Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-27 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Real reform essential for overcoming the crisis, President Pavlopoulos says --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Real reform essential for overcoming the crisis, President Pavlopoulos says "Without real reforms, overcoming the current crisis is a utopian endeavour," President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos said on Monday, while addressing a two-day event organised by the Parliamentary Budget Office entitled "Crisis - Reforms - Growth". Such reforms cannot be spurious or superficial but must bring about real improvements to the economic and social environments where they are attempted, while they must also be followed through - especially when they concern public administration where continuity is a constitutional and technical requirement, Pavlopoulos said. It was common knowledge that Greece's public administration, due to the deep social and economic crisis, was an area requiring real reforms, the president noted. He especially emphasised the need for reform in public-sector recruitment and promotions, noting that staff selection and advancement must be based on merit and promote excellence. "Meritocracy, in the context of public administration, is the 'backbone' of an effective hierarchy, which is indivisibly linked to its nature and its mission," Pavlopoulos said. This meant that both the initial selection and subsequent promotion of staff must be based on purely objective criteria. In the case of senior executive staff, he added, this must also take into account the personality of the individual, not just formal qualifications and ability, but whether the individual was truly motivated to perform his or her mission successfully. Pavlopoulos also highlighted the need for public administration to ensure the continuity of the state, adding that this was especially crucial in times of crisis, such as the present, when there were frequent changes in government.