Public sector

Return to meritocracy

There is a glaring contradiction in the way the country's political forces treat public administration: On the one hand, they denounce the appointment of inactive party officials to positions in the public administration. On the other, they seek to "criminalize" any remuneration to officials in the broader public sector deemed to be above average.

24-hour Greek media blackout ahead of general strike

Greek journalists have walked off work for 24 hours ahead of a general strike that is expected to bring the country to a standstill to protest against protracted austerity measures.

No news programs are being broadcast on TV and radio, while newspapers will not be printed on Wednesday, the day of the general strike.

Athens trolley bus drivers join general strike on November 28

There will be no trolley bus service on Wednesday, November 28, as drivers on Thursday announced their intention to walk off the job, joining a 24-hour anti-austerity strike called by the country's private sector union, GSEE.

City bus workers will also join the action in the early morning and late at night, meaning that services will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on that day.

Greek pension cuts in balance as EU-IMF inspectors visit

Hopes in Greece that it will have fiscal leeway to cancel unpopular pension cuts due next year are in the balance, sources said on Wednesday, as the first inspection visit by its former lenders since it exited its bailout began.

The country emerged from the biggest economic rescue in history in late August after almost nine years of creditor-mandated austerity.

Greeks still eating into savings

The prospects of social prosperity remain limited as the country is on a low growth course due to insufficient investments, the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) warns in its weekly bulletin. It also says the government should not go back on its austerity pledges, although households had to dig deep into their savings again last year.

Greek pensioners protest cuts

Greek pensioners are reflected in a shop window mirror as they take part in an anti-austerity rally in central Athens, Tuesday. An estimated two thousand pensioners took part in a rally to oppose government cuts to their pensions. [Yannis Kolesidis/EPA] 

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