There are many who doubt the achievement of the primary surplus in 2013.

They are the same people who react to the currently implemented restrictive financial policy and indiscriminately condemn every fiscal measure, whether it is the imposition of new taxes, or the restriction of expenses.

It is one of the main contradiction of Greek politics, from which quite often, lacks even the simplest of reasonable connotations.

To clarify: Those who react to the implemented financial policy should have recognized the achievement of the excess primary surplus, simply because it is the end result of the implementation of the many harsh measures, which they usually throw stones at and deride.

Either the measures are harsh and they result in surpluses, or they are not as harsh and there is no surplus.

We can’t have both at the same time.

In other words, it is not possible for the measures to be the harshest even and for the surplus to be made up.

And since Eurostat is going to confirm the surplus shortly, it would be prudent to put things in order.

Everything is rather simple and absolutely clear.

The troika, our creditors and partners, being suspicious ad they were about the Greek problem, demanded and ultimately imposed the harshest fiscal consolidation framework ever implemented on our country.

Because they did not believe the Greek administration, or the abilities of the tax authorities, they created a sure-fire network of tax and austerity measures, so that the deficits and debts could be managed in a very short time, at all costs.

Their unrelenting stubbornness resulted in the further entrenchment of the recession in the economy and the accompanying humanitarian disaster that followed.

Everyone knows the consequences. They have been documented and they continue to be documented.

However, the program was implemented, the Greek people proved to rise to the demands set by his governors, endured the excess burden and can now claim in Europe and the whole world that the Greek people live with what they make.

In any case the primary surplus is the result of the Greek people’s sacrifice and nobody can doubt that, whether in Greece or abroad.

On the contrary, it is time that everyone recognized it. Especially the partners and creditors, who must now implement everything they agreed to in November of 2012.

To offer a generous settlement of the debts, as promised, and pave the way for the Greek economy’s return to the markets. That must be the Greek claim and demand from now on.

It is the safest way to return to growth.

Truth be told, the primary surplus is the result of the Greek people’s sacrifices and is what guarantees the better days. That is why doubts are not allowed, only confirmation and praise.

Antonis Karakousis