ATHENS — The government's focus will be on restoring damage to homes and businesses and assuring people harmed by the wildfires that the state stands by them, newly sworn in Minister of State Akis Skertsos said to national broadcaster ERT on Friday.

In comments before being sworn in after a mini cabinet reshuffle, ministers with new portfolios spoke of "hard work lying ahead."

Deputy to the Prime Minister and government spokesman Yiannis Economou said he was committed to doing his best "to highlight the government's work during a time that is seminal and critical for our homeland, its people, and the country in general."

Christos Triantopoulos, also deputy to the prime minister, said "we all have a lot to do with coordination and projects, a lot of work from now on."

Deputy Digital Minister Theodoros Livanios spoke of "work, work, work" and added "there are a lot of problems, we will deal with them."

New Deputy Agricultural Development & Foods Minister Giorgos Stylios spoke of "difficult circumstances" after Greece's wildfires. "We have a lot of important things to do to be able to have [burned] areas back to normal." In terms of agricultural damage, he said, "We are an agricultural economy, we will work well and hard."

Giorgos Stylios assumes deputy agriculture portfolio

Former Deputy Agriculture Development & Food Minister Yiannis Economou handed over his portfolio to Giorgos Stylios before assuming his new duties as government spokesman on Friday.

Agriculture Minister Spilios Livanos said at the event that his collaboration with Economou, who is trained in the sector, was "extremely constructive" and expressed the certainty that he would continue to promote issues related to the agriculture sector as spokesperson "with your knowledge, experience and love for the primary sector."

Livanos also said the new deputy minister Spilios was a friend and collaboration from the past. Spilios, he said, knows the primary sector very well and is committed to working on it.

Spilios, an MP from Arta, has a PhD in computer science from the University of Patras, an MSc in information systems from the City University in London, and a BS in physics from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has worked extensively as researcher at the Ionian University, at UPatras, and on Greek and EU developent programs.

He also heads the Greek delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.