ATHENS – A law passed by the former ruling Radical Left SYRIZA that blended technical schools into the same status as universities also was reportedly used to make sure political friends got hired to key posts.

Sources not named in the Education Ministry in the New Democracy government told the newspaper Kathimerini that hiring guidelines were tailor made to insure political loyalists got jobs, not those with better qualifications or experience.

That was done, it was reported, by setting the qualifications for a specific job to only one person to make sure others were excluded even if they were better suited for the position.

Education Ministry sources told the paper that the practice is especially prevalent at universities elevated from technical college status by the previous government just ahead of July 7, 2019 snap elections that saw New Democracy win in a rout.

“It is a sad situation,” the source said, referring specifically to complaints about the invitations of interest for two posts at the International Hellenic University, which unsuccessful candidates say were designed to make sure the jobs went to friends on the committee.

At the University of Western Macedonia’s School of Mathematics, meanwhile, the candidate chosen among 30 applicants for a recent post was found to be related to a department official but no names were given.

SYRIZA, which didn’t believe in excellence in education nor standards to get into universities or be required to graduate, elevated the technical colleges that had a far lower benchmark for students to that of universities.