Marina Economides
The resignation of Deputy Minister of Culture, Michalis Hatzigiannis, was anything but unexpected. This became evident not only from the reactions that were amplified the day after his appointment to the deputy ministry but also because the appointment of Lina Kassianidou as his replacement was ready immediately after the announcement of his resignation letter. This move indicated that the two sides had been in agreement for some time regarding the resignation of the deputy minister.
"K" had reported since last June that Michalis Hatzigiannis was on the verge of leaving.
The truth is that the appointment of Michalis Hatzigiannis to the Ministry of Culture was a personal choice of Nikos Christodoulides, with whom, according to information, he had a friendship.
"K" had reported since last June that Michalis Hatzigiannis was on his way out, as a series of events that had preceded had caused intense discomfort to Nikos Christodoulides. His appointment triggered a strong reaction from a portion of the cultural community, who immediately responded. However, the first move that was heavily discussed on social media was the use of the official account of the Ministry of Culture to promote the birthday celebration of the President of DIKO, Nikolas Papadopoulos, along with the song dedicated to him by Michalis Hatzigiannis. It was strongly criticized that the official account of the ministry was being used for social purposes instead of promoting the proposals and actions of the ministry.
The final straw, however, was the collaborator of the Deputy Minister of Culture, who, as it emerged, had been accused of ticket fraud in the past. The news came out immediately after the revelation by the 19-year-old collaborator of the Deputy Minister of Tourism, thus intensifying the pressure on Nikos Christodoulides and the criticism he received regarding poor choices and favoritism. Furthermore, the handling of the appointment case also caused tension in the Christodoulides-Hatzigiannis relationship.
The President of the Republic had been receiving complaints for some time about the way Michalis Hatzigiannis was managing his social media, emphasizing his artistic past rather than his current role as a political figure and deputy minister implementing projects. This move reinforced the perception in a section of society that the government was more concerned about image than political actions.
According to reliable sources, Michalis Hatzigiannis decided in May, but he wanted to address certain issues related to the ministry before his departure. It is said that he also discussed this with the President of the Republic. In his resignation letter, he conveyed the message that he would somehow return to music creation, composition, and singing.
[This article was translated from its Greek original]
