Politics of Greece

Laid off cleaning staff from the Finance Ministry staged a protest Thursday outside the headquarters of Greek coalition leaders New Democracy on Syngrou Avenue in Athens.

Protesters, who had tied nooses around their necks in a symbolic gesture, shouted slogans against their dismissal and briefly blocked the entrance to the offices of the conservative party.

As Greece’s new finance minister, Gikas Hardouvelis, prepares to face his eurozone counterparts for the first time at a summit in Luxembourg on Thursday, government officials insisted on Wednesday that Athens is committed to implementing reforms pledged to the troika despite suggestions by certain new ministers that some of the tougher measures can be avoided.

Six hundred university administrative staff who were suspended last year as part of a civil service mobility scheme are set to get their jobs back after an agreement between Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his coalition partner Evangelos Venizelos late on Sunday resolved a dispute between two ministries over the number of employees who should be rehired.

Six hundred university administrative staff are set to get their jobs back after being fired last year as part of the government mobility’s scheme in the public sector. The decision was reached by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos late on Sunday.

 Junior coalition partner calls for better evaluation scheme before public sector workers are dismissed

Andreas Loverdos disagreed over how many university administrative employees should be rehired after being placed in a labor reserve last year, with the remainder being dismissed.

The coalition has bought itself a few more days to settle a dispute over how many of the university administrative staff it placed in a labor reserve last year it will rehire this month but there are growing differences within the government over how and if it should meet the public sector targets it has agreed with the troika.

Former MP and journalist Aris Stathakis has died at the age of 71. Stathakis worked at a number of media but is best known for his work in the world of motor sports.

He was editor of 4-Trohoi (4-Wheels), Greece’s prime car magazine, between 1970 and 1974, and presented a car show on ANT1 TV during the 1990s. He also provided commentary on Formula 1 races.

Adonis Georgiadis will be New Democracy's new parliamentary spokesman, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said after a meeting between the two men in Athens Thursday.

“He is one of the party's worthiest, most skilled and most combative members,” Samaras said of the former health minister praising his willingness to push with necessary reforms.

Just a day after the new cabinet was sworn in, the first disagreement broke out between Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and newly appointed Education Minister Andreas Loverdos.

The head of Greece's co-ruling Socialist PASOK party, Evangelos Venizelos, was taken to hospital overnight complaining of stomach pain but is expected to be discharged on Tuesday, his doctor said.