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THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR TASSOS GIANNITSIS’ ARTICLE FOR THE
NEWSPAPER “KATHIMERINI”
February 19 2012
Key political issues about the crisis
“Since 2009 we have been living in an atmosphere of disappointment and defeat.
The success we have achieved is not reflected in the everyday lives of the citizens.
We failed to persuade them of the need for changes, which would allow optimistic
prospects and long term coherent and clear strategies that could help us get out of
the current situation.
Discussions may be held on the principles of such strategies, on the options to be
chosen which can be summarized in the following double question: How can
imbalances in public life (not simply in public finance) be reversed and in what way
can our economies create new competitive development dimensions? Issues
related to structural changes, unemployment, fiscal adjustment, social justice, the
political system, the operational framework for the state administration are closely
related to the answers to be provided.
Few people dared to formulate a convincing strategy for overcoming the crisis;
because all convincing strategies are painful. So the entire society, which realized
– still does- the gravity of the situation, accepted to make sacrifices, and
experienced unprecedented upheavals in family life; however it still remains
confused and bewildered, wondering what the future outcomes will be.
Doctrines, which were being broken down, launched an ideological and political
fight against anything that could contribute to improving our situation. While policies
and measures were being launched and started producing results, the ideologies of
development, reform and endeavors were being furiously undermined by forces
within the country.
The political and economic models after the political changeover, which proved to
be destructive for decades, were massively denounced. In parallel, any attempt to
change them was furiously fought. Because, otherwise, ideologies which led to a
national defeat would collapse. A negativity and disdain attitude dominated almost
the whole political system. The country experienced ongoing deadlocks.
Where are we today? Nowhere. And if we continue like this, we will end up being in
the middle of nowhere. Whether we return to the drachma or remain in the
eurozone. It is not the currency that should be blamed. Perceptions that prevailed
and choices made are to be blamed. Devaluation has acquired a legendary status.
Why? Because it allows the political system to delude society; to cultivate illusions
providing false benefits which finally collapse. Then, devaluation manifests itself
once again through cuts in wages and wealth reductions in an effort to make things
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right again. It presents itself as the necessary solution; and when we are at a
crucial moment no one is called to account.
There is something that needs to be changed. We can not remain indifferent
whether the crisis we are experiencing will be overcome within five or ten years.
Neither can we be indifferent to the fact that additional costs are –once again- due
to our false decisions. At this juncture, all of us must clash with wrong principles
and ideologies; examine the clash within ourselves, if this is necessary for the
country. In practice, even for once we must bring ethics to the very heart of our
political choices.
It is time to escape fatalism and blind rage against our decline. In order to regain its
self- confidence, a proud nation must stop whimpering, stop thinking that the
majority of mistakes are due to decisions made abroad, believing that the country
has made no mistakes at all. It is important for us to realize the crucial role we have
to play as individuals, as parties, as social forces. From tomorrow onwards, we
have the strength to identify one by one all problems and effectively address them;
discuss on the policies required to tackle big problems, such as competitiveness,
unemployment, poverty, liquidity issues, investment sinking, inequalities, vice, lack
of meritocracy, inefficiency and corruption.
Under any circumstances, there is only one way out: be realistic, put national
priorities and collective concerns above our personal ones, and show commitment
to unvarnished truth rather than to demagogy.
An ideological –political discourse addressed to a society which suffers from acute
problems of unemployment and poverty requires actions to be taken. However
difficult it may be, social support mechanisms need to be in place, instead of
charity mechanisms. The key mechanism is to have confidence in the policies
designed and set up; make sure that we opt for right choices and not fall into errors
every so often. Another important mechanism has to do with shared, equitable
sacrifices. For decades, wider social strata have enjoyed great benefits refusing
any contribution. Unless there is a major change in attitude, the country will go
through high tensions.
There has been a lot of discussion about red lines, conscience problems, values
and other such high-sounding pretensions. Too late; red lines ought to have been
drawn, in a far-sighted way, at the appropriate time, in an effort to avoid
undermining the future. Red lines ought to have been drawn in the last three, ten or
thirty five years for hundreds of important or less important decisions which year
after year led to the society’s collapse. Today red lines need to be drawn,
conscience issues need to be considered and values to be established in order to
prevent further deterioration and avoid future discussions about red lines that will
have to be drawn again, in the next two- three years , after being repeatedly
violated.
Nikos Engonopoulos, in his well known poem in 1994 says “ Bolivár, you have the
beauty of a Greek”. Let us not destroy the possibility for this verse to be referred to
in the future”.
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