Fighting public corruption from the level of the people
The recent allegations about corruption in the Church, among judges, in the tax office and other government and private institutions are nothing new and not a surprise to the general public. It seems that the government officials have been taken by surprise, and if this is the case, then it clearly indicates that the government has not done its job, which is to understand what is going on in Greece. Corruption exists everywhere, and everyone knows it. You need to pay off people to get a building license, to get your container unloaded, to see a doctor, to get a driver’s license, to do just about everything. This is system that the PASOK government created. PASOK created a system whereby you must have contacts to do anything in Greece, making sure that the people they placed in jobs are looked after. It is a system that is designed to preserve power for PASOK, making sure that the people they placed offer enough votes through their families and friends. It is time this practice stopped. I thank the ruling New Democracy party for taking action. If Greece is to become a European nation and create jobs for its people, it must realize that international firms will only invest in the country once the corruption is gone. It is time the people also understood that they need to take action and not wait for the government alone. When they need something, and payoffs are required, call the police, call the media, do not fall into their game. It is time we built a nation of responsible people that can help the country move forward. KERRY KOUTSIKOS, Athens.
