The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 10-07-06

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Fresh Data on Agrogi S.A Case

New data related to personnel recruitment in "Agrogi SA" have come to light. The company's chief advisor described recruiting procedures as "irregular and intransparent". Agriculture Development Minister, in an interview with NET announced the merger of "Agrogi S.A" with the Payment and Inspection Agency of European Guidance and Guarantee Funds (O.P.E.K.E.P.E) and the lay off of the 269 who were hired through illegal procedures.

Irregular & Intransparent Procedures

"Agrogi SA" chief advisor Konstantinos Pilaftsis described as irregular and intransparent the recruiting procedures of 269 employees in August 2009.

The then Agriculture Development Minister decision was in the form of a letter and not of an official document, stressed Mr. Pilaftsis adding that the decision did not refer to specializations required to carry out the difficult task of digitalization. This allowed the hiring not only of engineers and agriculturalists but also other specializations such as Physical Education and Literature teachers, cosmeticians and others.

Agriculture Development Minister K. Batzelis had requested hiring procedures to stop before the completion of the 2-month test period. Following a verdict by professor Spiros Flogaitis, however, the former president of the company ratified the recruitment.

The government intends to lay off the 269 employees after Agrogi-OPEKEPE merger as the recruiting procedures were illegal said Mrs. Batzelis. She said : " We abolish clientism policy contracts and not indefinite work contracts" and blamed former Minister S. Hatzigakis for disavowal of his responsibilities.

In response former Agriculture Development Minister S. Hatzigakis said under the umbrella of mass political persecution and the handing over of the project to private companies, all means of mass media project the list released by Mr. Pangalos in which some names have a family relation with statesmen.

Reactions

"If the two large parties did not have such disputes which would be their differences? This is our response", said the GCP general secretary Aleca Papariga commenting on developments.

"Recruiting their supporters is not news. News would be I they did not did it. The ND unfortunately followed suit with what PASOK did for years", said LAOS.

SOURCES: ÍÅÔ-ÍÅÔ 105.8-ÁNA/ÌPA

News item: 38229

[02] G. Papandreou: "Time for Solidarity"

Prime-minister George Papandreou chaired a broad meeting on narcotics at the Addictive Substances Prevention Center in Ilion, attended by 10 Ministers and undersecretaries. Referring to the Greek economy, Mr. Papandreou underlined that his government was putting in order the chaos it has inherited from the conservative ND party ruling and placing particular weight on the support of weak social groups. The Prime-minister underlined the need for decency and open-mindedness and not much money to deal with daily problems.

"Decency & Open-mindedness"

"The country is facing a grave financial crisis, and we are trying to put order in the chaos in extremely limited period", said the Prime-minister.

"The state is the seriously ill patient, the previous government did not respect the money of the Greek people leaving us with no means to sufficiently support citizens and weak groups", said G. Papandreou. He added "⦠for us financial crisis does not mean skip support to the weak, on the contrary we deal with daily problems as may of them only demand a different concept, decency and open-mindedness and not big funds".

"A sensitive state does its best to face the problem of drug addicts" said the Prime-minister, adding in the past there was not political willingness to deal with these problems".

The aim of the meeting is the drawing of a national plan to combat drug addiction.

Mr. Papandreou said that the financial crisis has an impact on public expenditures which demands careful consideration of investments using public money.

"Now it is time of solidarity", he stressed , adding that the government will be next to people when they are facing similar problems.

Mr. Papandreou said Greece was the only country with no programs for readmission of drug addicts into the labour market and repeated his position expressed in the past about separation of drug addict and drug trafficker.

Furthermore, the Prime-minister placed special weight on prevention and information which should start at schools . He announced the upgrading of the role of local administration in these issues through the "Kallikratis" plan.

Reactions

"The government's policy on narcotics is extremely dangerous. It continues financially throttling rehabilitation communities and program, as the ND government did. It has not taken any substantial measures for rehabilitation and readmission of drug addicts in the labour market , for drug prevention programs particularly for very young people. The government is only promoting commercialization-privatization of failed and anti scientific treatment with drug substitutes and division of drugs in to soft and hard drugs", says the GCP announcement.

SOURCES: ÍÅÔ, ÍÅÔ 105.8, ÁNA-ÌPA News item: 38222

[03] GSEE-ADEDY Strike on Thursday

The two largest labour unions GSEE and ADEDY are staging a 24-hour strike on Thursday, July, 8 the day the Parliament will pass the draft-bill on social security reforms. GSEE and ADEDY have organized a demonstration at Klathmonos Square, at 10:00 and next a march to the Parliament while PAME has organized a separate demonstration at Omonoia Square, at 11:00. Participating on Thursday's strike are civil servants, journalists, employees in taxation department, Social Security Funds and local administration , customs officers. State Hospitals will operate with skeleton personnel as doctors and hospital staff are also participating in the strike as well as employees in DEKO, banks and the private sector.

No Mass Transport

There will be no mass transport services on Thursday as buses, trolley buses, metro, tram and electric train employees are participating in the 24-hour nationwide strike.

Also there will be no suburban railway services on Thursday while Hellenic Railway Company will operate only social need services. For this reason, POS-OSE has recalled the 4-hour work stoppage announced for Wednesday.

Air traffic controllers have announced work stoppage from 10:00 to 14:00.

Lawyers have extended their strike for one more day, till July, 8 to keep courts closed on the day the social security draft-bill will be passed by the Parliament.

The Hellenic Confederation of Hellenic Commerce (ESEE) has expressed its support to GSEE-ADEDYstrike.

Ships will remain anchored at Piraeus port from 24:00 on Wednesday till 24:00, on Thursday.

Source: ÍÅÔ 105.8

News item: 38227

[04] National Exams Results Posted

On Tuesday, National Exams results for admission to tertiary education were posted on high schools nationwide. Many students and parents had arrived at the local high schools long before the results were posted. Education Ministry statistics do not show significant differences compared against grades last year. There is only a slight drop in tests graded from 18 to 20, slight rise in tests graded from 15 to 18 and also slight rise in tests below pass grade.

Sources: ÍÅÔ, ÍÅÔ 105.8

News item: 38206

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