OPINION

Solid logic, bold language

Solid logic, bold language

After all that has been said and done, the inability to tell things as they are lingers and what arises is the need for self-criticism, for a plan and for some realism.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras appears to be exhausting whatever bravado he has on issues pertaining to the government’s parliamentary majority and the “different centers of power,” as he put in an interview on Sto Kokkino radio on Wednesday. He was right to point out that SYRIZA’s inner-party strife should not become the country’s problem but it just so happens that at this point Greece is hanging in mid-air and the public is being forced to follow clashes between ideological relics that would otherwise have no place in public discourse simply for the fact that they represent a tiny minority.

Clearly the government’s self-entrapment was degrading to those who invested in opportunistic rifts – and there were quite a few of these. But how is it that these extreme prejudices and the showy ignorance regarding the modern world’s workings become “issues” at a time when Greece is facing a collapsing banking system, small and medium companies struggling for survival, rising unemployment and bleak predictions for the GDP?

More than anything, what the healthy, flexible and extroverted part of society – those people who look beyond party politics and special interests and nurture their creativity in the private sector – find despairing is the absence of bold language that recognizes the country’s problem and is capable of dealing with it in three steps.

With forecasts pointing to a 4 percent recession and the private sector’s economy in paralysis, we’re still talking about splinter groups and “alternative” solutions. The prime minister, meanwhile, is “proud,” he says.

It’s deeply disappointing to realize that at this point of no return, a large portion of the political world and public opinion is unable to point even the most rudimentary criticism to itself and look at Greece’s problems without the veil of emotion and lies.

Nevertheless, a reaction, or at least the need for a reaction, is starting to emerge all the more strongly as the uncertainty is prolonged. A few honest words about the real economy would suffice to create some expectations.

Hundreds of thousands of Greeks are waiting to hear even one word regarding their businesses, the new wave of layoffs, the flimsy social net that will drag down the weakest members of society – the one’s the government was meant to protect first and foremost – if the economy were to collapse. Not a single word has been said about what kind of country we wish to see in tomorrow’s modern world.

Enough with the Pyrrhic victories and the abuse of false emotions. What is required now is solid logic.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.