Investigation into whether employees hired for cleaning services are being placed elsewhere

The National Transparency Authority's review process is currently underway regarding two separate cases involving the Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands, although no official findings or timetable for the completion of the investigations have yet been announced.

According to the standard procedure followed by the National Transparency Authority (NTA), after on-site inspections are carried out, documents and evidence are collected, clarifications are requested from the relevant services, and a report or set of findings is subsequently drafted and forwarded to the competent authorities. If indications of irregularities or liability emerge, the case may lead to administrative, disciplinary, or even judicial proceedings.

The first case concerns a complaint relating to employees hired under the ASEP 3K/2018 recruitment notice for the municipality's cleaning services. According to reports by aftodioikisi.gr and Corfu TV News, an NTA inspection team conducted an audit of municipal departments following a report that allegedly originated from within the municipality itself. The complaint alleges that some employees who were hired as street cleaners are instead working in offices or administrative services rather than in the positions for which they were recruited. The same sources report that inspectors sought out specific individuals named in the complaint in order to verify their job assignments and duties.

The second case is linked to the serious accident that occurred at the Corfu Municipal Theatre, when a 13-year-old pupil from a private dance school was injured after falling into the orchestra pit during an event. According to the family's allegations and subsequent media reports, the girl fell into a gap approximately three metres deep beside the stage, at a location that was allegedly covered with black fabric and lacked adequate warning signs or protective measures. The girl suffered a pelvic injury and was hospitalised at Corfu General Hospital.

According to information reported by local media, the day after the inspection concerning the 3K case, an NTA team also conducted an on-site inspection at the Municipal Theatre. The investigation is believed to have focused not only on the precise circumstances of the accident but also on the overall safety framework of the facility. Reportedly under scrutiny were the layout of the premises, the safety measures in place during the event, responsibility for the handover and use of the stage, and the theatre's general operational suitability.

The incident had already provoked strong public reactions. As is well known, following the pupil's injury, the theatre's operations were suspended and a public debate ensued regarding the condition of the facility's infrastructure, its operating permits, and its safety measures. Media reports further indicated that broader issues concerning the theatre's operation and the responsibilities of the services involved are also being examined.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS