There’s plenty of fat to trim
The government is seeking ways to make up for the 1.8-billion-euro shortfall in state revenues, including the possibility of imposing more painful measures on the Greek people.
However, it would be absolutely criminal to reduce salaries and pensions further among the same small circle of public sector employees and to make the mistake of increasing taxes yet again.
The broader public sector has plenty of fat that can be trimmed off and a multitude of areas where costs can and should be cut, such as at state-owned enterprises like the Hellenic Railways Organization and the Public Power Corporation. However, for this to happen, the ministers under whose jurisdiction these come and the managers and directors at the state-owned companies first need to demonstrate their determination.
The fact is that the government can no longer avoid the clash with the mighty unions that represent the workers of these and other sectors, because putting these areas in order is the only way left to really cut spending.
