Greek Premier launches committee on government reform

ATHENS, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced on Wednesday the establishment of a committee of Greek politicians and foreign experts, aiming at the modernization of the functioning of the government.

Lead by Minister of State Haris Pampoukis, the committee will draw proposals on the structural reform of the Prime Minister's Office and the government, as well as a new legislative framework for the functioning of government and decision-making process.

The team of experts is also expected to make proposals on the introduction of a transitional model to the succession of governments, a code of conduct in the Cabinet, and the selection of officials in positions of political responsibility.

Along four Greek specialists who were appointed heads of the Prime Minister's Economic Office, the Information Technology and Communications Unit, the Social Policy Unit and Lifelong Learning Unit, five foreign experts take part in the team.

They include Kevin Fetherstone, Professor of Modern Greek Studies at "Eleftherios Venizelos"and Director of the Greek Observatory at LSE; Richard Parker, lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard School of Governance; Roger Wilkins, General Secretary of the General Prosecution Office of the Australian Government and special advisor to the Australian Prime Minister. They will participate in the new committee.

Greenleaf Pagrotski, member of parliament and former Minister of Industry and Trade of Sweden and Jeff Malgan, former head of Strategic Planning of the British Prime Minister's Office will also take part in the team.