Paschos Mandravelis

Back when Greece was still using the drachma as it currency, there was a bakery on downtown Athens' Kaningos Square that didn't sell bread, but just made it. It was located in the basement of the then ministry of commerce, and it was where wannabe ministry bakers made all kinds of goods in order to ascertain their “fair” price. The price of bread, like of almost all other products, was controlled. In today's terms, there was a “cap on its retail sale price,” as various leftists and far-right politicians have been urgently requesting.

Greece is certainly grappling with greedflation, as exemplified by the exorbitant price of infant formula. The same multinational companies charge Greeks three times more than shoppers in Sweden for the exact same product.

What has come to light about the children's charity Ark of the World and very recently about the Social Kitchen – the Other Person is horrible, but let's wait until justice decides. This is because, as Kathimerini columnist Xenia Kounalaki rightly noted recently, in 2018 we heard a lot in the news about the 16 aid workers and volunteers who were arrested in Lesvos and were described as the “dark activists of Lesvos” and “their involvement in an organized criminal network, for forgery, violation of state secrets, espionage and illegal possession of naval-type portable radios.” Then, on January 30, 2024, all 16 were acquitted.

The prime minister recently announced that a scientific committee has been put together to design a “national strategy for preventing and managing juvenile violence and delinquency.” “Well done,” we say. The incidents and statistics are indeed alarming, and the state has an obligation to examine the problem and to come up with a strategy for dealing with it.

To be fair, the previous significant Education Ministry reform, under a PASOK government, concerning partnerships between Greek and foreign universities, didn't yield substantial results. While representatives from 30 prestigious universities were afforded grand receptions accompanied by lofty declarations that “the Greek government prioritizes the internationalization of Greece's tertiary education,” the outcome was underwhelming.

We don't know what happened in the trial concerning the ordeals of the Athens child who was sexually abused and exploited, as the hearing was held behind closed doors. Nor do we know why the prosecutor came to the conclusions she did. The first thing we need to remember, though, is that the only thing that counts in a trial is what can be proven, not what people think may have happened. It is a fundamental part of the judicial process, designed to protect us all. More people have been jailed, tortured and killed by arbitrary condemnations of guilt (often not passed down by a judge) than people threatened because bad decisions allowed guilty parties to walk free.

“Forty-one percent” is one of the jokes doing the rounds on social media these days – it is also a trap for the ruling conservatives. The almost 41% (40.56%) attained by Kyriakos Mitsotakis in last June's parliamentary elections was felt on the government's mind like a baptismal font washing it clean of all previous sins and a carte blanche for future ones. Every accusation was countered by party officials with “These matters were settled in July” or “The people have spoken.” Then came the tide of rage over the Tempe rail tragedy.

The Kasselakis saga would not have existed if SYRIZA – not the party in its present shape, but the old, orthodox one – had done its job properly when putting together its ballot for the last national elections or even during the vote for a new party leader. It's been a year since Stefanos Kasselakis suddenly appeared on the Greek political stage and nine months since he was triumphantly elected leader of the country's second biggest party. Yet, SYRIZA spokesperson Voula Kehagia claims that she does not know how many and what kind of companies the party leader is involved in or whether he transferred ownership before running for party president. The only thing she has said is that she “assumes” he probably had some kind of company when he was elected.

Far-right pundits persistently raise the question: What would have ensued if the police officer stationed at the Agioi Anargyroi police station had intervened with his firearm to halt the man who murdered his ex-partner? Let us address their inquiry. Given the proficiency exhibited by the Hellenic Police (ELAS), today we would not only be mourning the loss of the 28-year-old victim but also the proprietor of the nearby betting store.

At 0.165% of gross domestic product, Greece’s official contribution to developing countries puts it third from last among the members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.