The Word

Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou accepted the resignation of all 54 ministers in his Cabinet, clearing the way for a government shake-up in a political crisis over a bank scandal. The Cabinet reshuffle will be the second since the $200-million fraud, forgery and embezzlement scandal involving a fugitive Greek banker broke five months ago, leading to resignations of eight Cabinet ministers. Government sources indicated that Papandreou intends to use the resignations to purge the Socialist government of ministers implicated in the Bank of Crete scandal and attract waning support for his governing Panhellenic Socialist Movement. The new Cabinet is expected to be named today.