A test for Greek politicians
Greece’s political establishment is sitting its final exam. The post-1974 political system has clearly broken down under the burden of the irresponsible management of state funds, excess of populism and general lack of professionalism. Now the keys to the public sector are in somebody else’s hands. That said, the country’s political elite is called upon to cooperate with the European Union and International Monetary Fund in order to build strong institutions, an effective mechanism to curb tax evasion and to set the foundations for healthy economic development. If the local political establishment were to treat the arrival of foreign monitors as an external threat, rather than as an opportunity, then the country will run the risk of collapsing. Regardless of the IMF and EU engagement, Greeks themselves must ensure that the country does not become a third-class EU nation. It’s a big and difficult objective. It’s also a national one. If the government fails to work toward this goal and if the New Democracy opposition reduces itself to cheap populism, then they will both open the door to the dismantling of the existing political establishment.
