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Thursday, June 12, 2014
Finance Ministry’s Cleaners in Availability until September
The Supreme Court of Greece accepted the appeal of the Greek Finance Ministry. The appeal requested to delay a court decision ordering it to rehire its cleaners. The ministry had appealed to the Court in an effort to temporarily freeze an earlier Athens court decision which vindicated the suspended cleaners and ordered their reappointment. According to the Supreme Court’s decision, the cleaners will remain in availability until September 23, when the Court will discuss the ministry’s appeal. The Ministry claimed that the Athens court had no jurisdiction to rule on the case, arguing that the case should be handled by administrative courts. Moreover, they claimed that the suspension of the cleaners would benefit the country as the reduction of the public sector improves finances. The cleaners’ defense argued that they were dismissed without any compensation. They have also refuted claims that the reappointment of the cleaners will damage the State’s finances while they described the Ministry’s appeal as “unacceptable,” arguing that it is only permitted against final rulings. The suspended cleaners have camped outside the Finance Ministry demanding their reappointment. The Court order and a video released on Wednesday showing a riot police officer assaulting a 60-year-old woman has caused a strong reaction among the cleaning staff. Clashes Between Cleaners and Riot Police After the announcement of the Supreme Court’s decision, clashes occurred in front of the Ministry’s entrance between the cleaners and the riot police who were trying to remove the protesting women. Journalists and camera operators who were there, got also injured. The journalist Tatiana Bolaris, was transferred to the hospital after being kicked by a police officer in her back.