The news unfortunately is not the best. Despite what many of the propagandists disseminated, at time that this line were being written, the progress in the government’s negotiations with the partners was “very limited” and seemed unable to offer the necessary funding or other concessions towards Athens.
On the contrary, the sings and messages from the powerful financial centers of the Eurozone insisted that if there was no significant rapprochement in the next few days, then Greece would be faced with the threat of further extending the limitations on its financing – at a time when the reserves are running out and the General Accounting Office is struggling to pay wages and pensions in the public sector.
Should there not be any real progress by next week, the European Central Bank seems determined to further tighten the grip of liquidity towards the Greek economy, increasing the odds of an accident of an undesirable default and the imposition of painful measures of controlling the movement of capital.
If this is the case, the economy will be in a very difficult situation and the country will be faced with an unprecedented social and by extension political upheaval.
The worst thing is that even now, despite the many official and unofficial updates and warnings, there is no shortage of clashes within the government, there is an indecision whether to go for an agreement or a rupture and the Prime Minister remains hesitant, as if he is powerless to impose his will.
Anyone closely following the political process within the governing party will know that there is no common ground between its officers, as demonstrated by their conflicting public statements.
Furthermore it is clear how “toxic” the Minister of Finances was, whose actions obviously undermined and continue to undermine any agreement.
In other worse, since the elections on the 25th of January, the country is constantly wasting time and opportunities, because the government is swaying between its responsibilities and its election promises, which it can neither satisfy, nor afford to ignore. By struggling with its internal dilemmas though it risks plunging the country in further national adventures.
Unfortunately many who see the Greek boat is in danger, but will not risk warning of a shipwreck, preferring instead the security of silence.
They must not delude themselves though, the silent ones and the Hercules of the new government. In national catastrophes nobody is secure. Everyone is exposed to chance and the unpredictable.
Antonis Karakousis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
