Last Update: 12.25
Cabinet meeting underway. At the forefront is the acceleration of recruitment, through ASEP. “Our initiatives will move in this direction.”
At the top of the agenda are the daily issues of citizens, the cabinet is currently meeting at Megaros Maximos.
In his introduction, the prime minister focused in particular on the battle of the state apparatus with the flaming fields, but also on the government changes, with the aim of speeding up recruitment in the public sector, through the ASEP.
“We have already identified the historical pathologies that still prevent the implementation of the reforms, so that they are not immediately visible to the citizen… We decide every year on the annual allocation of the appointments, but in practice this is undermined by complicated, mostly manual procedures, which do not correspond to their needs or their urgent characteristics… We aim to complete everything much sooner than refuse after that the supporting documents will be checked digitally, through internal cross-checks… Everyone who is interested will be able to do their paperwork and pass the tests regardless of whether there is a relevant competition at that time…” noted Mr. . “These are important steps and in this way we support the top team selection board which has proven over the years that it can keep the procedures intact. added.
On the front of the fires, the Prime Minister repeated the message that the hard times are ahead, emphasizing the fact that the state is “present” in hundreds of outbreaks throughout the territory and thanking the frontline team all for the very important work. they do they did, as he said typically.
“It’s clear that this battle will continue as we enter the heart of the fire prevention season, and it certainly won’t be won without the help of the citizens. Especially in the area of prevention… That’s why it was decided to do. to expand the clearing of the plots… There is nothing more useful than the early preparation and participation of the citizen in the collective defense of natural hazards.. The land clearing measure is implemented for the first time and it is logical that it presented some initial numbers.But I also think that these weaknesses in no way diminish its importance…I am emphasizing that the difficult things are still ahead and this requires the best possible coordination between all the services…” , he pointed out.
The Prime Minister’s full proposal is as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, good day. Our meeting today, unfortunately, is in the middle of the conflict with the fires, which are testing the country again this year. The state is “present” from the first moment in hundreds of outbreaks, throughout the territory, but we had a particularly difficult June in terms of weather conditions, with high drought and unusually high winds for this time.
And I would like to start, dear Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, by thanking all the front team for the great work they have done over the last few days, but it is clear to draw our attention again to summer is predicted. it is extremely dangerous.
But I believe that we have seen much better coordination these days, we have seen very early intervention from the Fire Department, we have seen for the first time the great importance of drones for the early detection of fires. I think we saw better coordination between Police, Local Government and volunteers and I think the result of this effort was that, despite the difficult conditions, the burnt areas and damages were limited in relation to the extent of the threat.
I have tentatively searched for the data from the two very difficult fires in Parnitha and Stamata. In each of the two fires, the acreage ultimately burned appears to be less than 1,000 acres.
But it is clear that this battle will last. We are now entering the heart of the firefighting season and it will certainly not be won without the help of the citizens, especially in the area of prevention.
This is why the Ministry of Civil Defense has decided to extend the deadline for clearing the plots that fall under the Ministry of Civil Defense’s provision. We refer mainly to the plots that are within the plan, within the boundaries of the settlement.
We are extending the deadline for another 15 days, because the state forces may be more ready this year, our legal arsenal may be stronger, but nothing – this has been proven in practice – is more useful is the early preparation and participation of citizens in collective defense against natural hazards.
I would like to stress that the land clearance measure is being implemented for the first time in our country in this way. It stands to reason, I would say, that he showed some initial arrhythmias, but even I think that these weaknesses do not reduce their importance at all. More than 500,000 plots of land, for areas of all sizes, have already been declared on the relevant platform. Of course, our goal is to increase this number even more, even if we are already in the heart of the fire season.
I think that, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and the Local Government, we have started to eliminate the accumulated branches, especially in the regions of Attica, so that they do not become potential sources of fire.
So, Minister, you will talk to us and then you will present us with a bit more detailed information there, but I stress that the difficult things are still ahead of us and of course this requires the best possible coordination between the services all: the Armed Forces, the Police, our Forestry Services. I think we have made a very significant difference there, with a much better presence of forest officers in the field.
From the first moment I remember, due to our own decision to transfer the Forestry Services, to transfer their responsibility to the Ministry of the Environment. And I think this is an intervention that has already shown significant results, if we combine it with the important work that the Ministry has done at the level of organized prevention, using significant resources from the Recovery Fund.
The Recovery Fund will also be the subject of our meeting today, as the Deputy Minister, Mr. Papathanis, will present the overall progress on the implementation of the projects financed by the Recovery Fund. As you well know, there are very specific and very tough milestones that must be met, but I think it’s good, at Cabinet level, that you all have an overall picture of process progress the Recovery Fund, so you know even better. the importance of achieving individual milestones in the collective progress of this vital funding tool.
We will also discuss other issues related to everyday life, following the decision we took regarding the extraordinary taxation of refineries to support our weaker fellow citizens.
Our focus is on improving critical state functions. We have already had the first substantive meeting with the Ministry of the Interior on the issue that I know concerns you all, which is simply the acceleration of appointments. I think we have already identified the historical pathologies that still prevent the implementation of the reforms, so that they are not directly visible to the citizen.
We in the Council of Ministers often decide each year on the annual allocation of appointments. In practice, however, this decision, which we all make together, is ultimately undermined by complex bureaucratic, largely manual procedures that do not respond to their urgent needs and characteristics.
In this context, the Minister and the Deputy Minister of the Interior will propose a series of interventions aimed at removing such obstacles. Basically, that is, phenomena that cause a person to be delayed in accepting his duties in the State, or even that he does not appear when the time comes for his official recruitment.
Our pursuit is simple: to do everything much faster. Candidates – I mention only a few indicative examples of the interventions that will be carried out – will declare from the beginning the specific position they are interested in, so that they do not reject it later. It will be possible to check vouchers digitally, through internal cross-checks and with the support of the equally competent Ministry, which is responsible for digital reforms.
And of course, everyone who is interested will do their paperwork and pass the relevant tests regardless of whether there is a relevant competition going on at that time. They are important steps in the modernization of ASEP procedures.
I emphasize that in this way we are supporting the Supreme Staff Selection Board, which I think has proven over the years that it can guarantee the integrity of the procedures. Our aim now, however, is to speed up the relevant procedures, and the initiatives planned by the Ministry will move in that direction.
I have already spoken about the Recovery Fund, I will only share one more idea with you: if the overall absorption of the Recovery Fund resources is successful, with measurable results that will support development, infrastructure improvement, the creation of quality jobs, the reduction. Regarding inequalities, the more we strengthen our argument at the European level that the Recovery Fund should not only be a unique tool created after the corona virus, but that it could also find a successor at some point in the future.
In order to do that, not only for Greece, however, every country must prove to those who are more “accessible” in terms of decisions concerning the European Union as a whole regarding the financing of such initiatives, that it is possible such initiatives to actually take place.
That is why I think we all have an obligation to strengthen the work that Mr. Papathansis is doing, so that we do not delay and that we implement the reforms and that we are ready for the many milestones that still lie ahead of us.