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Lagarde’s list exposes Greece
The way in which -- the Greek political class has dealt with the various lists of tax evasion suspects has been disastrous -- for the politicians and the country alike. Authorities in other countries have investigated every available piece of evidence in a systematic but also discreet fashion. In the end, they either reach a settlement with the tax dodgers or impose harsh penalties on them. The saga concerning the so-called “Lagarde list” -- which is said to contain the names of about 2,000 Greeks with deposits totaling some 1.5 billion euros in an HSBC branch in Geneva -- shows that a responsible reaction is not in the cards here. Worse, foreign authorities will find it very hard to ever entrust sensitive data with the Greek government again after this shocking lack of professionalism. The immaturity of the political system and the unchecked populism surrounding the infamous lists have tarnished the country’s image abroad and provoked public opinion. | 
