Meeting of PSAPP delegation and former football players Aris and PAS with Vroutsis

With the Deputy Minister of Sports Mr. Ioannis Vroutsis his delegation met today PSAPP and of his 45 former footballers Mars and his PAS Ioanninawho claim the recognized accruals of the years since the inclusion of the two PAEs in (financial consolidation) article 44.

The Association was represented by its President Giorgos Bandisthe Special Adviser Tasos Bakasetas and the Footballers Communication Officer Vassilis Papadopoulos, while the former professional footballers of the two teams are Angelos Charisteas, Andreas Skentzos, Yannis Katsaros, Thomas Kyparissis, Nikos Papadopoulos and Panagiotis Katsiaros.

The issue of implementing Law 3606 of 2007 with the payment to the footballers of €4,841,153 was discussed, half of which was given to them in six-monthly installments in 2008 and 2009, but has not been paid since then due to the fiscal surveillance the country was placed under.

Mr. Deputy Minister listened carefully to the side of the PSAPP and the footballers, recognized the right of our request and pledged that in the next period he will contact the Ministry of Finance in order to find a solution to the problem.

Giorgos Bandis, after the conclusion of the meeting, said the following: “We had an honest and responsible discussion, in the presence of a delegation of football players who are beneficiaries of the Law. I am particularly pleased by the words of the Minister about the ray of light on this particular problem. We are really looking forward to it. I hope that the commitment to effort will be realized and in the end it will be realizable. The meetings are important and especially today’s one has a weight, because there are several football players behind who feel the injustice from the state. The immediate response of the Minister has a special weight and I have to recognize this. I really hope that a solution will be found for these children, indeed their situation is borderline, the Minister knows that. We set a timetable to find the solution.”

Mr. Ioannis Vroutsis stated the following: “The effort of the Ministry of Sports is not only to deal with violence, but also to protect, justice and legitimacy in the faces of athletes. Today we had a very interesting, honest and responsible discussion with the members of PSAPP, about a request that comes from the past. We therefore jointly agreed to initiate some specific procedures in the Ministry of Sports, in collaboration with the Finance Ministry, in order to provide a solution to the fair request of the athletes. As I mentioned above, the specific pending matter does not only concern the Ministry of Sports, but mainly the Finance Ministry, with whom I have to speak, but I see a glimmer of optimism.”

Tasos Bakasetas, for his part, underlined: “I think that Giorgos (S.S. Bandis) is doing an excellent job from the position of president, he always prioritizes the athlete. All credit goes to George. He makes a great effort every day. Today’s meeting filled me with optimism. The Minister was honest in everything he told us, a few words. That’s what I wanted to hear in life the effort counts the result doesn’t matter. I was covered by what I heard, it was a new beginning and it is very important for me. Greece needs its sports to improve in many things. I think that some steps have been taken, we are here to improve the situation”.

Angelos Charisteas, European champion in 2004 and member of the delegation of former football players of Aris and PAS Ioannina, noted: “For my part, I have to say that in order to find a solution, two things are needed. First of all, there should be a person to listen and certainly there are people who have information in their hands, but also the problem to open a discussion. Today we had the pleasure and I say this because the Minister proved in a short period of time that he can make decisions and especially important ones and that is why we are here. If his personality was not such that we would have a meeting with him, we have a serious man in the Ministry of Sports. The second is that we have a problem that has been open for too long, but there is the Law and the process that we have to follow in the next period of time to find the solution. From our side we represent 45 families, we feel a great responsibility. I was very happy to see that there is a willingness to find a solution, I stand by it. We will follow the schedule and soon you will have a positive news.”