The 2010 Annual Report of the Greek State Audit Council has shaken up the blogosphere quite a bit. No wonder, when it contains some real nasty things like spending 8.200 EUR for leasing buses to transport municipal workers from the
provinces to Athens to protest an overhaul of local government.
This, however, is water under the bridge and we are now in 2013. The real nasty news would be if it were discovered that such misuses have not been stopped by now.
Have they?
This, however, is water under the bridge and we are now in 2013. The real nasty news would be if it were discovered that such misuses have not been stopped by now.
Have they?
The sort answer: no. The reason becomes obvious once you read the report. These guys go around the Greek state machine doing preventive enforcing of all paranoid Greek rules. If the letter of the law allows robbery they will go along. If the letter of the law (or if the minister calls-I have seen it with my own eyes)disallows the firing of a convicted criminal they will diasllow it. Most politically sensitive areas (eg labor unions)are officially outside their remit. They are status quo enforcers for the worst Greek habits. Their opinions (not so actions) can safely be ignored. If corruption magically disappears next year they will invent some in a way that will give reforms a bad name.
ReplyDeleteI was about to comment in the previous entry about Mr Stournaras plan. In Herr Kastner question what is the alternative to property taxation I think the answer is here: disband the Council. Fire them. Now. And all similar useless organizations. Otherwise you allow the enemy inside to run your plan This is a recipe for failure, doesn't matter how good you plan is. The problem is that I don't think that Mr. Stournaras or anybody else that I know of has the political power or even brains to do so. So we are left with troika pressure and the money pressure on the budget to do the job and for people to push as much as they can, until the next elections.And then th people muat vote for the disbanders.