Filenews 7 March 2023 - by Fanis Makridis
The number of members of the Police performing guard duties of current and former officials of the Republic remains high.
This follows from what a competent source tells "F" and our secure information. At the moment, based on the security needs of the President of the Republic, more than 100 members of the Police are serving in the special unit.
Another 130 members of the police force are seconded to the Special Service for the Protection of Personalities. In other words, they perform security and escort duties for current and former state officials, but also for other influential officials, such as ambassadors. Among the 130 of this Service, are the 36 police officers who have guard duties to the current government officials.
In total, that is, at least 230 police officers who at one time served on the front line of the Police, are entrusted with security duties of officials
This, often-densely, is the subject of debate in the police force. In recent years it has been put in the sphere of public debate especially due to the increased duties of police officers, but also the understaffing.
In previous years, there was a great deal of unaccountability, since there was a police guard even for relatives of former officials. In another case, members of the Police in charge of guarding a political figure were spotted in a field picking olives on behalf of the official in question.
Moreover, on many occasions it has been commented in a negative way that Ministers and other officials choose the police officers who would be seconded to their guard.
However, in recent years, the number has declined. Suffice it to note that in December 2020 there were criticisms and pressure from the opposition. At that time 252 policemen were seconded to guards of officials. A month later the Council of Ministers decided to reduce by 21 the number of police officers seconded to security duties. The then Minister of Justice Emily Yiolitis had received a guard with five police officers, while on her own initiative they were reduced to three. At the same time, the then President of the Parliament, Adamos Adamou, had inherited a 15-member guard from his predecessor Dimitris Syllouris. Mr Adamou himself, in a letter to the Chief of Police, asked that his police escort be reduced by seven persons.
At the moment, the 18 members of the Council of Ministers (ministers, deputy ministers and government spokesman) have two police officers in their service.
Yesterday, and with great delay, the transfers of the police officers were announced, who as of today are seconded to the guard of the new high-ranking members of the government. Only the Minister of Education, Athina Michailidou, and the Deputy Minister of Culture, Michalis Hatzigiannis, will have the same guard as their predecessors. Moreover, in order to accompany the Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Chatzimanoli, a police officer was transferred. The second member to serve in her guard will be one of the two that her predecessor had. In addition, two members of the police force are temporarily transferred to accompany government spokesman Konstantinos Letympiotis.
Yesterday, moreover, we had other transfers. It should be noted that on this basis, police officer A' Panagiotis Stavrou will be the commander of the Presidential Guard Unit, Ioannis Winter will take over the direction of the Criminal Investigation Service, while Panagiotis Kountouresis will be the director of the Police Academy.
