20.12.12
The Prime Minister expressed his approval of the budget, following the meeting with his financial staff at the General Accounting Office. The PM stated that “our good management has allowed us to grant special benefits, wherever there is a social need”, citing the examples of the heating benefit and funding of EOPYY, the national organization for the provision of health services.
Mr. Samaras announced that, following a new amendment, those applying for a pension will immediately receive 50% of their wages every month, until the process is complete.
Also, in the first week of January, a new law will be introduced regarding inactive accounts, which will be specially cataloged in the budget and diverted to vulnerable social groups. The PM stressed the importance of the state honoring unpaid debts towards private citizens, by stating that “it will give the markets mobility, like the oxygen in the economy’s blood”.
The Prime Minister announced that 300 million euros will be allocated to 1.200 pension lump sums tomorrow, at the Welfare Fund of civil servants in 42 municipalities across Greece. The government’s aim is to give money for VAT return, in order to fund the EOPYY for pharmacists and other health services. He also stressed that by the end of the year 1 billion euros will be invested in the market and that his government is to follow the same policy in 2013.
Earlier, after a meeting at the Ministry of Administrative Reform, the PM stated that “today we did not talk about layoffs, but administrative reform. 2013 is a year of rating services and skills, in order to make the state and civil servants as efficient as they need to be, so that we can all respond together to the need for restructuring, growth and the interests of citizens”.
The Minister of Administrative Reform Antonis Manitakis, when asked if the Troika has demanded the layoffs of civil servants in 2013 replied that “negotiations are ongoing. We know how to negotiate to improve our positions”. The minister revealed that the new ministerial organization charts will be ready by the end of the January 2013, adding that “superfluous staff will be transfered”.
Mr. Manitakis also stressed that a reevaluation of managerial staff will begin, in parallel with an evaluation of staff in municipalities, hospitals and other agencies. The evaluation will be conducted based on criteria defined by legislative reform. He also left open the possibility that for 2013 the transfer of civil servants might not be attached to suspension.
