Greek Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou replaced the country’s finance minister in a broad government reshuffle on Friday, Greek TV reported.
Current Defence Minister Evangelos Venizelos was handed the task of managing Greece’s strained economy, while outgoing Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou was made environment minister.
The move follows large-scale protests in Athens on Wednesday against crucial budget cuts approved by the Greek government.
The austerity measures, which international lenders have demanded in return for a second bailout, include 6 billion euro spending cuts for 2011, a 22 billion euro austerity package for 2012-2015, and a 50 billion euro state assets privatization program.
Euro zone finance ministers are expected to decide on a second bailout package for Greece in July, European Union Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said in a statement on Thursday.
