Georgios Voulgarakis
Encyclopedia
Georgios Voulgarakis (born 4 June 1959) is a Greek
politician and the former Minister for Mercantile Marine, Aegean Sea and Island Policy.
Voulgarakis was born in Crete
and holds a PhD in economics from the University of Athens. He is a member of the New Democracy
party. He has been elected to parliament from the Athens A' Election Area constituency since the June 1989 parliamentary election and served as Deputy Minister for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works from 3 December 1992 to 12 October 1993. He was Minister of Public Order in the government of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis from 10 March 2004 ,at the difficult period of Athens Olympic Games 2004, until a cabinet reshuffle on 14 February 2006, when he was named Minister of Culture instead. This was considered a demotion in the wake of a phone-tapping scandal.
A Greek prosecutor has backed claims by a group of Pakistani men that they were abducted by Greek and British intelligence agents in the wake of the London bombings
. Georgios Voulgarakis denied any involvement but main opposition party PASOK
and Human Rights Groups called for the resignation of Voulgarakis from his cabinet position.http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/greek-minister-urged-to-quit-over-abduction-of-pakistani-immigrants-477956.html
On May 30, 2006, Voulgarakis survived an assassination attempt from the far-left Greek terrorist group Revolutionary Struggle
. Over two pounds of explosives were strapped to a bicycle stationed near Voulgarakis’ residence and then detonated by remote control. No injuries resulted from the explosion, but four parked cars and a school building succumbed to damage.
Following New Democracy's victory in the September 2007 parliamentary election, Voulgarakis was moved from his position as Minister for Culture to become Minister of Mercantile Marine, Aegean Sea and Island Policy in the Cabinet sworn in on 19 September 2007. One of the biggest successes was the hiring of a part of the port of Piraeus to the China's Cosco Pacific. On September 12, 2008 the Minister Voulgarakis resigned from his position, by touchiness, because the name of his wife was involved in the case (land-exchange) of Vatopedi monastery in Mount Athos. After 2 years legal research, the Greek Parliament and particularly Voulgarakis’ political opponents (PASOK party) acquitted him to involvement to this case (November 2010).
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
politician and the former Minister for Mercantile Marine, Aegean Sea and Island Policy.
Voulgarakis was born in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and holds a PhD in economics from the University of Athens. He is a member of the New Democracy
New Democracy (Greece)
New Democracy is the main centre-right political party and one of the two major parties in Greece. It was founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis and formed the first cabinet of the Third Hellenic Republic...
party. He has been elected to parliament from the Athens A' Election Area constituency since the June 1989 parliamentary election and served as Deputy Minister for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works from 3 December 1992 to 12 October 1993. He was Minister of Public Order in the government of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis from 10 March 2004 ,at the difficult period of Athens Olympic Games 2004, until a cabinet reshuffle on 14 February 2006, when he was named Minister of Culture instead. This was considered a demotion in the wake of a phone-tapping scandal.
A Greek prosecutor has backed claims by a group of Pakistani men that they were abducted by Greek and British intelligence agents in the wake of the London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
. Georgios Voulgarakis denied any involvement but main opposition party PASOK
Panhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
and Human Rights Groups called for the resignation of Voulgarakis from his cabinet position.http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/greek-minister-urged-to-quit-over-abduction-of-pakistani-immigrants-477956.html
On May 30, 2006, Voulgarakis survived an assassination attempt from the far-left Greek terrorist group Revolutionary Struggle
Revolutionary Struggle
Revolutionary Struggle is a Greek rebel group known for its attacks on Greek government buildings and the American embassy in Athens...
. Over two pounds of explosives were strapped to a bicycle stationed near Voulgarakis’ residence and then detonated by remote control. No injuries resulted from the explosion, but four parked cars and a school building succumbed to damage.
Following New Democracy's victory in the September 2007 parliamentary election, Voulgarakis was moved from his position as Minister for Culture to become Minister of Mercantile Marine, Aegean Sea and Island Policy in the Cabinet sworn in on 19 September 2007. One of the biggest successes was the hiring of a part of the port of Piraeus to the China's Cosco Pacific. On September 12, 2008 the Minister Voulgarakis resigned from his position, by touchiness, because the name of his wife was involved in the case (land-exchange) of Vatopedi monastery in Mount Athos. After 2 years legal research, the Greek Parliament and particularly Voulgarakis’ political opponents (PASOK party) acquitted him to involvement to this case (November 2010).