Panagiotis Kouroumblis

Greek authorities say they have finished cleaning up a section of Athens coastline polluted by a large oil slick more than a month ago, and the full cleanup operation should be finished within days.

Merchant Marine Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis on Tuesday declared the Paleo Faliro area oil-free.

Major opposition party New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday Greek PM Alexis Tsipras must accept Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis’ resignation while touring areas affected by the oil spill in the Saronic Gulf.

The Greek government wants to persuade shipowners and shipping-insurance companies based in London to move their European Union headquarters to Greece as the U.K. prepares to exit the bloc.

The Panhellenic Maritime Association, the seamen’s workers’ union, decided to suspend its strike on Saturday morning. This means that all ship routes start to operate normally in all ports of mainland and island Greece.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reshuffled his cabinet late on Friday, removing ministers who have expressed opposition to the austerity measures and economic measures demanded by Greece’s international creditors, but retaining his ministers of finance and foreign affairs.

The new Greek government was announced by spokesperson Olga Gerovasili, Friday at 10pm. Minister of Education Nikos Filis was left out of the new government, paying the price for his open disagreement with the head the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos.

Minister of Interior Panagiotis Kouroumblis reiterated the hackneyed argument that government uses to answer about its austerity measures, claiming that Greek people voted for the Memorandum last September and therefore no one has the right to complain about the measures.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is chairing a special meeting on the refugee issue at noon on Friday at the government’s headquarters at Maximos Mansion, Athens. The meeting comes following the Greek PM’s visit to the border island of Lesbos with European Parliament President Martin Schulz.

The government will introduce legislation to stop public-sector employees found guilty of serious transgressions or even criminal actions from returning to their jobs while their case is being processed, Interior Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis told the radio station Real FM.

The new Greek government was announced by SYRIZA MP and new government spokesperson Olga Gerovasili. The new government is expected to be sworn in Wednesday at 10.30 am (Greek time):

Prime Minister: Alexis Tsipras

Government Vice-President: Yiannis Dragasakis

Minister of State: Nikos Pappas