According to the Greek Health Minister, Adonis Georgiadis, the 4,500 doctors of EOPYY, Greece’s main public healthcare provider, will be given the choice of taking up jobs at state hospitals or having their contracts terminated, helping the government meet its targets for the civil service mobility scheme and dismissals.
During his visit in Brussels, the minister said that the doctors have the option to work full-time in public hospitals or to have their contracts terminated, being able to work in the private sector if they want to.
“We are not firing people,” he said. “We are giving all the doctors the option of joining the National Health System if they wish. Any doctor that wants to can join primary healthcare. Whoever does not want to will choose the option of having their contract canceled.”
EOPYY doctors have been on strike since last month and decided to extend their action until December 19 due to government’s plans for dismissals. “It is not possible for the minister’s planning to start and end with the number of doctors that are going to be fired,” reported their union, POSEYP-EOPYY. Unionists, however, said that if Georgiadis is willing to negotiate with them without any preconditions, they would call off the strike.
However, this appears highly unlikely, as Georgiadis stated clearly that he totally agrees with the government’s policy and the demands of the creditors. “In fact, the memorandum’s schedule is very slow. We should be going faster.” he said.
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