the current foreign minister, George Papandreou was working to ease relations with neighbouring Turkey. The culture minister is in charge of organizing sports events and oversees Olympic preparations.
Premier Costas Simitis said “a minister cannot hold a public dispute with the government, and cannot use reprehensible language against his colleagues”.
Pangalos will be replaced by Evangelos Venizelos, who has held several cabinet positions.
Dora Bakoyanni, a former culture minister with the opposition party said, “I think many people will be sacrificed because of the lack of preparation for the Olympics. Greece is not properly prepared and there are problems…but this action will not change that”.
