GREEK Prime Minister elect Antonis Samaras has declared a massive privatisation plan for the entire transport and energy sectors as well as dozens of state organisations in scientific research, arts, sports, education and social services.
Speaking last Friday in the Vouli (Greek parliament), Samaras outlined his coalition government’s priorities emphasising that he won’t be asking for changes in the EC-IMF-imposed Accords of barbaric austerity measures.
Union officials have stated that Greece would not receive loans until it has fully complied with the terms of the Accords.
During the election period Samaras, as well as the other leaders of the two other parties that make up the Greek coalition government, had promised that he would attempt to change the Accords’ terms.
Top of the Greek government’s hit list, supplied by the EC-IMF-ECB (European Central Bank) troika, is DEH (State Electricity Board), DEPA (State Gas Corporation), Greek Petroleum (ELPE), Greek Railways (OSE), and all Greek ports and airports.
In addition, both the water authorities of Athens-Piraeus and Salonica are to be sold off.
The proposed privatisation or closure of dozens of state institutions, including the all-important mineral research institutions, will make thousands of highly trained scientists and specialist technicians unemployed.
Samaras said that his government is planning to sack tens of thousands of civil servants and cynically stated that for every ten civil servants sacked or forced to retire, there will be just one new recruit.
The leader of the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) Alexis Tsipras said that Samaras ‘has put the Greece for Sale sign up’ and stated that the Greek people won’t accept the government’s plans.
