The Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece — The head of Greece’s Civil Protection Agency resigned Thursday in the wake of wildfires that ravaged large swathes of Greece and killed at least 65 people.
The government had asked Panagiotis Fourlas, 59, to withdraw his resignation before eventually accepting it, state-run NET television said.
He cited personal reasons for stepping down after serving as director of the agency for three years. He had previously served as head of the fire service between 2000 and 2004.
The government has repeatedly denied reports that Fourlas had disagreed with firefighting plans used to combat blazes across large areas of southern and eastern Greece in August that also destroyed hundreds of homes.
His resignation follows Sunday’s re-election victory by Greece’s conservative party and the government’s decision to merge the Public Order Minister, in charge of police and fire fighting, with the Interior Ministry.