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- What are the supposed 16 “milestone projects” that will be paid handsomely for their implementation?
- Who are the 656 members of the armed forces who will share 820,220 euros?
- Retired officers will not receive a “Christmas bonus” from their pension funds this year.
- From January 1, 2025, a newly recruited Bulgarian corporal will receive a salary of 1,100 euros, while a Greek second lieutenant coming from the Hellenic Military Academy will receive 950 euros.
- 112 resignations in the Hellenic Navy in the first half of 2024.
- The Hellenic National Defense General Staff paid 37,000 euros to Opinion Poll for a survey on the reasons behind military resignations.
By Paris Karvounopoulos
At the last Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in September, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced an “increase” in night pay for military personnel from 2.77 euros per hour to 3.32 euros. This announcement caused widespread discontent within the military, with the government justifying it by claiming there was no money for anything better.
The same justification is used every time military personnel raise the issue of their extremely low wages. The answer “there is no money” is repeated without hesitation.
Data Journalists reveal through documents that “money is flowing” in the Ministry of National Defense, but it is only going to a few military personnel who are not serving in remote units, on ships, or in critical operational positions within the armed forces.
820,220 euros will be distributed among 656 Ministry of National Defense (MoND) employees.
According to the decision of the Ministers of Finance and Interior, a “System of Incentives and Rewards for Employees Related to the Unified Government Policy Plan” has been established. Based on this system, a “Reward for Achievement Motivation of the Unified Government Policy Plan 2023” has been established for the Ministry of National Defense for 820,220 euros. This amount can be received by a maximum of 656 individuals who have worked towards the completion of 16 projects/goals in the 2023 Annual Action Plan.
Reading this excerpt from the MoND document, anyone could assume that these “16 projects” are something very important for the defense of the country. They could be related to one of the programs for the construction of unmanned aerial vehicles, for which considerable funds have already been spent, but not a single one has taken to the skies.
However, in reviewing the tables available to Data Journalists, it is clear that none of the projects or goals have anything extraordinary or significant that would enhance the operational capabilities of the armed forces. They are routine tasks carried out by the departments that will receive the 820,220 euros for their personnel. Just how routine are they?
A few examples:
Goal: Utilization of the assets of the armed forces.
Project: Contract for the use of Eleftheriou Venizelou Street.
Project milestone: Publication of the tender on Diavgeia, the website of the Armed Forces Real Estate Utilization Service.
For a simple contract and its… online publication, a… bonus of 19,074.88 euros is awarded!
- Goal: To ensure the security of the country.
- Project: Recruitment of professional soldiers (EPOP).
- Project milestone: Issuance of a joint decision by the Ministers of National Economy, Finance, and Interior to launch recruitment procedures for professional soldiers in 2023.
- Issuance of a joint decision by the Ministries of National Economy, Finance, and National Defense.
- Issuance of recruitment circulars.
A bonus of 28,612.33 euros was considered necessary for all these routine steps.
Our tables show many improbable “project milestones” to “justify” various “bonuses” for personnel serving in the Ministry of National Defense.
When military personnel serving in Evros or on remote islands are compensated with 3.32 euros per hour for their night shifts, it is hard to understand the logic behind the “bonuses” for “milestone projects” as listed in the tables.
It will be equally incomprehensible to those retired military personnel who have been informed that they will not receive the “Christmas bonus” from their pension funds this year.
All of this is happening at a time when the military is “hurting” more and more due to the mass resignation of personnel. The main cause of the “great exodus” has been and remains the severe financial problems of the overwhelming majority of military personnel.
According to Eurostat data, Greece ranks among the lowest in the EU in terms of purchasing power, and with the cost of living constantly rising, more and more military personnel are forced to cover work-related expenses and travel costs out of their own pockets. To meet their needs, many turn to second jobs. They face shortages in medical care and struggle to meet family expenses, especially housing and child care. Mandatory service requirements, such as uniform maintenance, further strain their already limited finances, while any compensation is either inadequate or delayed.
In addition, as of January 1, 2025, a newly enlisted Bulgarian corporal will receive a salary of 1,100 euros, while a Greek second lieutenant graduating from the Hellenic Military Academy will receive 950 euros.
It doesn’t take much analysis to understand why military personnel are resigning in large numbers. However, the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (HNDGS) paid 37,000 euros to the private company Opinion Poll to conduct a three-month survey on the causes of these resignations.
In the Hellenic Navy, there were 112 resignations in the first half of 2024 – exactly twice as many as in the same period in 2023 (57). The quality of the resignation data is perhaps even more alarming, with increases that are cause for concern. Perhaps most worryingly, by the end of July, the number of resignations had already matched last year’s total.
One problem leads to another, and as the Panhellenic Federation of Military Associations points out, the mass resignations have begun to cause burnout syndrome among those who remain in their positions.
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