Even as one sees a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic of the international scientific community – and in particular news of a highly effective vaccine – the Greek political system must offer an accounting on two fronts.
Though it may not realise it, it is confronted with entirely new realities.
One the one hand the political system faces the intractable problems created by the rapid deterioration of epidemiological conditions at the moment and in the foreseeable future.
It must rise to the occasion and exhibit the greatest sense of responsibility by forging the broadest possible consensus and understanding so as to make sure that the country will be able to weather the storm with the least possible losses.
At the same time it must prepare for the new socio-economic realities that will emerge once the public health crisis has been transcended.
As distant as it may now seem, that day is no so far off.
The darkest hour is just before dawn.
At dawn, however, the terrain will be entirely different.
That is why we all have a duty to prepare for the day after, to look up and see beyond the pandemic.
The government has an obligation to step up reform efforts that have stalled with the pretext of the pandemic.
It will be disastrous if we exit the pandemic crisis only to find that the distance that separates us from other EU countries has become even greater.
