The Special Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Institutions and Transparency approved, by majority vote, the appointments of deputy governors, as well as the president and four members of the governing board, of the newly established Independent Authority for Consumer Protection and Market Oversight.

Three deputy governors were nominated to the authority: Anna Stratinaki, responsible for the Consumer Ombudsman; Spyros Peristeris, overseeing the authority’s inspection and enforcement mechanism; and Serafeim Liapis, in charge of administrative, digital and financial affairs.

Addressing the committee, Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos said the new authority would serve as the country’s “single and exclusive supervisory mechanism” for consumer protection and market regulation. He stressed that the Consumer Ombudsman would retain strong institutional independence within the new framework.

Referring to the governing board, Theodorikakos said it would have a primarily advisory role, including approving the authority’s budget and strategic planning, contributing to transparency and sound institutional governance.

The minister added that the new independent authority could play a key role in strengthening social cohesion, protecting consumers and supporting fair and lawful competition in the market.