By decision of the Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and following an initiative taken by the Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos, an Inter-Ministerial meeting was held today at the Ministry of Finance concerning: the situation at Skaramanga Shipyard and the problems faced by its employees.
The participants in the meeting will be: the Minister of Finance Mr. Yannis Stournaras, the Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos, the Minister of Development and Infrastructure Mr. Kostis Hatzidakis, the Minister of Labour, Social Insurance and Welfare Mr. Yannis Vroutsis, the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Mr. Kostis Mousouroulis, the Alternate Minister of Finance Mr. Christos Staikouras, the Deputy Minister of Labour Social Insurance and Welfare Mr. Nikos Panagiotopoulos, the Deputy Ministers of National Defence Mr. Panaghiotis Karambelas and Mr. Dimitrios Elefsiniotis as well as other government and service actors.
The aforementioned meeting was also joined by the Chairman of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) Mr. Yannis Panagopoulos and the President of the Skaramanga Shipyard Workers Union “TRIAENA”, Mr. Vassilis Karakitsos.
Mr. Panagiotopoulos made the following statement after the meeting:
“By decision of the Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras, following an initiative taken by the Ministry of National Defence, a broad Inter-Ministerial meeting was called today at the Ministry of Finance, in relation to the initiation of the procedure for the immediate confrontation by the Government of the issue of shipyards in Greece.
We have been the accelerating factors. I would like to thank the Prime Minister, as well as the fellow Ministers and Deputy Ministers and all service actors who took place in this Meeting since, even though these three days are very intense as far as the governmental obligations are concerned and we are all aware of the reasons why, they responded immediately.
By order of the Prime Minister, already during the past meeting between the political leaders, I informed the President of the Panhellenic Social Movement (PASOK), Vanghelis Venizelos, and the Leader of the Left Democratic Party (DIMAR), Fotis Kouvelis, with whom the Ministry of National Defence has constant communication. Moreover, next Tuesday at 6 o’clock in the afternoon, our participation to the meeting between the political leaders has been established, in order to definitely confront the great issue of shipyards in Greece.
The Ministry of National Defence was an accelerating factor since in Skaramanga Shipyards, this very moment there are three submarines of a general order that had been made, the cost of which was paid off in the past. Due to the strike currently ongoing, because the workers have not been paid by the employers, there is a hazard as far as the maintenance and keeping of these submarines are concerned. In the shipyard there are three submarines from the contract which had been reimbursed by Law issued during the ministership of Mr. Vanghelis Venizelos, and one more submarine, named “OKEANOS” which is there for repair.
The first aim is to accomplish full reassurance for the maintenance and keeping of these submarines. Besides that, today’s meeting, with the participation of the Ministers also pertinent for this issue, mapped out the route we have to cover so as to confront the great issue of the future of shipyards in Greece. We should not forget that Greece is a pioneer in global mercantile marine.
Therefore, it is not possible for this country to have shipyards which are not operating and the people are unemployed or work by rotation.
JOURNALIST: Mister Minister, since you mentioned this three-day period, would you like to refer to your contribution in the framework of cuts?
P. PANAGIOTOPOULOS: The Ministry of National Defence, wishing to actively contribute to this national endeavour, the effort made by the entire Hellenic people so as to achieve the necessary measures and the required reduction of the deficit, has cut so far expenses of over 1,650,000,000.00 €.
Now that we are talking, a great and very difficult struggle is made so as to make further cuts. A very difficult effort is also made so as to offer equivalent measures in order to avoid further reduction to the wages and incomes of the men and women serving in the Armed Forces.
However, all these efforts must serve at the same time a fixed goal; to make cuts and save resources, yet to not endanger in the least the operational readiness and deterrent power of the Hellenic Armed Forces. In order to achieve absolute national security and full protection of the country’s national integrity and sovereignty.
