We
are all searching for the new Andrea Papandreou, the new PASOK.
The leader or the scheme that will connote the
beginning of the new Change, the beginning of a new era for Greece.
We
are searching, all of us and in everything. Usually in the old cupboard of
history, where are being buried all the junk, along with our most precious
heirlooms.
Heirlooms that,
unfortunately, are being taken out only in the difficult moments, the moments
of despair, when every possible source has dry up and there is nothing more to
be borrowed.
I did support
George Papandreou since the beginning: If we want to be serious, he is the only
politician who had -and still has – a political vision for a Greece worthy to
its historical heritage. A Greece of Europe, socialistic, humanitarian and
opened minded. For a Greece of progress, reformation and democracy.
George
Papandreou failed and along with him failed the truly Left in our county. He
failed because he got crushed between the “symplegades rocks” of a phenomenal
size of crisis in the country and in the party. He failed because this moment
of crisis, the shadow of Andreas Papandreou fell on his shoulders and mashed
him in the eyes of Greeks. How unfair. How tragic.
But
it was PASOK that failed above all, first and foremost. PASOK of Change, once
upon a time a synonym of major incisions in the public affairs, with
ground-breaking ideas and policies, new people, powerful and discreet public
speech, positions and more importantly prospect. It failed because it
transformed into the exact political system that was supposed to overthrow. At
the end it sank into the murky waters of its own success.
PASOK
based on two main aspects. Andrea’s Papandreou personality and abilities as a
leader and in the principles of 3d of September as a vision of political
action. These things are widely known to everyone and have been historically
evaluated.
My
opinion is that 3d of September principles remain the timeless appropriate
political foundations for a nationally sovereign policy, no matter who is
leading the Greek parliament.
The principles of 3d of September should be the
vision and the mission of every Greek democrat. They are a political “Holly
Book”, long term credible and punctual, that it is imperative that they will
keep in their mind those who represent the values of the true Left in our
homeland.
Today,
when charlatanism, empathy, stupidity and cluelessness of Syriza government and
their accomplices of the fake Left has put in tremendously difficult situation
principle elements of the polity and -soon enough I am afraid – our national
sovereignty, it is vital that we will remember few things.
•
National Independence: For a Greece free of debts and memorandums, that
is a country that will be able to decide for its own destiny by having full
control of its finances. It is required the restructure of its productive
basis. For a Greece with strong borders and leading position in the Balkans and
South East Europe. Reorganisation of the Army is a must. The priorities of defence
and security within Europe, the restart of diplomatic relation with our
partners and allies with EU, NATO and neighbours on new grounds. Grounds of national
sovereignty and not of subjugation on other’s interests.
•
Public dominance: Immediate Parliamentary Revision and full independence
of powers. Immediate division of Church and state. Immediate cleanse of public life
from interweaving and the cliental system of justice appliance. Immediate end on every syndicalism that changes
the nature of the working demands in aim to serve mafia and internal
consumption politics style’s interests. Immediate decentralization and transfer
of power in the local communities with draconian rules of power assignation and
directly democratic procedures. Absolute end in bureaucracy, transparency,
publication of every constitutional action. Immediate end in permanent work in the
public sector and whenever is necessary activation of the laws about the
responsibility of parliament members and ministers.
•
Social emancipation: Reshaping and modernization of the law in every
aspect. Review of the legislation and the function of justice and police based
on social priorities. Application of the laws and the constitution at any cost
in aim to protect the weak and poor. Immediate end of inequalities in work and end
of relations between state and private sector. Immediate review of taxation.
Immediate and realistic motives for start-up companies in the countryside with
focus in the agricultural high value economy and the luxury tourism. Immediate
cancelation of every restriction in higher education’s access. Immediate review
of the educational schedule with emphasis in technology and innovation.
•
Democratic procedures: Elections every five years. Support of the power
of President of Democracy as independed and timeless guardian of the polity.
Review of the electoral laws and right of participation in the election from
the age of sixteen. Direct rights for the legal migrants. Direct motivations
for return to the motherland and right in participation in elections for the
Greeks who live abroad. Modernization of
governing via electronic administration everywhere. Immediate announcement of competition
for Television broadcasting licence and prohibition of one’s ability to be
publisher and in the same time participate in other business activities, so we
will ensure an honest and independed information of the public.
The
above mentioned are only few examples that everyone could think and write.
The
main problem today is not how we will name a new party or what directions we
will give it. It is not even an issue -if you wish- of whom the party will be
made and directed by.
The
main problem today is which one, which Greeks and which citizens, a renewed
political formation will actually represent. A political formation that will be
the successor of PASOK, heir of the vision for a true Left in Greece.
PASOK,
when was formed, direct its actions in an electoral body that truly wanted
something new in relation to Karamanlis and the right wing. Addressed a society
with conscious understanding of social claims. Spoke to people who already had
an experience of a politically stacked situation and they wished to try the new
alternative. Today the crisis disdained
years of wellbeing and rights, disdain the idea of politics itself. Greeks feel
betrayed by the system. Today Greeks have realized that politics is just adrift
of the invisible international capital.
PASOK
of 1974 called on an economy that, although it was not flourishing – more
likely the exact opposite – though it was not destroyed as it is today. Called to
a country that was in international isolation due to the cue and the Turkish
invasion in Cyprus, but today is in international isolation due to lack of
trust and debt. Called to the less privileged, whereas today the majority of
the Greeks are former privileged, remembering forty years of benefits and life
standard based on political change over.
Which
political system can produce today some mechanism, some new idea, some
reformation when its voters are also its clients and business partners? How can
it do so by reproducing the cliental system of workers and pensioners of the
public sector?
So,
this is where the Change must start, from the separation and end of this cliental
system on which participate both politicians and citizens and which is responsible
for our country’s destruction.
The
first step towards that is the disconnection of the political life from the
work, something that I remind you was introduced by Eleftherios Venizelos for
totally different reasons many years ago.
Only
that way some fresh clean water will run after long and will be possible for
new faces, new ideas and new political suggestions to exist and represent the
larger part of the Greeks, not only those who directly relate with the state or
those who act permanently unpunished within the monster of black economy.
The
new PASOK and the new Andreas, will then be products of those conditions.
And
not bad imitations and reproductions of a rot reality that constantly pops off
and creates metastasis, until it will die for sure.