OPINION

The law of the underworld

Nine mob-style killings in Greece in one-and-a-half years are just too many to go unnoticed. The near-invisible reaction by Greece’s police and judiciary authorities is troubling and leads to the conclusion that Greek society remains virtually defenseless against crime – be it mob-style murders or minor offenses. The rise in crime points to a more fundamental problem, namely how ineffective and corrupt the police authorities are and how dysfunction the Greek justice system is. The godfathers of the night are itching to reign so that they can transform Athens into Prohibition-era Chicago. In the past, Greece faced many problems but the difference was that its people felt safe. Those same problems remain unsolved, but new forms of crime such as gang violence, which is often murderous, have emerged. The authorities must find ways to tackle the challenge.

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