The sword of truth
Every so often, some politician has a public outburst and feels compelled to appear on a television debate or in Parliament (as long as the tirade is being filmed) and threaten to «spill the beans» about the alleged maneuvers of a fellow politician. But immediately pledging to reveal all, the ostensibly outraged politician puts his figurative sword back in its sheath, apparently now frightened by it. And instead of revealing everything he says he knows, he drops a few hints to rival politicians and the viewing public, who are now starting to see political exchanges on the same level as sensationalist gossip. The other day, Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefaloyiannis created exactly such a scene in Parliament, one difficult to describe as purely farcical or melodramatic. In any case, the substance of these clashes is nearly always the same: Who is more or less susceptible to corruption? Who has no right to criticize due to a questionable record? Of course, everyone has the right to express their opinions, but when they use Parliament as a soapbox for making serious accusations – such as Kefaloyiannis’s claim that «PASOK cadres who had been in the political leadership of the ministry share safes in Swiss banks with shipowners» – then they should be obliged to identify these individuals. The onus is on the accuser, not on the accused…
