Maintenance costs for the government’s fleet of armored limousines are in the realm of science fiction, bearing in mind the huge amounts that were spent at a time when the same people making these decisions were cutting pensions and social welfare.

Mere maintenance costs of the custom-made bullet proof BMWs used to drive around former conservative prime minister Antonis Samaras and socialist PASOK head Evangelos Venizelos cost 25,000 euros per year for each car. New tyres for the Mercedes used to transport outgoing President Karolos Papoulias cost 12,000 euros, whereas the Greek state is also charged 900 euros for their placement. The cost of two new bullet-proof windshields for the car used bu the chief of police cost 24,000 euros.

Service costs for the elite fleets skyrocketed in recent years as Greek taxpayers dug deep into their pockets to maintain the limousines. The cherry pickings of the fleet were two BMW 760Li HS bought in 2010 during former socialist PASOK prime minister George Papandreou’s tenure as Greek PM. They were intended for the ministers of finance and public order at the time.

Not even James Bond could have dreamed of owning one of the two super cars that could protect the top ministers inside from bullets, hand grenades, missiles, bombs and the odd yoghurt flung by a disgruntled protester. Priced at 750,000 euros, former finance minister George Papaconstantinou – the man who introduced Greece’s first austerity program – drove around in grand style, cocooned from the real problems of Greece all courtesy of the taxpayers of Greece (excluding those of his own relatives whose names he is accused of deleting from a list of Greeks who held Swiss bank accounts). 

Socialist PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos was the next to use the car from June 2011 thorugh to the national elections on January 25, 2015. The car he currently drives costs less than the annual 25,000-euro service that the luxury BMW cost.

The second bullet-proof BMW was handed over from former public order minister Nikos Dendias to Samaras. The annual 25,018.21-euro service was comprised of 17,650.51 euros for spare parts and 7,367.70 euros for the cost of service works. The cost of bullet-proof tyre replacement on March 19, 2013, cost 9,672.42 euros. The first tyre change in June 2011 cost 3,354 euros and the final change took place in July 2013 for 2,499.35 euros (tyre costs must have dropped). Another tyre changed in October 2013 for exactly the same job cost 2,372.79 euros.

The “twin” BMW by Venizelos was serviced on November 20, 2014, for 18,664.06 euros for the car parts and 2,000 euros for service costs. Three of the tyres were replaced in March 2012 for 10,396.35 euros, whereas the next change came in August 2013 for 6,536.64 euros for the supply of two bullet-proof tyres. On March 6, 104, another contract was signed for 6,433.77 euros for the change of two tyres.

Papandreou’s own transport in a bullet-proof Mercedes S500 L GUARD were just as expensive. A change of tyres in December 2010 amounted to 7,710.52 euros.

In June 2011, taxpayers paid 3,125.28 euros for the security service of the President Karolos Papoulias. In November 2012, ture replacement cost 9,415.48 euros. A third change of tures was approved on October 4, 2014, for 11,860.60 euros for four tyres and 945 euros for their placement cost. A change of tyres for the second security car of the president’s fleet was also approved, this time for 11,859.41 euros and 948 euros in placement costs. On August 2011 taxpayers paid 7,558.24 euros for spare parts and service maintenance, 10,613.04 euros for the same reason in October and 9,153.01 euros for the same reason in December. The changes of four shock absorbers cost slightly less of 20,000 euros whereas in February, 2012, 8,986.21 was paid for service costs. The same is the case for a bullet-proof mercedes that cost 10,446.59 euros, two shock absorbers at 11,453.48 euros and four new tyres.

G. Koutrougalos “We will proceed in an online auction!”

The service costs of Dendias who owned the cherry of the fleet, the other “twin”  BMW 760Li HS were not cheap. The service of his car in September 2013 amounted to 8,000 euros,whereas previous service costs were at  800 euros “for the cost of leather seating and upholstery”. He increased the security features of his Mercedes S 600. October service fees amounted to 4,788.44 ευρώ for the purchase of spare parts and 2,000 euros for mechanics fees. And the costs just never end…

An AUDI A6 used by the chief of the Greek police Dimitris Tsaknakis cost 23,946.85 euros to maintain with the placement of two windshields at 850 euros and 2,879.31 euros for the change of tyres.

Who will buy these cars?

The responsibility of selling half the government fleet is a daunting task that Administrative Reform Undersecretary George Koutrougalos has undertaken. “Of course, the bullet-proof BMW cars can’t be kept,” he says. “It is provocative (for the government) to have such cars at a time of crisis in the Greek community and the public sector. Naturally, Elvis Presley’s car would be bought nomatter how much it costs but I doubt that the car of Venizelos would have as many buyers. We will search everywhere and sell it. Maybe some magnate may feel that he is in danger and feel the need to buy it.”

An online auction is being considered so that the process can be relatively fast. Many of the cars are old makes. “In my ministry, I intend to keep just one of the ministerial cars for service needs, mainly for public relations such as the transport of foreign visitors from the airport,” he said, adding that he would use his own Ford Fiesta for his daily needs.

Tsipras is still driving the Audi A-4 that he drove as leader of the opposition and he has exhorted the ministers to avoid spending too much money in transport costs, sticking to economy class in official visits.