Kicking bad old habits
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos is right to make an effort to rein in various ministers of his interim government who have been trying to settle a number of outstanding issues, as it were, ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in order to satisfy the demands of their political cronies — most recently Transport Minister Makis Voridis of conservative New Democracy.
It has become clear that the closer we get to election day, the more Greece?s politicians are caving in to pressure for political favors and unconventional regulations.
These tactics however only end up discrediting the country?s political class in the eyes of the electorate. At the same time, they undermine the credibility of the country abroad — especially in the eyes of our creditors.
It is both sad and striking to see that even a crisis of this magnitude has not been enough to force our politicians to leave their populist and damaging habits behind them.
