By Stavros Lygeros

When evidence of the Vatopedi scandal first came to light about two years ago, the state machinery put a quick stop to media coverage. A few months ago, when Alpha channel began its campaign over the scandal for its own reasons, the government was in a vulnerable position. The wall of silence has finally been broken, but this has done little to alter our view of the state we live in.

This column is not in any position to judge the chain of property claims in Vistonida. What cannot be denied, however, is that the exchanges were blatantly unequal. This scandal is not about the partiality shown by one judge, public servant or minister for an historic monastery. For the scheme of exchanges to work, it required the collaboration of several parties. If the onus had rested upon just one minister or official, it would have prompted a reaction from everyone else involved in the case; this, however, did not happen. All this, along with the testimonies of several people, leads us to the conclusion that there was a strong force at work behind the scandal. Only someone at the very center of government would be in a position to convince ministers with various arguments to sign such deals.

Finger pointing among the ministers of New Democracy at yesterday’s session of the parliamentary investigative committee is a sure sign of the nature of the scandal. For the time being, they are accusing those sitting closest to them because they are the easiest targets. Those who signed off on the deal are also saying that they will not become scapegoats. Even though a lot is being said about the “great orchestrator” in party headquarters, no one is ready to let the cat out of the bag and go public.

Party loyalties are forcing them to close ranks and keep mum, and the crucial question now is whether the committee will be able to break through the party’s defenses. If it does, and it is very likely that it will, it will be a case of every man for himself and that is when people are going to start talking.