ATHENS, Greece >> Greece’s public order minister resigned today over the deadly forest fire that killed at least 88 people in a seaside area near Athens last week, after spending days defending the way authorities had handled the disaster. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

Toskas had previously offered to quit after the July 23 blaze in the small seaside town of Mati east of Athens, but Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras refused to accept his resignation. The minister reiterated his desire to step aside again on Friday during a meeting with Tsipras, in a move that the main political opposition said came too late to appease the public. Interior Minister Panos Skourletis speaks during a handover ceremony in Athens on Saturday after being assigned the duties of Nikos Toskas, who resigned as alternate citizens’ protection minister following a public outcry over the handling of the deadly wildfires that ravaged eastern Attica on July 23.
Greek Civil Protection Minister Nikos Toskas resigns after a wildfire that killed 88 people and led to wide criticism of the government for its handling of the disaster.