Reforms will be completed, DM says
The reforms launched by ruling New Democracy will be completed soon Defence Minister Vangelis Meimarakis said speaking at a meeting of DAKE in Thessaloniki, the ND-affiliated trade union organisation, on Saturday. Reforms will continue at an even faster pace when New Democracy takes office for a second term, the former party secretary added. Referring to his new post at the defence ministry, Meimarakis said that ND is opposed to party politics within the armed forces, noting that "those who are capable and worthy will get ahead." As for the upcoming mayoral and prefectural elections, Meimarakis said that the best people for the job must be nominated. In Thessaloniki, those candidates are Thessaloniki Prefect Panayiotis Psomiadis and the city's mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, he said, urging party members to help in their re-election. Meimarakis also referred to labour relations, accusing certain groups of trying to upset 'labour peace' as a way of striking a blow to the government. "The government is right not to intervene in collective labour negotiations and is right to ask the Federation of Greek Industries (SEB) to improve its proposals in order to achieve 'labour peace,' the absence of which hurts society and the economy," he said. He also accused main opposition PASOK and its affiliated trade union organisation PASKE "for not respecting decisions resulting from dialogue," in reference to the voluntary retirement scheme carried out at the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE). As for DAKE, Meimarakis said that the group must maintain its independence from the party and the government. Finally, referring to the election of a new party secretary, Meimarakis said that he would help whoever is elected. Other speakers at the event included Macedonia-Thrace Minister Yiorgos Kalatzis, Labour Minister Savvas Tsitouridis, Deputy Sports Minister George Orfanos, DAKE Presidents Elias Perperidis (Private Sector), Yiannis Haidas (Public Sector) and others.
