Setting a dangerous precedent
The position adopted by Justice Minister Haris Kastanidis on Thursday is a startling first.
He claims that we have to display some ?social pragmatism? when approaching the issue of citizens who refuse to pay charges at national highway tollbooths or for public transport tickets.
It is a stance that, to some extent, justifies the failure to punish all those people who have recently taken up the ?I won?t pay? cause with a passion.
When the minister responsible for seeing that the law is enforced starts to allow legislation not to be fully implemented, it is clear that this is just the excuse needed for this systematic and provocative refusal to conform with the rules to spread to other areas.
Nobody can argue against the fact that there is justified exasperation and public anger about the situation Greece is in, but it is not acceptable for lawlessness to flourish in its name, especially with the blessing of politicians who hold positions of responsibility.
