Minister admits transport appointment mistakes

Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis came under fire in Parliament on Friday for trying to appoint a CEO and a board chairman to three state-owned companies, which would have been in violation of legislation passed by the government recently.

Spirtzis admitted that he was wrong to appoint two people to the leadership of the Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA), STASY, which operates the metro, ISAP railway and tram, and bus and trolley bus operator OSY, when the government plans to streamline their management and merge the three companies into one as part of cost-saving efforts.

The issue, raised by New Democracy, was put to a vote and Spirtzis’s appointments were annulled by majority vote, including from an MP with Independent Greeks, the junior partner in the coalition government.