News in English - 29/08/2013
Civil Servants’ Confederation (ADEDY) denounces planned public sector reforms
Civil Servants’ Confederation held a rally this morning at Klathmonos square along with a work stoppage, in protest to the Greek government’s plans as regards the public sector.
The Confederation denounces the dramatic contraction of public services “through department abolishment or merger, especially in the sectors of health, education, social security and local government”.
Ministry of Education to issue “civil mobilization” in case of teachers’ long term strike
Secondary Education Teachers’ Federation will decide further actions within the day. Ministry of Education has let it be understood that it would issue a “civil mobilization” order for teachers in case of a long term strike.
Civil Servants’ Confederation stated that in such a contingent, government will find all civil servants and their trade unions against it.
German FinMin: “New bailout package for Greece to be discussed in 2014”
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble stated that the discussions for a new bailout package for Greece would be postponed for the year 2014. “This is not the right time for us to decide on the specifics” he told Westfalen Blatt. Mr. Schäuble maintained that there will be no new “haircut” of the Greek national debt.
P.Kapsis vexed by political parties dismissing “Public Television” – DT
Public Television deputy minister, Pantelis Kapsis, expressed his vexation on the opposition parties’ refusal to participate in the so called “public television” broadcasts. Political party leaders met with ERTjournalists and stated that they recognize ERT as the only legitimate public broadcaster and support ERT employees’ ongoing struggle.
Pantelis Kapsis described this stance as an “undemocratic” and an effort to silence a television station.
SYRIZA’s press release for ERT
“Mr. Kapsis’ provocative stance knows no limits” was the response of the Radical Left Coalition press office. “The question is how the minister can refer to “undemocratic attitude” when he, himself, is the political supervisor of the most undemocratic and illegitimate operation known to the country in the post-junta years, turned against public television and information distribution and ultimately against democracy itself.
ERT employees have succeeded to produce and broadcast a full programme under adverse circumstances and won the respect and solidarity of the major part of the Greek people. The issue of the public broadcaster is still open” concludes the statement.
Ministers accused of wasting public money in “Public Television”
Radical Left Coalition deputies addressed a question to the competent ministers concerning their actions following ERT shutdown, where they accuse them of wasting public money and opaqueness in the process of creating the entity presented as the “Public Television”.
Meanwhile, the Higher Court District Attorney asked for the ERT employees’ trade union accusations of non-declared to social security services labour in the “Public Television” to be investigated.