MP Ozgur Ferhat brings staff shortage crisis at Rhodope e-EFKA Office to Greek Parliament

Ozgur Ferhat, Member of Parliament for Rodopi representing the New Left party, has submitted a parliamentary question to Greece’s Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance regarding severe understaffing at the local e-EFKA office in Rhodope.

The parliamentary intervention, co-signed by other MPs from the New Left party, highlights growing concerns over delays in public services and mounting pressure on employees caused by insufficient staffing levels at the social insurance authority’s local branch.

Citizens Facing Long Delays
According to the parliamentary question, reports from local citizens indicate that the current number of employees serving at the e-EFKA Local Directorate in Rodopi is significantly below actual operational needs.

As a result, staff members are reportedly required to simultaneously handle two or even three separate departments and responsibilities, severely affecting the office’s efficiency and functionality.

The staffing shortage has reportedly caused lengthy delays in processing citizens’ applications, including procedures related to:

• Recognition of prior work experience
• Insurance and pension-related cases
• Administrative social security procedures
• Insured citizens are said to be waiting several months for the completion of their cases.

Pressure on Employees and Service Quality Concerns
The parliamentary inquiry also emphasizes that employees are working under highly demanding conditions, which negatively impacts both workplace effectiveness and the quality of public service provided to residents of the region.

Ferhat and fellow MPs additionally pointed to staffing disparities between regional offices, noting that other local directorates — such as the e-EFKA Drama Directorate — reportedly employ a significantly larger workforce.

The comparison, they argue, demonstrates the need for a more balanced distribution of personnel across regional public service offices.

Questions Submitted to the Labour Ministry
Through the parliamentary motion, lawmakers are requesting that the Ministry clarify:

• The official and actual staffing levels of the Rhodope e-EFKA Directorate
• Whether immediate reinforcement of personnel is planned
• If new hiring procedures through ASEP are being considered
• Whether staffing support through DYPA employment programs or temporary recruitment mechanisms is planned
• The timeline for potential future recruitment initiatives
• The MPs stressed that strengthening the local office is necessary to reduce bureaucratic delays and improve services for insured citizens throughout the Rhodope region.