The New Year wishes of the political leaders were typical and absolutely predictable.
The Prime Minister and Vice President were optimistic, while the opposition leaders were more ambitious.
Nobody, however, assumed the responsibility of clearly and stating the obvious to the suffering Greek people, without fear or passion; that the exit from the crisis will take a huge effort, dedication and a lot of work over many years.
The crisis that crippled Greece is primarily Greek. Nobody enforced it and nobody colluded to achieve it.
It is the result of a long period of imprudence and irresponsibility, both by the governments and parties as well as the many interest groups that were supposed to represent and express the Greek people’s hopes and wishes.
The near-perfect coordinated action of all representative bodies, of leadership and authority – institutional or formal, central, local, unionist or social, including the people who enjoyed, praised and justified any and all criminals – brought on the default, the consequences of which we all deal with in silence, simply because the guilt does not allow for much more.
That is why there can be no solution other than reinstating things and regaining the lost standard of prosperity with our own means.
In practice this means a long and arduous effort from everyone – combined and individually.
Anyone promising anything else is simply lying and perpetuating the crisis…
Antonis Karakousis
