In the winter of 1964 the Greek State issued a bond loan, which it made available to the public. The government and banks bombarded public opinion with advertisements about the loans for days. The purchase and possession of state bonds was meant to secure wealth and provide a steady income to savers.
Unfortunately, the Greek people had a bitter experience from state bonds. And those did not know better, found out. Primaly they found out how this country is governed.
The government advertised the state bonds intently. Without television at the time, a large portion of the advertising expenses went to the newspapers. In an era when Greece was recovering from the verge of poverty, public life bore a lot of similarities with today.
The Minister of Finances at the time was K. Mitsotakis, who was responsible with making advertising payments to the various media outlets (advertising companies, the press and various others…)
The distribution of advertising had begun, when D. Maroudas arrived at the Ministry of Finances, who was the Press consultant of the Alternate Minister of Coordination, A. Papandreou.
“My minister” he said “wants a distribution list of the funding”.
“There is no list”, Mitsotakis coldly told Maroudas.
Two days later Mitsotakis received a phone call from Kastri. The Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou called and requested the Ministry of Finances’ catalog of secret funding.
“Give me a list, to whom you want to give… I do not give names” Mitsotakis replied.
It is worth remembering such little stories, particularly when it comes to tenders and contracts of public interest.
After all, a solution exists: we can copy the new rich before the next ultimatum.
Stavros P. Psycharis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
