The Ministry of Interior has completed its study on the staff needs of each municipality, which also notes how many employees are to enter an inter-municipal mobility scheme in order to cover needs. According to the study a total of 3,708 municipal employees are voluntary going to enter this mobility scheme, down from an original estimate of compulsory 4,500 transfers.
Based on the study the Municipality of Athens is thought to have 667 excessive employees, similarly to many other municipalities in Attica. Other municipalities, such as Larissa, do not appear to have excessive employees. The mayors have complained about the criteria used by the Ministry, as outdated data on employment is cited. The Mayor of Athens Giorgos Kaminis called an emergency Municipal Council meeting to discuss the Ministry’s “unacceptable” letter.
The study conducted by professor Dimitris Rapakoulias takes into consideration the population of the municipality (based on the 2011 census), number of municipal employees, municipal finances, municipal payroll costs and any specific particularities.
Meanwhile the central union of municipalities KEDE has expressed its objections to the voluntary inter-municipal mobility procedures, which are included in the Finance Ministry’s bill. KEDE reports that there are “significant changes” to what was originally agreed and claimed that the regulation “ensures the failure to implement voluntary mobility”.
