Greek Govt Accused of Dodging Democratic Oversight

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There was more to be angry about.

Some 80 million euros of the 190-million-euro financial package was earmarked for companies to administer the e-learning part of the programme, with 36 million euros going to seven firms approved by the Ministry of Labour to run the online platform. 

It soon emerged that a number of entrepreneurs behind the seven companies had close political or social ties with members of the ruling New Democracy party and some government ministers.

The opposition called it a "major scandal". Last week, Greek Prime Minister Kuriakos Mitsotakis called off the scheme.

The voucher fiasco is an example of what critics say is a lack of transparency and accountability as the government responds to the coronavirus crisis, rushing out policies and privatising the management of public finances.

"An emergency like the one we're experiencing requires urgent procedures, but this also means difficulties and mistakes that sometimes might turn out to be dangerous," said Andreas Takis, a law professor at Thessaloniki University and former secretary general of the Interior Ministry.

"This is the moment when democratic procedures and accountability ought to be pursued especially vigorously by any government."

This is the moment when democratic procedures and accountability ought to be pursued especially vigorously by any government.

- Andreas Takis, Thessaloniki University

Takis said that more worrying than the government's questionable policies was the erosion of parliamentary scrutiny in the midst of the pandemic.