Over in Athens our correspondent Helena Smith is hearing that the reshuffle is expected to be announced “any moment.”





The cabinet shake up is expected to see at least three government ministers moved. The energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, the deputy social security minister Dimitris Stratoulis and the deputy defense minister Kostas Isychos are all expected to go (the latter has already resigned).

The labour minister Panos Skourletis, a close ally of prime minister Alexis Tsipras, is also expected to step down with media reports suggesting he will be replaced by his deputy the US-trained Rania Antonopoulou. The deputy finance minister Nadia Valavani, who resigned earlier this week after describing the new bailout agreement as Greece’s tombstone, will also be replaced - along, rumour has it, with the government spokesman Gavriel Sakellarides.

Tsipras is keen to show he is in control and moving fast - so much so that the new cabinet will be sworn at around 7:30 PM according to the reports. Senior cadres this afternoon told me the aim was to inject new life into the government but none underplayed the task at hand.

