The announcement to close 204 ELTA (Hellenic Post) branches has sparked a wave of outrage within Greece’s ruling party, New Democracy. Speaker of the Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, revealed that 30 MPs from his party stormed his office in a furious state, protesting the lack of communication and the way the government handled the matter.
Kaklamanis emphasized that this is an issue with social implications, going beyond mere financial and political concerns, and stressed the need for careful handling of such decisions. While acknowledging the necessity of reform at ELTA, he noted that citizens and employees should have been fully informed before any announcements were made.
Parliamentary Committee Meeting and ELTA Management
Following the backlash, the Speaker called a session of the two relevant parliamentary committees, which will include ELTA management, to provide answers on:
- The criteria behind branch closures
- The impact on employees
- How daily services to citizens will be maintained
Kaklamanis stressed: “When dealing with an issue that has social impact, you must be very careful. It’s not enough to announce closures and then say nobody will lose their job after the fact.”
Anger and Divisions Within New Democracy
The MPs’ reaction highlights internal tensions within the ruling party. Some criticized the government for a communication failure, while others emphasized the political cost in their constituencies.
- MP Dimitris Markopoulos demanded the decision be reversed immediately, warning of conflicts with previous ND measures from the Thessaloniki International Fair.
- MP Thodoris Karaoglou commented sharply: “We are always the last to learn about decisions affecting the local communities we represent.”
- MP Maria Syreggela and others demanded accountability and possible resignations from ELTA management.
The atmosphere was marked by intense debate, frustration, and political confrontations, as MPs stressed that citizens feel abandoned and social backlash is growing.
Political and Social Analysis
- The ELTA issue exposes deep internal cracks within New Democracy and highlights the government’s difficulty managing critical everyday services.
- This is more than a financial restructuring: it involves direct social needs, especially in rural and remote regions.
- The government is trying to shift responsibility to ELTA management, but both social pressure and internal disagreements indicate this strategy may be insufficient.
- Clear communication, transparency, and protection of employees emerge as essential to avoid political and social backlash.
Overall, the ELTA closure saga has become a political pressure cooker, forcing the government to balance economic restructuring, social demands, and political cost, while MPs’ reactions underscore the urgent need for dialogue and decisive solutions.
Source: pagenews.gr