Myths and reality
One myth was carefully crafted in Greece in recent years. A group of politicians built their careers on persuading people that their hardships were the result of bad or cowardly negotiations with our partners and lenders.
It’s clear now that an honest compromise is the only option available to Greek politicians who want Greece to stay in the eurozone. The compromise that Alexis Tsipras is working on is not the product of cowardice or suspicious motives. Those governing the country know, first-hand, what bankruptcy, or worse, the drachma mean. Acting tough temporarily soothes public sentiment but ultimately leads to Greek citizens paying a higher price. While the new deal has room for measures to support those in need and to battle tax evasion and corruption, Tsipras will have to confront both the proponents of the myth and his extremist partners. But there is little time. If all political forces came together national division would be left behind in view of keeping Greece in the euro, restarting the economy and stopping the suffering of those affected by the crisis.
