EC chides not compliance
The European Commission on Thursday said it has sent Greece a formal request to comply following the country’s failure to incorporate EU Directive 2019/1152 on “transparent and predictable working conditions” into national law. “With the new rules, workers have, for instance, the right to more predictability regarding assignments and working time. They will also have the right to receive timely and more complete information about the essential aspects of their job, such as place of work and remuneration,” the Commission said in its announcement. It stressed that the new rules are also expected to benefit, in particular, workers in precarious forms of employment. Greece, along with Spain and Luxembourg, was first issued with a formal notice on the same matter by the Commission in September 2022. Failure to comply with the latest warning within two months may lead to a referral to the European Court of Justice.
● Immunity lifted. A plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels voted on Thursday to lift the immunity of Greek MEP Alexis Georgoulis, who has been accused of rape and sexual abuse. The MEP resigned from leftist SYRIZA on April 18 after European Parliament authorities received a request to lift his immunity as part of an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse three years ago. He denies the allegations. In a statement, Georgoulis’ lawyer Stamatia Malla said her client had personally proposed to the competent Belgian judicial authorities that he appear and provide explanations, but this was not possible as the process of waiving his immunity had not been concluded. The plenary also voted to lift the immunity of MEP Maria Spyraki, who is being investigated for alleged fraud involving the EU budget. Spyraki’s New Democracy membership has been suspended for the duration of the investigation.
● Greeks abroad. The Interior Ministry said a total of 25,610 Greek nationals have registered to vote from abroad in Greece’s national election on June 25. Greek nationals living overseas will vote on June 24. In the May 21 election, 22,855 Greeks registered to vote, with 18,203 actually voting.
● Motorcyclist Motorcyclist arrested. arrested. A motorcyclist who hit a 3-year-old girl and her babysitter as they were crossing northern Athens’ Kifissias Avenue has been arrested, state broadcaster
ERT reported a few hours after the incident on Thursday morning. The child is in intensive care and her condition is described as critical. The babysitter, a woman in her 70s, is also in hospital, though with less extensive injuries. According to reports, the woman and child were trying to cross the avenue at a point near the suburb of Halandri that does not have a pedestrian light or crossing, when the motorcycle plowed into them.