Outgoing KEELPNO chief threatens legal action over dismissal

The outgoing head of Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO), Thanasis Giannopoulos, vowed on Friday to take legal action against the government for removing him from his post.

Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis announced on Thursday that Giannopoulos was being sacked. The minister accused the KEELPNO chief of not cooperating in a bid to clean up the organization by blocking legitimate appointments.

Giannopoulos, though, accuses Polakis of drawing up the list of appointees himself rather than relying on a meritocratic process.

"I will use all legal means," Giannopoulos told Vima FM on Friday.

Polakis, though, seemed unmoved by the outgoing official's threat. He insisted that the appointments were made according to the process set out by the Supreme Council of Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP), which is responsible for...