There has been no more cynical admission since ages. SYRIZA MP, deputy Parliament Speaker and former Migration Minister, Tassia Christodoulopoulou admitted that her daughter was posted to the Parliament staff because she used some of her political connections.
Speaking to Alpha TV, Christodoulopoulou said without blushing that she took advantage of “some acquaintances, connections and so on” to have her daughter transferred to a new work place in the Greek Parliament.
Admitting that there is a “moral issue” she stressed that her daughter’s work in the Parliament does not cost the state one euro extra as she was working already for the state as employee at the Greek Post Service.
Christodoulopoulou is apparently not the only only member of the ruling party who secured a new job for her relative, short before the Parliament is dissolved and the country heads to snap elections.
Greek media revealed on Thursday, that at least 32 state employees have been assigned to new jobs at the Parliament, and another 32 were to assigned soon. Apart from christodoulopoulou’s daughter, there is also the former wife of Parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis and several relatives and friends of members of the government and the SYRIZA.
It should be noted that working for the Greek Parliament is considered as “privileged work place” due to a series of extra bonuses for the employees.
Speaker Voutsis said he was not going to apologize for anything, stressing that the new assignment to the parliament was a decision taken by SYRIZA, KINAL/PASOK and Independent Greeks/ANEL already in February. He added that there were 64 positions open and anyone could apply for it. The new replacement would not cost more to the state as the employees are already state servants.
32 work replacements cannot be revoked as they have been already published in the Official Gazette, however, the Prime Minister ordered the “freezing” of the remaining 32 replacements due to the outcry by the opposition and the public opinion.
Opposition parties and majority of media speaks of “pre-elections ρουσφέτια”, the lovely Greek word that translates into political favors.
Media also report that the majority of the 64 are teachers in elementary and secondary education.
As for the new hiring, also a good old Greek practice before the elections, two recently hired employees in the Parliament resigned from their posts on Thursday for reasons of “personal sensibility.” Both were hired since May 31, 2019. The two employees are daughters of parliament employees affiliated with SYRIZA.
PS That’s the way Greek politics work since the begging of the time – and until the end of it….
