A significant portion of our fellow citizens maintained and continues to maintain he illusion that Greek financial problem is easily manageable; that all that was needed to tackle it was a political change and abolition of the memorandum.
Some believed that if the onerous and anti-popular bailout provisions on wages, pensions and benefits were lifted and that the rich, elite, smugglers, tax evaders and in general everyone corrupt – who do not live among us, but rather in a parallel universe – would pay, then the crisis would end and the people and country’s happiness would be secured.
Life has not turned out that way though.
Without a memorandum and its provisions, without the consent and help from our partners and creditors, the country is running out of funds, the due taxes and insurance contributions are not collected with ease, expenses are difficult to control, growth is not secured, investments are not being promoted and on the contrary, investments that were ready to being are being abandoned or at risk of being abandoned.
Even skeptics now realize that the Greek people is huge and hard to sole, that it cannot be tackled with opportunistic alliances in the East, it cannot be resolved outside of Europe, without the country’s leadership and people assuming full responsibility.
The country has no luck if it carries on alone, outside the European institutions and rules.
It is already struggling on a day-to-day basis to avert a default, it is toying with the possibility of an accident, it has fallen prey to the unforeseeable and unpredictable, it is at risk of being expelled from Europe and threatened with being marginalized in the unstable zone of the Balkans, North African and Middle East.
Obviously, the political change is not necessary for the prosperity of the country and its people.
The proclamations and good intentions are simply not enough; after all “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions”.
Truth be told, the government and those in power need to do more and try harder.
Above all though, a sufficient, coherent and organized plan is needed, along with faith, hard work, determination and good housekeeping. And obviously measure, policies and a responsibility towards the country and its people.
When all of this has not yet been resolved, contact with the Greek financial problem is quickly spreading the cost to everyone.
Already and despite the abuse of propaganda, the new government is counting loses and sensing the people’s distrust and doubt. The distrust and doubt will multiply and grow stronger, so long as the sense of an impasse is being maintained.
As it would seem, the Greek people had to experience SYRIZA’s reality in order to understand the gravity and complexity of the country’s financial and by extension political problem.
Not for anything else, other than to simply end the cycle of illusions, so that the country and its people can regain a sense of self-awareness, so that the necessary rationalism can prevail, for a real shot at a rescue, regrouping and reconstruction.
Antonis Karakousis
