On anniversary of democracy, Papoulias urges Greeks to reflect on crisis
President Karolos Papoulias has called on Greeks to use Tuesday?s 38th anniversary of the restoration of democracy following the country?s seven-year military dictatorship as an opportunity to reflect on why Greece is experiencing it current problems.
In his annual message to mark the collapse of the junta, Papoulias said Greeks had to work out why the post-dictatorship era, known as the metapolitefsi, should end on such a sour note.
?The anniversary of the restoration of democracy gives us a chance to stop for a moment and ask how we ended up here, why the metapolitefsi is ending in this traumatic way and how we can get out of this dead-end,? he said.
?There are answers, we just have to look for them. Also, there is a need for a collective, final and just answer to be given.?
Papoulias praised those who fought against the dictatorship, which collapsed in 1974, and said that despite its weaknesses, ?there is no better form of governance? than democracy.
The president drew attention to the rise of fascism and racist attacks in Greece and called on the Turkish occupation of Cyprus, a by-product of the Greek dictatorship, to end.
Papoulias has cancelled the annual reception held to honor opponents of the junta, calling instead for a period of ?reflection.?
