Too much talk, too little care
The Greek government needs to reach a decision on whether it will attempt to borrow without the support of international markets, even if that means being burdened with a very high rate of interest, or whether it will lodge a formal request for support either from the European Union or the International Monetary Fund or both. Continued public negotiations with our European partners on such a delicate and important issue are no longer of benefit to anyone, and in particular they are not in the Greek public interest. The harm to the national interest is even greater when barbs and threats are launched against our European peers. Such statements may resonate well among a frustrated Greek public but are very badly received abroad and deal a blow to the country’s international image. Greek officials need to be very cautious about the statements they make in public because any misunderstanding, whether deliberate or accidental, could be very detrimental to the country’s short- and long-term prospects, at a time when we most need the support of the European bloc.
