The Minister of Maritime Affairs of Greece, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, submitted his resignation this Monday following a series of comments made days after a man died after being pushed into the sea by several crew members of a ferry in the port of the city of Piraeus. , in Athens.

The Government spokesperson, Pavlos Marinakis, has indicated that he will be replaced by Christos Stylianidis, who previously held the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection portfolio.

The incident has sparked national controversy after the passenger, who tried to board the Blue Horizon ferry when it was about to leave, was violently pushed into the water after a brief struggle.. The crew did nothing to help the 36-year-old man, according to the Kathimerini newspaper.

Varvitsiotis said he felt “horrified” after seeing the images of the incident and called his death “unjust”, although he defended that the relatives of the ferry workers “were also mourning those who came to earn their bread.”. These statements have sparked numerous criticisms, although the former minister assures that they have been “misinterpreted.”

“In recent days I have become the target of an attack that is acquiring increasingly toxic characteristics. An easily misinterpreted statement of mine caused outrage. I immediately apologized sincerely.. In no way will I equate the victim with the workers or eliminate the responsibilities of the shipping company, which still refuses to assume them,” he said.

Likewise, he has indicated that his “dignity” and his political career dictate that he “should not remain in office” and has thus justified his resignation, which has already been handed over to the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.