Greek gov’t prioritizes health sector, police hirings
Seeking to highlight his government’s intention to improve the daily lives of citizens as a matter of priority, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitstotakis reaffirmed his intentions yesterday to proceed with thousands of hirings in the health and law enforcement sectors over a six-month period starting this year.
According to an announcement by the Maximos Mansion, Mitsotakis, who convened an inter-ministerial meeting Thursday, has called for the hiring by the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP) – which is responsible for public sector staffing – of 2,450 people by the Health Ministry that had been planned but never implemented. Of this number, 1,116 will fill nursing positions as part of the bid to deal with chronic shortcomings in state health services.
An equally important goal is the hiring of 1,500 policemen in the DIAS motorcycle unit by the year’s end, as well as restructuring of the police’s Delta squad, which was a pre-election pledge by Mitsotakis so that “citizens feel secure in their neighborhoods.”
The meeting, which was attended by Finance Minister Christos Staikouras and his deputy Theodoros Skylakakis, Citizens’ Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias and Interior Minister Panagiotis Theodorikakos, also addressed the strategy for bringing the plan to fruition, as well as new hirings in 2020.
Meanwhile, the premier will also chair his first meeting of the Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) Friday morning at the Maximos Mansion.
Discussions will include the appointment of a new leadership to the Greek Police and the candidates proposed by Chrysochoidis.
Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos will also brief the council on a range of issues, which are expected to include growing Turkish aggression in the Eastern Mediterranean, while another topic of discussion is the possible appointment of an adviser to Mitsotakis on defense issues.
Separately, Greece’s railway services operator Trainose said Thursday it received a record number of applications for 70 available steward positions.
According to senior officials of the company, it had received 9,600 applications before the deadline for submissions expired last week.
