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Hyper-ministry is expected the Prime Minister George Papandreou to draw before proceeding to a shift in the government. He will establish a government coordination center without reducing the importance of the Vice-Presidency of the Government or the State Secretary.

Mr. Papandreou will immediately proceed to the changes following the recommendations of the foreign experts commission on the “modernization of the functions of the government”, which was compiled in February under the direction of Harris Pambukis, says an article in Ta Nea newspaper. According to old speeches of the Prime Minister, he has found the Maksimu Megara, where his office is located, having only…“a gardener, a cook and a guard.” In this way he tried to emphasize that the structural system of his government needs changes.

The Prime Minister said he was ready to make the necessary changes seven months after the Commission of foreign experts was composed. He will establish a center in Maksimu Megara that will coordinate personnel, offices, central administration and institutions to make the government more efficient. According to the latest information, the Prime Minister most likely will appoint one chief coordinator of the government. For this post are preparing the Minister of Interior Yannis Rangusis and Harris Pambukis.  

This structural change will lead to shifts in government bodies. It will not be unexpected if a government committee will be established made up of 5-6 key ministries, which will be the most flexible body that will take immediate decisions. Furthermore, a commission for crisis management most likely will be established, which will intervene to make decisions in difficult situations such as the problem that occurred during the recent strike of private owners of tanks and trucks.

The encirclement of the Prime Minister considers that a change in government will be made in early September before the establishment of these two committees. According to the latest information, Mr. Papandreou is seriously considering to transfer the Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrisochoidis to the post of Minister of Economy. He himself has asked about it but there are no assumptions what post will take Ms. Louke Katseli who is the Minister of Economy at present. The fact that there won’t be a session of the Council of Ministers the next week, when it was expected the law on development presented by Minister Katseli to be discussed, may be an omen.

It is said that Mr. Papandreou will initially decide who would be the candidates for mayors and councilors in the upcoming elections in November and then he will create a new scheme of government. Determining for his choice will be polls of the popularity of different party members as well as ministers, which will be received in the central offices of PASOK.

* The foreign experts commission for government modernization includes Kevin Featherstone - professor at the Department of Contemporary Greek Studies and Director of the Hellenic Observatory at the London School of Economics, Richard Parker - lecturer in public policy at the School of Government at Harvard University, Roger Wilkins – Adviser of the Prime Minister of the Australian Government, Leif Pagrotski - MP and former Minister of Industry and Trade of Sweden, and Geoff Mulgan - former director of the Strategy Unit of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

 
The foreign experts commission is working on the following proposals:

1. Structural change in the services at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Government

2. Change in the legislative framework for the government functioning

3. Change in the decision taking procedure and consolidation of the referendum process in parallel

4. More efficient functioning of government bodies

5. Introduction of a transitional model when changing governments

6. Introducing a code of ethics to the Council of Ministers

7. Changing the Rules of the Council of Ministers

8. Evaluation and establishing procedures for recruitment to positions of political responsibility