State tests watchdogs’ obedience
Seventeen independent authorities, most of them key regulators, are currently being inspected by the General Directorate for Fiscal Inspection in order to establish whether they are complying with the single payment system which pertains to the entire public sector. Another 150 public entities are also being checked.
According to data presented on Wednesday in Parliament by Alternate Finance Minister Christos Staikouras in response to a question by New Democracy deputy Andreas Psycharis, the independent authorities in the spotlight include the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT).
Other authorities being inspected are the Ombudsman, the Consumers’ Ombudsman, the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (DPA), the National Broadcasting Council (ESR), the Public Contracts Authority, the Competition Commission, the Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE), the National Commission for Telecommunications and Post (EETT), the Flight Coordination Authority, the Railway Regulatory Authority and the National Actuarial Authority (EAA).
Staikouras has provided written instructions to the directorate to proceed when necessary to the moves required in order to establish whether the authorities in question are complying with the existing salary regulations. If any of the inspections should come up with any findings that merit further action, the ministry’s Inspections Coordination Committee will examine whether further monitoring should be conducted at the entities that are not complying with the salary regulations.
Kathimerini is aware that public administration inspector Leandros Rakintzis has identified several violations of the single salary system rules by a number of state entities. Such cases include the Epirus Mining Company, a subsidiary of Hellenic Defense Systems (EAS), and the Industrial Property Organization, where the salary payments are much higher than the provisions set out in the salary system that applies to other entities in the public sector.
