Greece faces an immense, perhaps unique and increasingly urgent challenge. It needs to reform in depth, reconciling emergency measures with long lasting reforms. In the face of growing social and political discontent, the future crucially depends on the government's ability to link short term austerity measures with a long term vision and structural reforms aimed at restoring growth and improving the population's welfare. These reforms depend on a well functioning public administration. Strong measures, starting now, to improve the effectiveness, accountability and integrity of the public administration so that it is "fit for purpose" are a priority. The success of reforms such as privatisation, fiscal consolidation, debt reduction, tax collection and enhanced competitiveness is at stake.
This report analyses the issues, sets out the evidence, and makes recommendations for moving forward rapidly to strengthen Greek public governance.