Rena Dourou

Tensions between the government and SYRIZA on the thorny issue of an evaluation scheme for the civil service demanded by the troika intensified Monday with Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis suggesting that prosecutors might be enlisted to ensure that civil servants comply with the evaluation process in the public sector and rebuking Attica’s new SYRIZA-affiliated governor, Rena

An Athens court of first instance on Thursday deemed illegal and abusive a decision by the ADEDY civil servants’ union to prevent its members from taking part in an evaluation process, prompting the government to underline its determination to complete the assessment.

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Attica’s governor-in-waiting, Rena Dourou, announced Thursday that her first task when she takes up the job later this year will be a radical restructuring of the regional authority’s waste management plan.

The spokesman for ultranationalist Golden Dawn, Ilias Kasidiaris (photo, right), was remanded in pretrial custody on Thursday by the special magistrates investigating whether the party constitutes a criminal organization.

He was remanded on charges of illegal weapons possession with the intent to supply a criminal organization.

Local and regional elections conducted alongside European Parliament polls on Sunday produced a mixed picture, with conservative New Democracy prevailing in most of Greece’s 13 regions but leftist SYRIZA clinching the key governorship of Attica, which is home to about a third of Greeks.

SYRIZA took control of Greece’s largest region, Attica, on Sunday but candidates backed by New Democracy were victorious in the majority of the 13 districts.

Leftist candidate Rena Dourou edged out Attica Governor Yiannis Sgouros by winning 50.83 percent in the closest result of the night. It is the first time that a left wing party has taken control of Attica.

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis appeared to have held on to his seat in local authority elections after his leftist challenger conceded defeat, although the race for Attica governor remained too close to call late on Sunday night while a number of independents beat government-backed candidates in other key seats.

Greeks vote today in the European Parliament elections and the second round of local polls.

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis is to take part in a televised debate on Wednesday evening with his SYRIZA rival Gavriil Sakellaridis but a proposal for a similar discussion between the candidates for Attica governor fell foul of differences between the two hopefuls.