CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN GREECE

Abstract

The article, which is a result of Greek-Slovene scientific cooperation, analyses crisis management and leadership in Greece. The analysis is based on the general theory of crisis management and leadership, but taking into account national systemic and organisational particularities. The author first analyses the formal structure of elements of crisis management and leadership in Greece and then adds a critical analysis of problems, based on fieldwork. The Greek system of crisis management and leadership is very complex, since competences for dealing with crises are spread through various ministries, and the latter are not always logically composed in terms of the tasks that they must perform in a crisis. At the same time, relations between state, regional and local authorities are not always arranged, which causes difficulties in horizontal and vertical coordination of their efforts in the event of a crisis. The Greek system of crisis management and leadership, which some people even equate with civil protection, is very much marked by the role of the army in it, as is also testified by the fact that there is not a single civilian employed in the operation centre for civil protection and that often retired military personnel work in departments and offices for civil protection on regional and municipal levels. A special feature of crisis management and leadership is also provided by the Greek mentality and culture, especially the legal culture. Nevertheless, progress towards a more effective response to contemporary complex crises has been made in recent years in Greece, in part influenced by the cooperation of the country in supra-national structures involved in crisis management and leadership (Civil Emergency Planning in NATO, EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Afairs).