Our electoral choice is the talk of the day. Each party tries to convince that this is a black and white choice, where white is the party in question and black are all other parties. New Democracy of Mr. Meimarakis is an exception. It sees all others as grey. But the real choice is fairly simple: Shall we play elections on a chess board or with dice? Shall we risk everything in the hope of breaking even or shall we put our brains to work, for a change? Shall we vote positively or negatively? By common sense this is a false dilemma. Shall we allow common sense work, for once?
The author of these lines has worked, both at the City as a shipping executive and an investment banker as well as a member of the European Commission in Brussels. I shall try therefore to put the argument in a realistic context.
Which world we want to live in? In the EU, within the framework of a social market economy, or in a strictly Marxist and statist regime, as a kind of North Korea of South Eastern Europe? Let SYRIZA not complain because its seven-month record in power absolutely confirms this analysis. Simply refer to their statement that “excellence in education is a smudge” or to their fierce resistance to the privatisation of any section of the counter-productive, corrupt public sector.
SYRIZA, LAE[1], Golden Dawn[2], and the Communist Party, by their statements, do not go together with Europe. Mr. Tsipras in particular states this in dramatic tones as he continually “bleeds” in his fights with Europe, be it the final and only negotiation of 12 July or the humiliation of the indescribable Mr. Varoufakis in the Eurogroup. The purported European course of Mr. Tsipras clashes with his so many “bleedings” and his Don Quixotic battles against the European institutions. Either he negotiates as an equal within the European family, or he fights Europe. Doing both is impossible.
On the other side, we have the parties of the so-called European arc. ND, PASOK and POTAMI. The first two take an oath on their pro-European positions, but fiercely fight any market liberalisation, manacled to their statist-clientele tradition. POTAMI is good in statements but yet untried in action.
I strongly believe that basically the Greek debt crisis is moral. I cannot therefore forgo certain comments on the presumed “moral advantage” of certain parties. As we say in Greek, no one speaks of rope in the house of a hung man. No single party is unblemished. SYRIZA who claims this moral advantage for itself, in its 7 months in power, has proportionately broken any previous record in clientele pampering. Appointing both husband and wife as Ministers, or other relatives in lucrative posts, at the same time condemning to unemployment thousands of miners in Chalkidike, because its local chapter is against gold mining. And let us not speak of the “immense moral capital” off its partners in Government, the ANEL party.
Unfortunately, the Country’s political personnel display a continued insensitivity to what has really happened to the Greek people. Our first priority should be getting out of the crisis now. Ireland, Portugal and Cyprus were out of it in 2 years. We are still in our sixth. What is the difference? The other countries faced it as a joint challenge of national solidarity, we as an opening for individual party gain. But no government flourishes in the midst of its citizens’ misfortune. Let citizens play politics with their mind in chess and not – once more – in dice. Let them choose the lesser evil, on the basis of our European course which generally accepted.
Whichever party comes out first and if it can lead a coalition government will be faced with the predicament of the obligation to implement the Memorandum signed by Tsipras and more. Who will be best in this role? Those that unequivocally declare their participation in the European arc, or the others who “bleed in the EU blackmail”? The answer is clear.
Voters should achieve an electoral “roi mat”, with the welfare of the Country and their children in mind.
Maximos
[1] Mr. Lafazanis’ extreme left party.
[2] A nazist Greek party.