Draft bill to rip away red tape
The laborious paper chase that most Greeks are forced to embark on in many dealings with the public sector could be radically reduced under a draft bill unveiled by the government yesterday. Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said the planned legislation would slash the number of official documents required for most transactions, while delays of over 50 days on the part of the civil service will entitle applicants to full compensation. Members of the public will be able to do most of their paperwork through the Citizens’ Service Centers (KEP), which will bear the onus of most of the paper chase – much of which will be conducted by computer. And Greeks will no longer be forced to resubmit certain papers that do not change over the course of time – such as birth certificates – for the renewal of official documents, or when these papers have already been tabled with certain other civil service branches. The draft bill also envisages stiffer penalties for civil servants found guilty of breach of faith, or who refuse to cooperate with the State Ombudsman.
