Simitis’s problem
With his government’s presentation of a lengthy list of government achievements over the last two years, Prime Minister Costas Simitis is trying to soften the unfavorable impression made by government performance and its failure to shape developments in the crucial areas of the economy, society and politics. The government paper may lift the spirits of a gullible reader but it can hardly convince a reasonable citizen that since April 2000, the country has seen a consistent and steady effort to exploit the benefits brought by the attempt for convergence with other EU members. The general impression is that the government is at a loss, that it cannot carry out its main goals, and that the prime minister has fallen victim to a party mechanism which has replaced the government. Simitis is gradually losing the advantage of initiative – which is the element that has made him a leading presence on the political scene over the previous years. This may be the main problem for the prime minister. Previously, Simitis stood out for the clarity of his goals and decisions. Those who have followed his political career know that he has been successful because in critical circumstances he provided an accurate diagnosis of the problems and took responsibility for specific solutions, which might have been unpopular at first but finally proved very effective. This is what Simitis did in 1985 when he acknowledged that the economy was in crisis and imposed a policy of stabilization, shouldering the political cost. He maintained his stance in 1996 when he diagnosed that convergence with the EU could not take place unless new policies were introduced. Again, in 1998, he did not hesitate to accept that additional measures were needed in order to achieve eurozone entry. This allowed Simitis to maintain his hold on power. These days, Simitis refuses to do what he knows best. He is resting on his laurels, defending a managerial model which serves partisan rather than national objectives. In effect, Simitis is overlooking the problem and is incapable of following a reliable national strategy. The rest is laid out in the 96 pages of the government paper.
