9 7 ▁became ▁a ▁full ▁professor ▁of ▁political ▁economy . ▁His ▁teaching ▁focus es ▁on ▁Marx ist ▁analysis ▁and ▁economic ▁method ology . ▁St ath ak is ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁Vice - Rect ors ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cre te , ▁but ▁stepped ▁down ▁following ▁the ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁legisl ative ▁election . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁St ath ak is ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁H ellen ic ▁Parliament ▁for ▁Ch ania ▁in ▁the ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Greek ▁legisl ative ▁election . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁the ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁legisl ative ▁election ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁legisl ative ▁election . ▁ ▁St ath ak is ▁is ▁reported ly ▁seen ▁as ▁" more ▁market - friend ly " ▁than ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁colle agues ▁in ▁Sy ri za . ▁Alex is ▁T si pr as ▁has ▁reported ly ▁said ▁that ▁St ath ak is ▁is ▁" so ▁valuable ▁that ▁if ▁he ▁didn ' t ▁exist ▁he ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁invent ed ". ▁ ▁Before ▁Sy ri za ▁came ▁to ▁power ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁legisl ative ▁election , ▁St ath ak is ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁shadow ▁development ▁minister ▁in ▁the ▁Sh adow ▁Cab inet ▁of ▁Alex is ▁T si pr as . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁the ▁Fin an cial ▁Times ▁before ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁legisl ative ▁election , ▁St ath ak