Kerameus

Supporting employment by creating well-paid jobs, reducing employer social security contributions, the universal application of the digital labor card and sweeping inspections for the application of labor legislation make up the blueprint of priorities the new labor minister, Niki Kerameus, is reportedly determined to implement.

Niki Kerameus officially took on her role as the new minister of labor and social affairs on Friday afternoon.

Kerameus noted that the ministry will continue to invest in the country's valuable human resources.

She highlighted that there has been a significant reduction in unemployment over the past five years, with more than 400,000 new jobs created.

A new incentive and reward system for public sector employees was presented by the Interior Minister Niki Kerameus and Deputy Interior Minister Vivi Charalampogianni during the Ministerial Council meeting Monday. 

The Ministry of the Interior is planning to carry out an internal inquiry to ascertain whether there has been a breach of privacy laws that allowed a candidate for the ruling conservative party in the upcoming European parliamentary elections to send hundreds of Greeks abroad campaign material to their private email accounts.

An opposition lawmaker on Monday called on Interior Minister Niki Kerameus to take steps that would satisfy a public petition for former transport ministers to be prosecuted for the deadly train crash at Tempe last year.

More than 8,000 Greek citizens living abroad have registered on the platform for postal voting within the first two days of its operation, while there is also great interest from domestic voters.

Registration for the June 9 European Parliament elections must be completed 40 days in advance, by April 29, 2024. 

A last-minute amendment tabled by the Conservative government to extend postal voting rights to expatriates in national elections was rejected by the entire opposition.

On Monday Greece introduced a bill that would allow for voting by mail, a long-standing request of diaspora Greeks and a measure that has been applied in almost all modern democracies. Interior Minister Niki Kerameus said the reform will make it easier to exercise the right to vote and will deepen democracy.

Interior Minister Niki Kerameus introduced an amendment to the postal voting bill in parliament on Monday proposing the adoption of postal voting for Greeks living abroad in both European and national elections.  

The announcement was made during the parliamentary debate on the legislation related to postal voting in European elections and referenda. 

Ahead of Monday's submission of a bill instituting the postal vote to Parliament, Interior Minister Niki Kerameus has described the stance of major opposition parties, which have accepted the measure in principle, as a "promising signal for our political system."