Government rapped over Parliament transfers

The government came under intense fire on Thursday over what opposition New Democracy described as old-school practices of mass hirings to the civil service and transfers of public sector staff to Parliament.

The outcry became even more acute when it emerged that many of the scheduled transfers to Parliament concerned relatives of high-ranking officials of the leftist ruling SYRIZA party.

Conservatives were quick to accuse the government of offering scores of jobs ahead of a snap election next month. 

The transfers were based on a regulation that was published in February this year and would have benefited, among others, the former wife of current Parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis, the daughter of Deputy Speaker Tasia Christodoulopoulou and a former aide to Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis. 

In the wake of the outcry, the government announced a freeze...