More than 20 years required for unemployment in Greece to drop below 10%


Wages have been reduced by 41 billion euros in the past three years according to a study performed by Labour Institute of GSEE, the major Greek private sector union, and presented at a press conference at Thessaloniki Labour Centre, today.

More than 20 years will be required for one million positions to be created and for unemployment in Greece to drop below 10%.

The study also states that dependent workers have lost approximately one forth of their income and if salaries keep dropping due to high unemployment pressure, their purchasing power will be reduced in half.

According to the study domestic demand has dropped dramatically to the level it was in 1999. Greece’s fixed capital stock declined between 2011 and 2013 for the first time since the end of the Greek Civil War.

 

 

ESM proposes transfer of Greek real estate assets to foreign company

 

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) proposed to the Greek ministry of Finance that some Greek real estate assets be transferred to a holding company based in Luxembourg, according to a study that was released today.

According to sources, the same report suggests a broader pool of assets to privatization, namely the former Helleniko airport premises, all property of the State Assets Company, closed hospital premises, edifices belonging to the ministry of Culture and the ministry of Justice.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras dismissed the speculation that the privatization agency (TAIPED) would move abroad.  "It will stay in Greek hands.” he said.



ERT journalists accuse minister Kapsis of underhandedness

ERT journalists blame deputy minister of Public Television, Pandelis Kapsis, for an attempt to divide ERT employees and “a constant and hopeless effort to erase from memory the authoritarian and undemocratic way in which ERT was shut down and 2,656 people were dismissed, against all national and European laws”. According to their announcement, Mr. Kapsis hides behind the signing of the dubious two-month contracts for the transition entity in order to dismiss the unlawfulness of ERT’s closure. Employees, who applied for a two-month job do not offer that “alibi”. Besides, former ERT employees in their majority have appealed to the courts claiming their dismissals were illegal.