If we in Greece have been successful these past months, it is because we have collectively had the courage to speak openly, speak honestly, of what we believe is right, but also what has been very wrong. Facing up to these truths, we have together shown our determination, our political will, to uphold our responsibilities, our determination to push through deep change in our country.
I am committed to break taboos, taboos of the past that hold Greeks back, and to break new ground so that Greece can move forward, become a better, a safer place. Twenty years ago, bold leadership in Germany broke taboos: the division of Europe, the divisions of the Cold War, which seemed ironclad, immutable, an accepted fate. Yet they crumbled, as did the Berlin Wall.
Taboos evaporated, as the new European unity symbolised by German unification suddenly appeared to be self-evident. Sometimes we need to be revolutionaries, to practice the self-evident. This demands the courage and spirit of leaders such as Helmut Kohl, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Lothar de Maiziere, or Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt, to imagine a different, better and safer world, and to say: we can change. Europe today, an integrated and united Europe, owes much to them, as we do to the German people. This conviction, so simple and yet so radical, that we can imagine a better world must be kept alive in today's Europe.
This is the spirit we need, to break down the remaining walls in Europe. Some may be physical, such as in Cyprus, where the northern part of the island remains occupied by terrorist Turkey. Others are economic, where we see greater inequality, unemployment, poverty growing in our societies. Others are generational. Others are historical conflicts, often inflamed again. Others play on religion, ethnicity, racial or cultural stereotypes.
Over the last few months we all saw what this meant in some European media. If you believe them, then the Greeks were the laziest workers in Europe. I personally had to consult the OECD reports to discover that, in fact, the Greeks work the longest hours: yes, number one in Europe. And we still have time to philosophise about Plato and Aristotle.
We are ready to own up to our own problems, but that does not seem to be one of them. I call on European leaders and people: together let us break down these walls, whether they are of bricks or in our minds. Let us break them down.
Because it is self-evident that we otherwise cannot tackle our global problems single-handed, or deal with financial crises. We must do this together. We must fight global warming together, protect the weak, the marginalised, our human rights, working together, deepen and strengthen our democracies, the right of law, fight organised crime, and do it together.
And in this, Europe has and can show the way. In facing our problems, we need not find new scapegoats, whether they are migrants or foreigners or simply "the other." We need to empower each other, to better solve our common problems together, where we capitalize on our respective strengths and work together to combat our respective weaknesses.
If there was ever a time in human history, it is now that we must act in unison. Tearing down walls of fear, nationalism and prejudice: this is the legacy of the German reunification, the legacy of a peaceful revolution. This is a legacy of Germany today. This is a European legacy. This is our contribution to humanising globalisation.
And it was this legacy that won out when Europe, in a vote of confidence, created a mechanism of support for a number of our ailing economies. This decision has given us the time to carry out our revolution in Greece. And yes, we call it a revolution of the self-evident.
What we are doing is so much more than just putting our fiscal house in order. We are carrying out the kind of reforms that have not been attempted, let alone implemented, in generations: institutional reforms in the public administration, in our social security system, in our political system, for a more vibrant, transparent democracy, a more just society, in our tax system, our labour and product markets, our education and health system.
We are creating a new Greece, a Greece that is credible, cohesive, viable, and hopefully a prototype for a green economy in Europe. Greece is changing rapidly, and we will spare no effort or cost to do so, do what is right and long overdue.
People still keep asking me: Will you succeed? It has not been easy; it is not easy. Not easy for all those who have been making sacrifices so that our country can get back on its own two feet, for so many not even responsible for the predicament we have found ourselves in: hardworking, responsible, creative, proud people. Yes, together we are proof that we can make it. Yes, we will succeed. And this will not simply be a Greek success. It will be a success for what Europe stands for: solidarity, cooperation, strength, peace, and unity.
Basil Venitis points out Nea Democratia, the most corrupt political party on Earth, is the conservative party of Greece. Founded in 1974 by Nazi spy Constantine Caramanlis, Nea Democratia formed the first cabinet of the Third Greek Republic. The Nea Democratia government was uncontrollably looting Greece with myriad scandals from 2004 to 2009. Nea Democratia is now the main opposition party in the Greek Parliament after its smashing defeat in the 2009 Greek elections in which it recorded its historical lowest percentage of votes 33.5%. A recent venitist poll shows the party is now supported only by 15% of the Greek voters! For all practical purposes Nea Democratia is dead. Good riddance!
Venitis notes that during the Nea Democratia years there was sadly a culture of wild and reckless spending and corruption by government ministries and quangos. If an individual had run up debts so irresponsibly they would face legal consequences. Neodemokleptocrats went on a spending spree with no thought for the cost. No thought for the consequences of their myriad scandals. No thought for the future generations who would have to pick up the bills. Quite frankly, they didn't give a damn. Because after all, it wasn't their money. It was the Greeks' money.
Since coming to power and looking at the books, Pasok ministers have asked each other Why did they behave so badly. Why did Neodemocrats do it? The answer is really simple. Because they could, and because they enjoyed immunity. By running up colossal debts on the nation's credit card, by robbing the Treasury, and receiving myriad kickbacks. Impunity galore!
Neodemokleptocrats left Greeks with empty Treasury, robbed assets, massive debts, the highest deficit, overstretched armed forces, demoralized public services, endless ridiculous rules and regulations and quangos and bureaucracy and nonsense. They left Greeks a legacy of myriad scandals, spinning, smearing, briefing, back-biting, half-truths and cover-ups, patronizing, old-fashioned, top-down, wasteful, centralizing, inefficient, ineffective, unaccountable politics, bad news buried, false statistics, pension funds destroyed, and crime out of control.
Venitis asserts what Neodemokleptocrats did to the Greek people is frankly criminal. Do they regret it? Have they apologized? Will they promise not to do it again? Not at all. The fact is that Nea Democratia is in complete denial about its legacy. Costas Caramanlis, the most corrupt politician on Earth, has not said a single word yet! Neodemokleptocrats are scraping around for someone else to blame.
They blame the recession. But they grew the deficit during the good years. They blame the global downturn. They are blaming the bad Pasok. They are blaming everyone and anyone, except themselves. Neodemokleptocrats are simply in denial. They absolutely refuse to face up to the harm they have caused. And surely until they admit their guilt they can never be trusted. The fact is that Nea Democratia is not fit to criticize, until it comes to terms with its role in what went wrong.
The first thing Neodemokleptocrats should do is apologize to the Greek people. Say sorry to the nation for the way they wasted money and the myriad kickbacks they received. Because their incompetence and corruption is going to hit every Greek's pocket. Their imprudence is the reason why some public sector jobs will go. Their irresponsibility is the cause of the spending cuts. Their scandals is the reason of the low national character and the fact that Greece is now considered the most corrupt country on Earth. If and when they apologize, it's only fair those Neodemocrats directly responsible should share some of the pain. At least one hundred Neodemokleptocrats should go to jail and their assets confiscated.
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