Following the press release of June 1, 2017 addressed to all state institutions at central and local level, while following the situation on the ground, and based on the information received, through this press release, the Deputy Prime Minister wants to explain in particular for all Municipality and Prefecture employees who are civil servants, administrative employees or employees under contract, that they cannot attend any political activity or election campaign of any political party or candidate during official working hours.
The aforementioned employees, who are civil servants, can attend political activities after working hours, but they cannot express publicly their political preferences and beliefs. This means that they are not allowed to perform any action intended at campaigning in favour of a political/electoral subject or candidate, be protagonists in political activities or manifest with placards, banners or any other means in writing and publicly exposed.
We also clarify that, pursuant to Article 88 of the Electoral Code, sources of public bodies or bodies at central and local level, or any other body where the state owns capital or quota, and/or appoints the majority of the supervisory or leading body of the entity, regardless of the capital or ownership, cannot be used or provided as support to any candidate, political party or coalitions in elections. “Resources” means movable and immovable assets as provided for in Article 142 of the Civil Code, as well as any human resources of the institution. “Use of human resources” means the mandatory use of the institution administration in the electoral campaign, for electoral purposes, within the working time, as well as the compulsory and organized use in the electoral campaign of pre-university students.
It is also forbidden during the electoral campaign, to hire, dismiss and transfer employees to public institutions or public entities, except for legitimate cases.
Are considered legitimate cases, the cases when the movement or dismissal comes as a result of violations under the relevant legislation, or when hiring is done within the structure and body in power before the election campaign by the institution or the public entity in fulfilment of its mission. Exceptions are emergency cases due to unforeseen events that dictate the hiring.
With regard to the above, we call on the municipalities and prefectures, as well as any other institution at the central and local level, to take measures and fully respect the legal and sub-legal provisions during the election period, and we point out that their violations will have legal consequences pursuant to the law, which may lead also to criminal prosecution.