The government on Tuesday announced a decision to transform the status of 40,000 staff with indefinite contracts in the “narrow” and wider public sector – including local government entities – into tenured civil servants.

A draft law including the measure will also include a provision allowing 6,000 individuals that passed previous civil service examinations – but were never hired – to fill vacant spots in ministries. State services will supply a list of such vacancies.

According to the relevant minister, Giorgos Katrougalos, the measure aims to fill major staffing gaps in the public sector through increased flexibility.

Asked about the prospect of Greece’s international creditors vetoing the nearly 15,000 state sector hirings and rehirings that the leftist government wants to make this year alone – from cleaners, administrative staff at universities, vocational school teachers to even school crossing guards – Katrougalos said:

“We consider that the agreement (with eurozone creditors) allows us to implement our program. If an issue arises, we’ll negotiate, but on the basis of our policy, and not on the basis of the memorandum commitments.”