Greek economy minister resigns in subsidy abuse scandal

Greek Economy Minister, Dimitri Papadimitriou, has resigned, the office of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday.

Papadimitrou stepped down over a scandal that forced his wife, Rania Antonopoulou, to quit as deputy labour minister a day earlier.

Antonopoulou had received an annual state subsidy of 12,000 Euros to rent an apartment in Athens, though she and Papadimitrou are reportedly worth a combined 3 million Euros (3.7 million dollars).

The couple had used a 2015 law allowing ministers and lawmakers to apply for assistance to rent a home in Athens.

The law caused outrage among Greeks, who have endured a series of austerity measures dictated by international bailouts for their country since it went into a financial meltdown eight years ago.

The average household income has dropped by one-quarter since then and one in three Greeks lives close to the poverty line.

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