The new law passed yesterday in Parliament marks a change of page in the Growth Fund and its 8 subsidiaries for the benefit of millions of citizens, as it provides for the radical transformation of their mode of operation and their transformation into "small PPCs".

As the Ministry of Finance points out in a related briefing, this is a law that comes to become an ally in the daily lives of millions of citizens and address at its root the inconvenience experienced every time they make use of the services of these organizations: From the dozens of buses and trolleybuses that are left stranded due to lack of spare parts and drivers to the postal services that are often unable to meet the delivery times of their consignments, etc. The examples of these pathologies are numerous and always have the defenseless citizen as the final recipient. That citizen who cannot get to work on time because the bus or the electric train is late or who is forced to pay for a taxi so that he or she can be on time for an obligation. An inconvenience that stems mainly from the serious dysfunctions of these organisations and their inability to function in 21st century terms. This law comes to remove the rigidities in recruitment and procurement and directly reinforce the agencies with the technical and human resources they need to serve, rather than torture the citizen. And it allows them to directly and competently recruit staff from the private sector in order to transform themselves into "small PPPs".

In addition, the new law provides that the HFSF and the Hellenic Investment Fund close their cycle and are absorbed by the Growth Fund, thus completing a long and painful chapter with the lenders. At the same time, actions of a developmental nature are included, such as the reinvestment of funds for the upgrading of ports and the establishment of the National Investment Fund with a permanent footprint in the Greek economy, thus investing in sectors that Greece needs.

Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis said: "The commitment to the "holy" public sector may have benefited some, but certainly not the many defenseless citizens! Our intervention for the modernization of the Super Fund and its affiliates has a pronounced reformist tone and responds to the needs of millions of citizens who suffer daily from problematic public transportation and services. No citizen wants their torture to continue! That is why we are therefore proceeding with the transformation of the subsidiaries of the Superfund into "small PPCs", with flexibility in recruitment and procurement and with trade unionists out of the disciplinary boards! With this reform, we are leaving behind the advocates of the suffering of the many and moving quickly to a new beginning, building on recipes that have worked. While, with the establishment of the new National Investment Fund, on the model of many other EU countries, we are providing additional incentives for development initiatives in areas with added value for our economy."