National disgrace
Tourists visiting some of the most popular and spectacular parts of the country are encountering disgraceful scenes that the state should be ashamed of.
From Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese all the way to the holiday island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea, visitors to this country are shocked by piles of trash among the archaeological ruins, the city streets and once-pristine beaches.
Local authorities’ ineptitude when it comes to dealing with the challenges of waste management, and the frenzied, irrational reactions of a small minority of citizens and groups have for decades been allowed to stall critical projects that would address such issues and start making a difference.
In the meantime, cash-strapped Greece is missing out on valuable funding from the European Union that is intended for such purposes by missing deadline after deadline.
It is said that waste management is a sign of a nation’s culture. If that’s really the case, then we’re in big trouble.
