The time is now ripe for a clash
The prime minister’s appearance at the Thessaloniki International Fair on September 6 would appear to be his last chance to drag his party – and the country’s political life in general – out of the quagmire in which it has recently found itself and give people some measure of hope for the future. A change that may still save this government from the disintegration that seems inevitable – under the burden of in-fighting within the ruling party – could be possible as long as the prime minister shows that he has a specific agenda for reform with a concrete timetable. Costas Karamanlis must show that he is determined to bring about change without regard for the political cost, and without hesitating to clash with the vested interests that are holding the country hostage. Just one year after the elections, the government appears to be tired and lackluster, but Karamanlis can dispel the torpor by declaring war on tax evaders who are not shouldering their share of the fiscal burden and corrupt interest groups that continue to squander funds from the public coffers.
