If we want to call things as they are, PASOK (Socialist party, member of the government coalition) should have already changed its leader. Certain party executives should have been brave enough to show Mr. Venizelos the exit door as the circumstances require. And this is because the Lagarde list not only has the names of three relatives of Papaconstantinou which were removed from it, but also the very important fact of why Greece is the only country that did not use this data to bring a few million into the empty cash drawers. It is furthermore the very important fact of why Mr. Venizelos argued that the list cannot be utilized and left it in a drawer when at the same time he recommended a great opportunity to expand the tax base.
The answer is already in the mind of every single citizen. At best, Mr. Venizelos did not want to “mess” with the special interests represented by certain names on the list, and at worst he wanted to protect those interests. On the other hand, if he had the suspicion that the list had been tampered with and therefore could not be of any use, he ought to have ratted on Papaconstantinou and should have requested the resending of the list, as it happened now.
In any case Mr. Venizelos is politically exposed indeed. There is no need for SYRIZA to put the leader of PASOK on the spot. He is already on the spot because of actions and omissions that have to do with the Lagarde list and in a country where there is rule of law this should be investigated thoroughly by the preliminary inquisition committee which is to be established by the Parliament. Mr. Venizelos may be attempting to attack by saying that this is an effort to blackmail PASOK and shake the government, but in reality he knows that he himself is the problem. It is he who puts PASOK in a tough spot with his involvement, and it is himself who undermines the government of Antonis Samaras who has promised to deliver transparency and cleansing of the country’s public life.
The country cannot afford to pay for PASOK’s leaders any more. The responsibility of the members and MPs of PASOK at this time is enormous. By remaining silent and continuing to cover up issues they condemn PASOK to extinction, they undermine the government’s reputation and they brutally provoke the public. On the contrary, if they find the bravery and courage to overthrow the president of PASOK right here and now then they will have set the foundations for PASOK’s future by showing that no one is exempted from the cleansing process.
PS: In politics, time is of essence. If PASOK fails today to do what it would be pushed to do tomorrow then that would be the classic syndrome of self-entrapment which has long haunted the Greek political system which has never displayed the correct reflex response at the right time. But, after so much misconduct they should have learned their lesson by now. All of PASOK’s MPs are taking this very exam right now and should the fail it, it will be forever.
