The Minister of Education, Kostas Gavroglou, referred to a “mutually beneficial” agreement, for both the Greek state and the Church in his article for the Efsyn newspaper.
He is convinced that the dialogue being conducted will provide convincing answers to the misinformation that prevailed in the past.
“We discussed with the Church’s Dialogue Committee the text that sets out the key points that will implement the framework agreement between the Greek state and the Church adopted on November 6. The plan records the important reasons why this historic agreement will be mutually beneficial to both parties as well as to the clergy,” Kostas Gavroglou added. He also said: “Following the dialogue, our aim is to ratify the agreement.”
Regarding the salary of the clergymen, he said: “The proposed regulation substantially improves the current situation, as the legal status and rights (service, salary, insurance, pension, etc.) of the clergymen are for the first time enshrined in the institutional guarantees after the ratification of the bilateral agreement.”
He also clarified that a special church fund for the payment of clergymen’s salaries will be established in which the state will pay annually the wages of the clergymen who at this time receive a public sector wage, in order to fulfill the obligation pursuant to the ratified agreement. Kostas Gavroglou mentioned that the Church’s Dialogue Committee has also discussed various details about the Ecclesiastical Property Development Fund.
Finally, the Minister of Education referred to “a sincere exchange of views”, after which, as he stressed, “We are waiting for the committee’s written comments, which we will discuss at the next meeting next week.”
SOURCE: ANA-MPA
