Hypocrisy of new hirings
It comes as no big surprise to anyone that public opinion in Greece is extremely hostile toward politicians. This anger is mainly due to the fact that even in the midst of the worst economic recession in Greece’s recent history and with the country on the verge of bankruptcy, Parliament, despite an announced freeze on new hirings in the public sector, is taking on new staff. Allegations that those being hired are «pals» of certain politicians and well connected to political parties have fueled negative public sentiment and sparked a fierce debate. Claims by Parliament Speaker Fillippos Petsalnikos that he is simply implementing the policies of the previous administration have done little to stem the criticism. In the public’s eyes such pretexts are perceived as ridiculous, considering the state in which the country finds itself, and merely serve to highlight the hypocrisy of the politicians, who on the one hand announce with great pomp and circumstance the monetary support for the country and on the other dip into the public purse as if it were their own.
