The government and the Prime Minister personally are trying to convey optimism regarding the negotiations with creditors and partners and by extension the country’s financial prospects.
However, those closely following Greek and European affairs can see that the whole situation is complicated and difficult. That is simply because the creditors and partners have established positions regarding the Greek problem and will barely budge.
They have set as main requirements for the review the brave reform of the pension system and balancing our budgets for the next years.
These two goals are obviously interlinked. Balancing budgets depends on the sustainability of the pension system. The reservations of the creditors and partners stems from the resistance of Greek authorities to carry out broad reforms.
For them it is critical to enhance the public sector, reduce the cost and make its units more efficient. They are still reserved over the banking system, the management of non-performing loans and the adoption of modern corporate government principles, with partisan or other effects.
Aside from all this, the past experience is damning for us. All these years Greece has stood out for its delays and lack in implementing what was agreed.
For five years the Greek political system has given the impression of an unreliable and helpless partner, who agrees and goes back on his deal, always returning with his hand spread out.
This means that there is not much room for delays and retreats. In this sense the negotiations will be long and hard, they will not be a walk in the park, but rather a grueling struggle in an inhospitable land.
The only positive aspect of the present situation in Europe is that it is being tormented by the refugee crisis and phenomena of ethnocentrism and as such does not want to deal with the Greek complication, which will likely further encourage these trends.
Then again, the particularities of this period must not be underestimated.
Above all, the government and the opposition must act politically with caution and always based on national interests.
Even in these hard conditions, the country has the opportunity to find the path to return to normality.
All that is needed is for the political forces, first and foremost the government and Prime Minister, to assume their share of the cost and without hesitations or reservations end the crisis in the country once and for all.
It would be unfortunate if Greece were to slip again into the self-sustaining vicious cycle of politics and economics.
Antonis Karakousis
Originally published in the Sunday print edition
