The Press Office of the Alternate Minister of National Defence, Dimitris Vitsas, commenting on newspaper pieces on the recruitment of associates in minister offices and, in particular, the Alternate Minister of National Defence’s office, would like to state the following:

 This is not the first time that such misinformation pieces come to light on the occasion of the filling of vacant posts in government offices. It is a fact that these “appointments” are necessary to meet certain needs in support of government work and are terminated at the end of the respective minister’s term. Specifically the Alternate Minister of National Defence’s office is staffed with the bare minimum number of political associates. Regarding the recruitment in the Alternate Minister of National Defence’s office mentioned in the press, one associate was hired to fill the vacant post of a resigned associate. Hence, it is not a recruitment, it is a replacement. In any case, the only thing of which New Democracy and the other opposition parties have yet to accuse the government is of not holding an open tender for the appointment of ministers!