Greece's newly nominated Finance Minister Vassilis Rapanos resigned from the post on Monday due to his ill health condition, according to an official announcement.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has accepted the resignation, wishing Rapanos speedy recovery and thanking him for his "willingness to offer his services to the country," a press release from the prime minister's office said.

The 65-year-old National Bank of Greece chairman was named on Thursday as incoming finance minister in the new coalition government formed after the June 17 national polls.

Rapanos was transferred to an Athens hospital on Friday afternoon, shortly before his scheduled swearing-in ceremony, after a faint spell with abdominal pains. He is still hospitalized.

Doctors have not made public their diagnosis, but the banker submitted his resignation to Samaras, noting that for the time being he can not take office.

According to local media reports, among likely candidates for the key post in debt-burdened Greece are former interim Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, former Interior Minister Tassos Yannitsis and Yorgos Zannias, finance minister in the caretaker government that led Greece to the second round of elections after the first inconclusive polls in May.

Greek television channels, citing government sources, also referred to former Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas and Yannis Stournaras who served as development and shipping minister in the caretaker government.

Rapanos was due to attend the June 28-29 EU summit in Brussels as part of the Greek delegation headed by Samaras.

Both will miss the EU summit and the delegation will be headed by Greek President Karolos Papoulias, it was announced earlier Monday, since Samaras is recovering from an eye surgery for retina detachment.

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