Consensus reached, at long last
The Greek people took a deep breath yesterday. George Papandreou and Antonis Samaras eventually managed, through the intervention of President Karolos Papoulias, to reach a landmark agreement for the formation of a new government whose mission will be to safeguard the country?s eurozone membership and avoid default.
It took extra political courage from both sides for egos and party fanaticism to be put aside and consensus to be reached. This is a major victory for all those who put up a great fight for national understanding to be achieved at this particularly difficult point in time. The task ahead is not an easy one, far from it. The new government will need the genuine support of the responsible elements of our society, because Greece?s failure will equal bankruptcy.
The world is keeping a close and nervous eye on the country, but yesterday?s events could prove a starting point toward the country regaining its lost credibility.
