Reluctance to shake things up
The European Union has made a suggestion that may help streamline the public sector and make it work more efficiently. A recent EU directive calls for the use of contract employees to fill posts in the public sector and local government. This is an important step in the right direction as it will ensure the legality of the hiring and operating process and deter further uncontrolled growth of the public sector, while also dealing with the problem of staff on short-term contracts who have long and vociferously demanded to be taken on full time. The Greek public sector, however, seems to be moving in exactly the opposite direction from Europe, as a recent decision prohibited the employment of contract cleaning crews by municipal authorities. It is clear that certain parts of the political machinery, at both a central and local level, is not at all eager to cede the power of being able to appoint who they want, as they want, or of being in a position to demand kickbacks for giving certain people favorable treatment. On the other hand, the state is rapidly going bankrupt because decisions are not made depending on what needs to be done, but, instead on what political advantages or drawbacks will arise.
