Letting the big fish get away
This is a crucial phase for Greece, as various alleged scandals will either be exposed or covered up. Investigations into the Greek citizens implicated in the Siemens bribery allegations – mainly during the socialist PASOK administrations – are progressing. In the case of the German industrial giant, it will be hard to cover up the actions of the suspects here, as most of the evidence comes from abroad. Nevertheless, there are other, more recent cases that are being investigated by Greece’s Economy Ministry. Most concern allegations of extensive tax fraud. The government has an obligation to investigate these in depth and impose the due fines. Failure by the conservative administration to do this will seriously damage government credibility in the collection of revenues. For how should small business owners react when faced with a state that lets the bigger fish get away with more extensive lawbreaking? The coming days and weeks are crucial. At stake here is the credibility not of some isolated official, but of the government at large.
