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A Greek Green politician has been re-appointed as the country’s deputy environment minister, following the victory of the left-wing Syriza coalition in Sunday’s national election.

Giannis Tsironis is the spokesperson of the Ecologist Greens which, like the British Green Parties, is a member of the European Green Party.

He was originally appointed deputy environment minister following Syriza’s victory in January 2015 and has now been returned to the post.

The Ecologist Greens took part in an electoral alliance with the Syriza coalition both in January and September’s elections.

Greece Green MPs
Giannis Tsironis and Giorgos Dimaras, Greece’s Green MPs

In a statement, the Ecologist Greens said:

“This move demonstrates the confidence of the new government in the positions and proposals of the Ecologist Greens and political ecology, but it also builds trust between Greens and the Left, in a Europe that is currently being put to the test.”

Tsironis will serve under Minister of Environment and Energy Panos Skourletis, a leading Syriza politician.

He was elected to parliament along with fellow party member Giorgos Dimaras, the first time the party has won two seats in parliament.

In March, Dimaras was one of five Syriza MPs who refused to have Greek taxpayers pay for their state car.

“We, the MPs of Ecology and the Left, must prove by our deeds that we are not the same as the others who have turned politics into a lucrative profession,” he said at the time.