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New Democrats Themis Sheimaras addressing Congress in a file photo from October 2019. [Pantelis Saitas/AMNA]
In a commentary published in Kathimerini on January 5th, my good colleague Pantelis Boukalas expressed surprise at the term “traditional entrepreneurship.” The term was used by his Themis Cheimaras, now a resigned New Democracy MP, to justify his company’s business dealings with the state (a prohibited practice). (according to the constitution of the active member of the Diet).
As we recently learned, between 2019 and 2022, an MP-owned company representing Fuchiotida in central Greece will sign 270 contracts worth €400,000 with municipalities and public bodies in his constituency. signed illegally.
In doing so, Cheimaras became part of a list of lawmakers who claimed to have ignored the law (Article 57 of the Constitution). A governor, administrator, member of the board of directors, general manager, or lieutenant of any corporation engaged in public works, research, procurement, or in the service of the nation;
Before Cheimaras was ND MP Andreas Patsis. He was actually a lawyer and was kicked out of the ruling parliamentary group over discrepancies in the provenance of his asset declarations. Further back in SYRIZA, who held ministerial positions at the time, were Alekos Flambouraris and Olga Gerovasili.
When elected to parliament in 2019 after the latest scandal came to light, Cheimaras said: I chose to continue on the orthodox entrepreneurial path. I don’t know if he really “didn’t think” of what the rules were, but it is true that doing business with the state is the orthodoxy of Greek entrepreneurship. am.
In a way it makes sense. A business person who focuses on the private sector of the economy must be a “maverick” if the state produces more than half of the country’s GDP. Especially when the public sector is expanding at the expense of the private sector. Has anyone counted the number of new organizations, services, institutions, etc., established by each government? You will need paper and stationery. Would any sane businessman leave state security to look for a private contract?
Moreover, in Greece it has long been known that business “national champions” emerge not through competition, but by inflating income through state procurement.
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