On Argos, smoking ban, the paradox of democracy

Argos

Being on holidays in Argolida at this moment, this is very good news for a town that appears to me very nice, clean and looking for further development. This will certainly be a boost for the town itself and also the whole region.

Patrick Vandeputte

Oostende, Belgium

Mr Konstandaras?s article

There wouldn?t be any humiliation if the nation and its people had not borrowed without limits and lived a life of sheiks.

Once you ask for help, most of the time you get help with unwanted conditions.

Put yourself in the creditor?s shoes.

August Galifi

A year on, smoking ban still flouted

Codswhollop! Nobody has stopped smoking in public places – nobody respects any law nor rule. My husband phoned up the number given and was told ?we can?t do anything about it.? Great! Then who can? The reason there are more calls from the Athens area is that if people who live in small towns call, we risk the problem of being found out that we have ?shopped? a local business. I wish the laws were enforced and the fines collected — just think how much extra money the government would collect if they were to follow through!

Jane Crow

?The paradox of democracy? article

The commentary ?Paradox of democracy? is the making of the elitists who created this mess. Like all arguments, one needs to start at the beginning to find the truth.

There is a paradox now only because there was no transparency in the beginning when the euro was conceived. When a group of elitists make a deal in private behind the walls of some castle without the consent of the masses through a referendum vote, then of course you will now have a paradox of democracy. Funny how nobody was consulted on the front end when the idea of a euro was conceived but now that things have soured the elitists are running scared since they cannot explain why their experiment has resulted in so much pain for ordinary people.

Creating the euro was a terrible idea then and now. Only those that created the euro can explain why it is so damn good. Preserving ones? sovereignty, currency and language is very noble. Your ancestors would puke if they knew that you have relinquished these aforementioned traits in exchange for the misery bestowed upon its citizens by a group of elitists that know absolutely nothing about the lives of ordinary people.

It is high time the ordinary people of Europe stand up and vote ?no? to Eurobonds, bailouts and all the pain these elitists have inflicted.

Mike

Maryland, USA

Reasons for optimism

Just in the last few days, there are some things happening that give me reason to believe that Greece is taking steps in the right direction. For one thing, the tourism sector, which is the backbone of the economy, is expecting a record number of visitors to come to the country, which is great news for the economy and for government revenues.

For another, Greece?s highest court backed the liberalization of closed professions, giving the government carte blanche to move ahead with such openings, making the economy more competitive.

Then there is the merger of Alpha Bank and Eurobank EFG, creating the country’s new largest lender, which is a big step in strengthening the key banking sector.

Even the report that Finance Minister Venizelos said he believes that there is «fertile ground» for consensus with New Democracy is a good sign.

As the saying goes, ?Rome was not built in a day.» Likewise, Greece’s progress toward transforming itself will consist of many small events such as these and others.

The signs are looking up.

Peter Kates