15,000 Public Sector Workers Get Set For Exit

The number of people obliged to leave the civil sector are going to total 15,000 over the next two years, according to an agreement reached between the Administrative Reform and Electronic Governance Ministry and the troika. In an annoucement released Tuesday, and dispatched from the state news agency, 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 program 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 is going to 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) later 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 he was appointed Administration Reform Minister, instead of finding the names of 12,500 which was our commitment to the troika he 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 noted.

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