GREECE

Though elections are largely fair, Greece's democratic environment is undermined by inconsistencies in the rule of law, discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, and widespread corruption.

The quasi-oligopolistic media market is subject to government influence, while a formally guaranteed access to government information is often impeded in practice.

Despite some successful fiscal consolidation, Greece's economic management has been largely ineffective.

Unemployment, structural and otherwise, remains high by OECD standards.

Businesses face tortuous overregulation, while the tax system is arbitrary, inequitable and complicated, and fails to provide sufficient public revenue.

Greece's socioeconomic disparities are among Europe's worst, despite successive social policy reforms.

The health care system is deeply inefficient, with uneven quality of care and acute regional disparities. Family support is based on traditional roles, failing to provide sufficient child-care services or employment opportunities for women.

The country's pension system neither prevents old-age poverty nor guarantees its own fiscal sustainability.

Greece's relative levels of defense spending have long been among the OECD's highest, due to persistent tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan regions.

The country has had troubles integrating waves of Asian and Eastern European immigrants, despite a 2005 law aimed at legalizing working migrants.

Long-term sustainability has proved problematic for Greek governments. Environmental policy is largely externally driven, shaped by the European Union and other organizations.

Bureaucracy hampers innovation and research, and education needs reform at all levels, including job training.

Student test scores and graduation rates are low, while universities are poorly attuned to labor market demands.

Strategic planning and scientific advice are not systematic elements in Greek policy-making.

The government office has only a limited capacity to evaluate ministry policy proposals and implementation. An RIA process was slated to begin in March 2007, but was delayed.

A polarized political culture makes meaningful consultation between the government, citizens and societal groups difficult. The government itself is often internally divided, with contradictory ministerial statements common.

Greek governments find legislative approval of proposals relatively easy. Presidential and court vetoes, though constitutionally possible, are rare.

More than 95 percent of government-sponsored bills were adopted during the period of this review.

However, the government has never developed the administrative capacity, expertise, or steering mechanisms to monitor policy implementation adequately.

Government efforts to adapt to EU and other international standards have been inconsistent, with delays common, and mismanagement of projects and misallocation of funds reported.

Greece has facilitated, but not led international security, economic, environmental and other projects. In general, governments have been policy importers, rather than exporters.

The Greek government only occasionally tries to improve its strategic capacity by changing its institutional arrangements.

These changes are rarely wholesale and often lack a long-term orientation.

Greece's deeply polarized political landscape makes meaningful dialogue difficult.

Citizens are often unaware of policy objectives and implications. The government and various interest groups often disagree bitterly, even over the basic facts informing policy choices. Private-sector media reporting is often of low quality.

Parliamentary oversight mechanisms are relatively effective, particularly in terms of summoning ministers and experts.