Capable people in the public administration

The public sector is under constant fire, accused of being problematic, unproductive, and often even corrupt. However, we tend to forget that, to a significant degree, we are the Greek state. Many are employed in the public sector and we elect the officials responsible for staffing it - and supposedly evaluating the performance of that staff and ensuring that everything is above board.

A few days ago, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke of plans to overhaul the Greek state. Indeed, a state that is not under the influence of politics and runs on the principles of meritocracy is a visionary promise made by every government since the restoration of democracy following the 1967-74 dictatorship. Often these proclamations sound promising.

The problem has no ideological color. There are many officials, from all the different parties, who sincerely want to change things,...