Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis announced on Wednesday the appointment of the economist Stelios Pappas, the father of Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas, as the new president of the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH). The company was nationalized beginning of July.
In a statement, Spirtzis said Pappas’s appointment was part of a broader attempt to boost the efficiency of urban transport in serving Greek citizens, noting that he had been thoughtfully chosen and calling him a “historic member” of the Left with “great experience in economics.”
However, the news sparked a storm of protest on social media, with critics describing the move as nepotism, noting that a large number of SYRIZA officials have appointed relatives to key state positions since the leftist party came to power in 2015 on a pledge to fight graft and corruption in the public sector. – kathimerini
After the outcry, Minister Spirtzis announced on Thursday, that Stelios Pappas will work without receiving salary.
