Government seeks two concessions on civil servants
Talks between Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and troika envoys on Tuesday reportedly focused on two key requests from the Greek side – firstly for an extension for a second round of 12,500 civil servants that Greece has pledged to put into a mobility scheme before the end of the year, and secondly for public workers who lose their legal appeals against the non-renewal of temporary contracts to be counted as layoffs.
Troika chiefs, who are to meet with Mitsotakis again on Friday, did not respond immediately to either request, according to sources, who described the atmosphere in Tuesday’s talks as “very good.”
Troika officials, for their part, expressed “satisfaction with the significant progress” made by government officials with the first stage of the mobility scheme. Greece has pledged to put 12,500 workers into the scheme, which foresees reduced pay ahead of transfer or dismissal, by the end of September. Officials say the government has finalized that list. Mitsotakis has sought an extension, until the end of February, for a second lot of 12,500 employees who must join the scheme.
Greece’s second request to the troika is that civil servants pursuing legal action against the termination of temporary contracts should be counted among the 15,000 layoffs that must be made by the end of next year.
Some 6,000 cases are said to be pending in court.
