Deputy minister resigns amid allegations over daughter's university entry
Deputy Development Minister Lazaros Tsavdaridis has resigned following allegations that his daughter benefited from preferential treatment linked to sporting achievements to obtain additional points for university admission.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis accepted his resignation on Thursday, November 12, following growing public attention surrounding the case.
According to a report by Kathimerini, the allegations concern claims that Tsavdaridis' daughter was registered as a member of a northern Greek handball team despite allegedly having no meaningful participation in the sport. Her reported inclusion in the team raised questions about whether she could qualify for additional points in Greece's highly competitive national university entrance examinations.
Minister denies wrongdoing
Tsavdaridis, who had served as deputy development minister since March 2025, has strongly rejected the allegations.
In public statements, he insisted that his daughter never used additional points awarded for sporting achievements to secure admission to a Greek university.
He said she had successfully entered the Agriculture Department at the University of Thessaly in Larissa based exclusively on her performance in the national examinations.
He added that she never attended the department and is currently studying at a university in Cyprus.
The minister also denied intervening in the affairs of the handball club or using his political position to secure financial support for the team.
Handball federation responds to allegations
The controversy emerged amid wider allegations of irregularities involving sporting participation and the awarding of university admission bonuses.
According to Kathimerini, the Hellenic Handball Federation said Tsavdaridis' daughter was a registered athlete and held a legitimately issued sports licence.
The federation added that it had identified no violation of sporting regulations establishing that her participation was irregular.
The allegations have also drawn attention to claims of manipulated basketball matches and other sporting competitions, including at school level, allegedly aimed at helping young athletes obtain additional university admission points.
Political pressure ahead of elections
Tsavdaridis' resignation comes as Mitsotakis' governing New Democracy party prepares for parliamentary elections expected in spring 2027.
The party is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in government, amid increasing political attention surrounding the handling of public controversies.
The case has also renewed debate in Greece over the fairness and transparency of university admission procedures, particularly the additional points granted to athletes for sporting achievements.
