Brussels, 21/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 21 March, Philippos Sahinidis was appointed as Greece's new finance minister, taking over from Evangelos Venizelos who has become the new leader of the Socialist party, PASOK, ahead of the general elections at the end of April or beginning of May. A 49-year-old economist, Sahinidis was appointed deputy finance minister when the Socialists came to power in 2009. Before that, he worked at the Greek Central Bank before being elected to the Greek parliament. His appointment reflects a desire by the Greek government to ensure continuity in running the country's public finances as Greece settles down to a write-down in its debt in order to reduce it from 162% of GDP to around 120% by 2020. Sahinidis will attend his first ECOFIN Council meeting in Copenhagen on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 March. (MB/transl.fl)