A much quoted stricture by Greece’s national bard, Dionysis Solomos, that “the nation must learn to perceive as national, that which is truthful” ….lies behind the brief statement Yes we do support these “Institutions”: Ten reasons why. Namely in that we refuse to succumb to this SyrizaAnel government’s extremely divisive attempt of asking citizens to side with it against its “adversaries”… the EU, the ECB, the IMF, the Eurogroup, etc, all recently rebranded as “Institutions”.
Although not without portion of blame for the horrid fiscal and economic situation we find ourselves in, these “Institutions” represent more that just our creditors. They are simultaneously our partners in a joint quest for a way out of our conundrum. A quest based on rules, regulations and agreements between Europe’s democratic governments, ones that spring from the ages old liberal traditions of Western polity, economy and society.
And insofar as these truths and facts are obscured by the implicitly anti-western, populist government rhetoric, we stand not with our government but with the “Institutions” as providing us with the only effective and European path to good governance, economic growth and prosperity.
Yes, we do support these “Institutions”
Ten reasons why
All indicators point to the same conclusion. This government refuses to endorse and advance those necessary, growth related reforms, so that politics can regain some measure of credibility and the country return as soon as possible, to a path of robust economic development.
On the contrary, even if it is not consciously pursuing the withdrawal of our country from the European and EuroAtlantic treaties and alliances, what is certain is that it is fully engaged in verbal spin to such effect. But such games are extremely dangerous, for the end effect is to lead our co-citizens to conclude that whoever does not support the country’s government, is siding with the country’s enemies, namely the so-called “Institutions/ ie Troika-Eurogroup” .
Well, yes indeed! And for our part, we choose to ignore this welter of Syriza-Anel government propaganda and spin, from a government which has overturned all those (few and far-between) reforms that the former ND-PASOK administration put in place, and declare that we stand with the “Institutions”. Not overlooking the fact that instead of vigorously insisting for the adaption of further reforms, these very Institutions all too often acquiesced, to the much simpler device of imposing various and ever increasing “equivalent” tax burdens.
More specifically:
1. We stand with these European Institutions, for they represent the first successful attempt in modern history to establish a common Europe-wide economic and political space, one which
has managed to keep the peace for more than four generations.
2. We stand with these Institutions, for they reflect the successful transformation of formerly blind nationalist antagonisms into a system based on principles of solidarity and common interests, even within the context of a globalized polity and economy.
3. We stand with these Institutions, for they largely incorporate, the precious values of humanism and the rationalism of modernity, transmuting them into forms of supra-national power and common political culture, in themselves effective buttresses against all totalitarian designs.
4. We stand with these Institutions, for they represent the contemporary essence of the continuum of Greco-Roman culture, especially so at a time when Greece was showing distressing signs of distancing herself from these traditions and of a return to the hitherto antagonisms of the Balkans.
5. We stand with these Institutions, for they are an expression and embodiment of the notion of the Rule of Law.
6. We stand with these Institutions, for they are an expression and representation of the principles of an evolving welfare state.
7. We stand with these Institutions, for they offer access to an exceptionally broad and thriving economic and cultural landscape along with the opportunity to develop therein our competitive advantages. And it distresses us to witness every day how little we succeed in capitalizing on this opportunity.
8. We stand with these Institutions, for they are the guarantee which underpins the performance of a free and competitive market, that fundamental pillar which supports all and every development effort.
9. We stand with these Institutions, for they are the guarantees of a liberal, democratic and open society.
10. Finally, we stand with these Institutions, for they underpin the orientations of an educational framework which moulds free and creative citizens, a framework far removed from the goals of the current educational counter-reformation policy underway in our country, a policy which constitutes nothing short of a “casus belli” for any liberal-minded and democratic citizen.
Viewers can log on herebelow and read the German translation:
as well as the Greek text next to the English one:
English Translation Text 2 (1)
Relevant articles and news can be found in the following links:
greece-true-reformists-spell-it-out and
greeks-stand-up-for-the-dignity-of-their-nation-a-statement
