Two-and-a-half years after the ruling party slipped into the third bailout memorandum law a provision that the state will pay the rent for extra-parliamentary ministers, the government is now conceding that this was a mistake.

“It is unfortunate that the provision on rent subsidies was passed and implemented,” said government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, after the uproar over the 1,000 euro monthly subsidy former alternate labour minister Rania Antonopoulou collected to live in a Kolonaki flat with her husband, former economy and development minister Dimitris Papadimitriou.

Tzanakopoulos said that the decision regarding Antonopoulou’s political future was not taken in the heat of the moment, as she had to first offer explanations.

Though that would suggest that Antonopoulou was sacked, after her explanation was deemed unsatisfactory, when asked if the ex-minister was fired, he replied that she resigned.

Tzanakopoulos said he had no idea Antonopoulou’s rent was paid for by the state.

“Decisions on such issues are not taken in the heat of the moment. There had to be an opportunity for one to explain oneself first. We acted quickly and demonstrated a major difference between the government and the opposition,” the government spokesman told Alpha television,

in.gr

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