120 branches of the Greek telecommunication organization OTE are closing due to lack of work but this will not lead to any discharges. The 250 employees will be transferred to other places within the organization. OTE’s administration announced that the offices will close because the commercial activity in them has curtly decreased and they contribute with only with 3% to the consumer product sales. From now on, the product sales will be done from the closest OTE branches or directly from the customer service center – phone number 134.

Besides that throughout all Greece, and especially on the islands, 34 new customer service offices will be created. In them, the subscribers will be able to pay their bills and to get information about OTE’s products and services. Those measures are part of the organization’s plan, which is active since 2006 and it aims to improve client service.

On the other hand, the employees of the organization are unhappy with the decision to close the branches and will have a 24 hour strike in front of OTE’s central offices today. The other reason for the strike is the 50% transfer of the organization to the German company Deutsche Telekom.

Form today, January 8^th, Deutsche Telekom takes control of half of OTE’s shares. The Greek government and the German company will participate with equal number of members in the board of directors of the organization. The government will chose the chairman and Deutsche Telekom will appoint the chief executive officer. Also a four member Executive Committee will be appointed. Its chairman will be the CEO, who will have the right for a double vote in case of equal votes.