Civil Service Reforms in Greece : 1950-1964
| Author | Catherine D. Papastathopoulos |
| Published date | 01 December 1964 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002085236403000405 |
| Date | 01 December 1964 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Civil Service Reforms in Greece :
1950-1964
*
by
Catherine D. PAPASTATHOPOULOS,
State University of Iowa.
UDC
35.08 (495)
It was aptly commented more than a
lets was to guarantee that any ,promotions
decade ago that (1) :
of public employees would be made on the
basis of - merit ~. In 1844 the Constitution
No one in Greece seems prepared to
established a tenure system. The scheme,
maintain that the country is getting full
however, did not become effective because of
value for the money it spends on its
lack of secondary legislation and an inade-
administration or that the performance
quate enforcement machinery (2). With the
of that administration meets even re-
promulgation of the 1864 Constitution the
motely the requirements of the difficult
shadows of an effective civil service system
times through which the country is going.
began appearing on the administrative hor-
Since the time the above statement
izon of the modern Greek State.
was
Qualifica-
made,
tions and
more than a decade
a
tenure
ago, Greece has
system for judicial
made a concentrated effort to overcome its
emplayees, except justices of peace, were
administrative shortcomings and
established.
to set pro-
mising administrative goals. It is the scope
Further efforts toward the establishment
and purpose of this paper to deal with the
of a true civil service system were resumed
various reforms attempted in Greek civil ser-
in the twentieth century. By 1909 sundry
vice, to analyze and evaluate their accom-
pieces of legislation had been ratified estab-
plishments, and finally, to suggest lines for
lishing the examination procedure as the only
further development.
way to enter public service. Personnel coun-
cils established in the various ministries were
I
granted both advisory powers over matters
relating to promotions and transfers, and
GREEK CIVIL SERVICE BEFORE 1950
also decisive powers over matters pertaining
to dismissals of civil servants.
Furthermore,
The history of civil service reforms in
the first revision of the 1911 Constitution
Greece extends far into the past and is replete
incorporated provisions establishing ~ tenure
with examples of efforts to improve the
system for all administrative and judicial em-
selection and retention of qualified public
ployees and also a supreme judicial council
servants. As early as 1833, only twelve years
dealing with promotions, transfers, and other
after independence from the Ottoman Em-
administrative matters (3). In between the
pire, the first so-called x booklets of quality
»
1911 and 1927 Constitutions the first attempt
were introduced. The intent of these « book-
was made to develop a comprehensive civil
servants’ code. A committee was appointed
in
11
1917 to draft a code but the
Part of the information on which this
proposed
study is
scheme was not ratified at
based was
that time.
obtained during a short vidt in Greece in the
Later,
summer of
1963 when the author interviewed several
in 1931, a revised and expanded version of
government office. The author gratetully acknowledges
her indebtedneu to Professor Ded Wribht of the Political
Science Department. State University of Iowa, for his aid
(2) For a historical background of the development
and suggestive commentary on the preliminary work ot
of the Greek civil service system, see George Papahatzis,
this study.
Systema tou en Elladi Iskiontos Dioikitikou Dikaiou,
(1) Kyriakos Varvaressos, Report on the Greek Eco-
Athens 1952, pp. 282-285.
nomic Problem, Washington, D.C., February 1952, p. 24.
(3) Ibid., p. 284.
374
the 1917 proposed code was developed and
9.
The phenomenon of « over-centraliza-
adopted, but it was never enforced (4).
tion », the gravitation of field personnel
to ~ Athens.
During World War II and the German
occupation the Greek civil service deterior-
II
ated and the liberation period saw little im-
provement. The major features of the Greek
THE 1951 CIVIL, SERVANTS’ CODE
civil service system immediately after the
war were (5) :
The historical background and problems
previously cited laid the groundwork for a
1.
Political interference resulting in the ap-
major and significant action in 1951. In that
pointment of unqualified persons to im-
year a revised Civil Service Code was enacted
portant posts.
by the Greek Parliament. Also the follow-
2.
A promotion system based entirely on
ing year, 1952, when the Greek constitution
seniority with maladjustment of pay
was revised, some of the basic provisions of
scales and lack of uniform rules and
the new Code were incorporated into the
regulations.
constitutional document (6). The 1951 Code
3.
Excessive number of civil servants result-
covers about 60,000 out of nearly 75,000 em-
’
ing from the usual practice of keeping as
ployees, of whom approximately 3,000 are
many people on the government payroll
temporary civil servants.
It applies to all
as possible.
This philosophy had dom-
administrative employees of the government
inated official thinking for a long period;
and of government corporations, but excludes
it was an inadequate attempt to avoid
local government employees, teachers, and
unemployment in the Greek economy.
professors of institutions of higher learning.
4.
Lack of central personnel agency result-
Also excluded are the militarily organized
ing almost in the absence of competitive
segments of the government such as the
examinations and in a decentralized re-
military, city police, and agrarian police.
cruitment scheme.
It is
5.
An anachronistic classification
not possible to discuss all the
system
pro-
visions included in the
based
eight parts and 227
upon the qualifications of the in-
articles of the Code. Our
dividual rather than
comments focus
upon the duties,
responsibilities, and tasks inherent in the
only on the basic ones constituting the vital
elements of the new -
»
Greek civil service
position at a particular time.
6.
A
system. A first and basic task of the Code
very complicated and impractical dis-
is to create instrumentalities
tribution of civil
responsible for
servants according to
the
rank, with almost 30
proper enforcement of all laws, rules and
per cent of the
regulations pertaining to public employees.
public employees holding the rank of
There are three types of instrumentalities,
secretary-general, director-general or chief
(a) the
’
Supreme Council of Public Services
of division.
(Anotaton Symvoulion Dimosion Ypiresion
7.
A pecuiiar time system under which
-
ASDY), (b) the individual Ministerial
most civil servants worked on a 24-hour
Personnel Councils, and (c) the Health Com-
basis per week, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
missions in the capital of each province
daily (including Saturdays).
(nomos). Only the first two instrumental-
8.
An inadequate salary scheme with in-
ities merit attention here (7).
flexible salary scales. Public employees
were poorly paid due to the successive
Instrum entalities
waves of inflation sweeping the country,
although the salary system was subvert-
Article 2 of the Code establishes the ASDY
ed in several ways by family allowances,
as a distinct quasi-independent agency. The
pay for service on committees and coun-
Council is
’
directly under the general juris-
cils, and Easter and Christmas bonuses.
Finall.y,
(6) For the related constitutional provisions see articles
3, 11, 19, 34, and 71 in H. Marda-Virla, Ermineia tou
(4) For further information on the development of
Syntagmatos, Athens 1959.
the Code, see Michael Stasinopoulos, Mathemata Dioiki-
(7) The Health Commissions, unlike their United
tikou Dikaiou, Athens 1957, p. 270, and Michael Dendias,
States counterparts, examine and enhance the physical
Dioikitikon Dikaion, Athens 1957, vol. I, p. 237.
health of all civil servants. For details see N.S. Georgakakos,
(5) For a rather complete review of the major features
Ypallilikos Kodix, Nomos 1811/1951, F.E.K. 141, Tefhos,
of the Greek civil service system, see William G. Colman,
A’, December 1952, pp. 29-30, hereafter dted as The
« Civil
Service Reform in Greece »,
Public Personnel
Civil Servants’ Code, and Michael Stasinopoulous, op. cit.,
Review, April 1949, pp. 85-93.
p. 286.
375
diction of the Prime Minister, alone.
Its
With regard to the functions and respon-
members are appointed b,y- the Prime Min-
sibilities of the ASDY, the measure grants to
ister, through a complicated nomination pro-
it the following powers (10) :
cedure, for varying lengths of time, and they
1.
To advise over matters pertaining to all
are drawn from a wide variety of civil service
proposed legislation dealing with any
posts and various areas of Greek academic
aspect of organic positions of any govern-
life.
Three categories of members can be
mental agency, of municipal and com-
distinguished : (a) seven permanent members
munal posts, and of any governmental
who are appointed for life drawn from among
corporation.
the high ranking civil servants and university
2.
To
professors; (b) four
approve all ministerial decisions per-
temporary appointed for
taining to personnel classification and
a three-year term.
One of them is drawn
conditions of all
from
governmental agencies,
among the faculty of Law School of the
which cannot be
University of Athens, and the other three
put into effect without
the Council’s approval.
are drawn from among those general-directors
of the various ministries who
3.
To conduct studies
are under civil
relating to public
service; and finally, (c) seven assessor...
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