Red-faced at Bali climate summit
Even if we were to agree with Giorgos Souflias, Greece’s minister of the environment, physical planning and public works, that it will be another three years before this country is ready for an independent environment ministry, we nevertheless ought to ask ourselves the following question: Is Greece also unprepared to even participate in an international environment conference such as the ongoing climate summit on Indonesia’s island of Bali? The controversy surrounding the size of Greece’s delegation to a key summit on the future of the globe (and by extension, our country) highlights a fact that is hard to deny: Souflias is the minister of public works and no more than that. At the same time, the protection of the country’s environment has been put firmly on the back burner. Greece needs an environment minister with no further ado. The country can’t risk further ridicule by sending an official delegation at the last minute or any similar embarrassment. Or did the New Democracy government perhaps think that the Bali summit could wait for another three years?
