(thanks Kostas)Athenian democracy in ruins
The riots in Greece are symptomatic of a society deeply disillusioned with the failures and dishonesty of its political class.
Teenagers throwing stones, cars and buildings alight, and Greek police firing tear gas are the only images being broadcast to the world, as rioting in Greece enters its third day with more demonstrations planned. But the unrest started long before the senseless shooting of 15-year-old Alexandros-Andreas Grigoropoulos.
New Democracy made lofty promises of reform to win re-election after the Greek wildfires in 2007, but voters have only seen scandal after scandal with hundreds of millions of taxpayer euros being wasted, an increase in violent crime, and a system of law and order that makes it impossible to get justice. It is a maladministration that allows convicted parliamentarians, terrorists, rapists and murderers to go unpunished for years and decades, yet sanctions police to raid and close down Stanleybet UK in a mere seven days for daring to compete with a €7bn monopoly in which the Greek state holds a 34.4% share. It is a government that does not protect, serve or even respect its people. This is a government out for itself, and the people respond accordingly by dodging taxes, refusing to pay social insurance, polluting the environment, flouting the law, paying bribes, coveting public sector jobs, and doing what they please without punishment.
More:New Democracy made lofty promises of reform to win re-election after the Greek wildfires in 2007, but voters have only seen scandal after scandal with hundreds of millions of taxpayer euros being wasted, an increase in violent crime, and a system of law and order that makes it impossible to get justice. It is a maladministration that allows convicted parliamentarians, terrorists, rapists and murderers to go unpunished for years and decades, yet sanctions police to raid and close down Stanleybet UK in a mere seven days for daring to compete with a €7bn monopoly in which the Greek state holds a 34.4% share. It is a government that does not protect, serve or even respect its people. This is a government out for itself, and the people respond accordingly by dodging taxes, refusing to pay social insurance, polluting the environment, flouting the law, paying bribes, coveting public sector jobs, and doing what they please without punishment.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/08/greece?commentpage=1&commentposted=1
