War of nerves between Maximou and Pangalos

The government is not at all willing to accept the behavior of Thodoros Pangalos according to the new line from Maximou, which has been authorized by the PM Giorgos Papandreou. Sources say that the vice president has entered a «special monitoring program» by the PM staff as it is clearly estimated that his behavior is damaging to the government’s work. They want to differentiate their position from his at all costs and during this period they have found a way out in publicly distancing themselves from his statements since, as it seems, there is no possibility of removal.

So it is no coincidence that within two days Pangalos received two disapprovals, official and undisputed ones. The first one came from Papandreou himself, who claimed that public servants are the “keys” to the changes, as opposed to the vice president’s statements about mongrels and slackers. The second came from government spokesperson Giorgos Petalotis, who dismissed Pangalos’ view on restructuring the state debt, calling it a personal view of the vice president!

However, the government is surprised at how Pangalos recruits the support of certain media to help him in his hour of need. And, as they confess, they are impressed by the connections (or interwoven relationships) that he possesses, contrary to the average government member.  

Cabinet meeting today

Today the cabinetl will discuss the issue of closed professions. The voting of the relevant bill until the end of February is the major obligation of Greece for the approval of the 4th installment in March.

The bill will describe the types of barriers that will have to be removed and will set a time limit so that each ministry can establish the details for the professions within its responsibilities through ministerial decrees.