OPINION

Ducking responsibility

The reluctance of government ministers to assume political responsibility for the pension funds scandal is a provocation that has inflamed public opinion. Most voters would be willing to forgive the inexperience of ministers involved in the murky affair, on the condition that the latter acknowledged their failure to prevent the squandering of funds by government-appointed swindlers. But instead of accepting blame, ministers are ducking the challenge by accusing the Socialists of committing similar sins when in power. At a press briefing yesterday, Labor and Social Security Minister Savvas Tsitouridis seemed interested only in listing the various PASOK scandals that placed a heavy burden on the pension funds. But, first of all, everybody knows what happened back then. And, secondly, voters did in fact punish the corrupt Socialist administration by sweeping it out of power in 2004. What Tsitouridis did not say yesterday was why he staffed fund managements with New Democracy cadres who then rushed to buy the controversial bonds.

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