The decision taken by President Karolos Papoulias to abolish the annual reception in the gardens of the Presidential Palace in Athens (held to mark the restoration of democracy in Greece on July 23, 1974, following the fall of the military dictatorship) was the right one.

First and foremost, it was right because, considering the current state of affairs in this country, any kind of public sector spending on social events is provocative, to say the least.

In the case of this particular annual event, however, there was an additional element involved, as the social gathering, which each year brought the country’s political elite together in the gardens of the grand mansion, had lost its original luster in recent years, gradually turning into yet another dull society calendar event with no real substance.

As we embark on a new political era in Greece, it’s time to let go of this annual tradition, which started out with great enthusiasm and splendor but ended up a pure display of decadence.