Editorial: Paying the piper

Greece is theoretically one of the world’s mature democracies, but unfortunately not to the degree that its geographic location and conditions would mandate.

Greece is perhaps the only European country where political life literally paralyses before an election. The state lacks continuity and is managed in piecemeal fashion. The state machine freezes with a view to the upcoming political transition.

Naturally, it is the economy that suffers because of this outlandish situation.

The damage to the economy is even greater if one is to take into account the fact that electoral cycles are often protracted.

The observation of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises [SEV] that the longer the pre-election period the greater the danger of a transient recession is noteworthy.

The president of SEV also underlined that electoral handouts and the loosening of fiscal discipline will only create more problems for the economy.

The government cannot ignore this reality. If it wishes to slug it out until the end of its term in October it must put the brakes on its intense electoral activity.

If the aim is to surprise with snap elections, then it must finally declare its intentions.

It is not just industrialists and big business that will pay the piper for political games with the economy.

It will again be Greek taxpayers – the very people who shouldered the burden of an unbearable crisis.