Charges of a “clientelism” and patronage, but this time aimed against the only months-long Mitsotakis government, surfaced with a vengeance this week after reports of appointments of ruling party cadres and former candidates for Parliament as public hospital managers, including an 80-year-old retired educator tapped as the president of the main hospital in the central Greece city of Karditsa.
Hours later, Constantinos Pateras, announced his resignation from the Karditsa hospital, only days after assuming the post, in a letter to the relevant health minister, Vassilis Kikilias – whose portfolio includes the appointment of top administrators for Greece’s public hospitals.
Other media reports pointed to the now ex-hospital president’s age as 82.
The smaller opposition KINAL party also issued a statement on Tuesday charging “patronage”, while even ND cadres and MPs expressed their dismay.
In an acerbic announcement, main opposition SYRIZA party referred to “petty partisan” practices in the health sector by the government and personally by the prime minister.
SYRIZA and critical media coverage also pointed to local New Democracy party officials in the prefectures of Arta and Preveza being appointed as the presidents of the local hospitals, respectively.
