Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-07-09

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Admin Reform Ministry releases schedule for civil service staff changes

[02] Poll shows slight edge of ND over SYRIZA, support for radical reforms in public broadcasting

[01] Admin Reform Ministry releases schedule for civil service staff changes

In an annoucement released Tuesday, the Ministry outlined the points agreed on for a final number of civil service employees that will be placed on a track leading to transfers or layoffs.

A first batch of 12,500 will be placed on the programme by end-September, with 4,200 of these definitely placed by end-July. The 4,200 include educators, school guards and Administrative Reform Ministry employees.

The first batch will be placed on obligatory leave of absence with 75 percent of their salary. If they are not transferred to staff other services within eight months of leaving their jobs, they will be laid off. Civil servants who do not accept their transfers will be laid off.

The Ministry also committed itself to speeding up the process of reviewing public service employees charged with serious cases of breach of duty, to maximize the number of layoffs of employees falling under this category.

Commenting on the decision ahead of his new meeting with the Central Union of Greek Municipalities (KEDE) on Tuesday, Administration Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, "We are trying to be as just as we can under the prevailing conditions. If the municipalities had done their work - had they followed their organization charts - we would have been more just."

Speaking to Mega private television station, Mitsotakis acknowledge the decisions were difficult decisions, adding, "However, we have estimated that the country will not collapse if we do not have school guards."

He revealed that "when I was appointed Administration Reform Minister, instead of finding the names of 12,500 which was our commitment to the troika I found blank lists. That was the situation when I went to the ministry; three days later, the troika arrived.

Regarding the evaluation criteria to be used for transfers, he said the main one was on what grounds someone came to the public sector, "through the civil servants selection board (ASEP) or not? It is a fair criterion. We aim at meritocracy."

He also clarified that the government would take into account other criteria, such as skills and social criteria.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Yiannis Michelakis met on Tuesday with KEDE. He said the discussion was fruitful and will continue. "Our first priority is the evaluation to proceed," he said.

On his part, union president Costas Askounis reiterated KEDE's disagreement on the transfer or layoffs of school guards and municipal police officers.

[02] Poll shows slight edge of ND over SYRIZA, support for radical reforms in public broadcasting

In a sample of 1,000 people surveyed nationally from June 25 to 27, 20.9 percent said they would vote for ND if elections were held now, whereas 19.4 percent would vote for SYRIZA. Extreme-right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) would be voted by 10.8 percent, followed by PASOK, a government partner, with 6.5 percent, Independent Greeks (Anexartiti Ellines) with 4.6 percent, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 4.5 percent and Democratic Left (DIMAR) wilth 3 percent.

Despite the fact that the majority polled (53 percent), especially those voting for opposition parties, believe that the collaboration of ND and PASOK in power will create problems between the two party leaders (Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and vice president Evangelos Venizelos), followers of either party believe collaboration between the two leaders will be successful.

Asked to comment on PASOK's remaining in government (after DIMAR left the tripartite ruling coalition), 46 percent of all voters saw the decision positively, a percentage that rose among PASOK followers to 72 percent. In terms of DIMAR leader Fotis Kouvelis leaving, opinion was negative, with 51 percent of all voters disagreeing with the decision, a percentage rising to 59 percent among DIMAR follwers.

In terms of the ERT broadcaster issue, 68 percent supported radical reforms in public radio and television, while 25 percent were against them.

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