Right, but not necessarily wrong
To judge an event, it is good to let a few days pass, allowing the dust to settle so that the picture becomes clearer. After all, it is a rule that in the heat of the moment, emotions prevail over logic. It was only natural that the recent speech by Antonis Samaras at the War Museum in Athens would provoke reactions and comments in various directions. Some of these comments were disparaging toward the conservative former prime minister, reflecting a complex-ridden attitude toward him.
It is a common acknowledgment – among those who approached his harsh criticism of the government with purely political criteria – that a part of it was justified and resonated with the feelings of traditional New Democracy voters. He expressed their views, and rightly so, as long as they see their opinions in his voice and remain within the party. In all the once-powerful parties of Western Europe, there were tendencies that their leaderships took into consideration when shaping their policies. What could be more natural than having a right-wing tendency within Greece’s largest and most historic party?
What could be more natural than having a right-wing tendency within Greece’s largest and most historic party?
Am I sugarcoating and rounding off the situation? No, I am simply de-dramatizing it and trying to give it its true dimensions. So, was Samaras right in everything he said? No! On national issues, he was 100% wrong. This government was severely tested by Turkish aggression on the Evros border and in the Aegean and handled it very well. It proceeded with an unprecedented armaments program for Greece, entered into defense agreements, constructed the fence along the Evros River to stop illegal migration, and the image of our country has been significantly upgraded on the international stage, having backed the right side of history on several issues. For this, it is being rewarded. In his speech, Samaras did not mention any of these positive points, which undoubtedly does an injustice to the government but, primarily, himself. Unless he has specific information that something is being orchestrated behind the scenes regarding Greek-Turkish relations, something that would violate long-standing national policies. In that unfortunate case, he owes it to the citizens to inform them clearly, without half-baked assumptions and insinuations. Otherwise, his criticism risks devolving into fearmongering. The fact that we currently enjoy the benefits of calm waters in Greek-Turkish relations is obviously not negative, given that we all know the fundamental differences that separate the two states are unbridgeable, as they are embedded in their national identities.
In closing this article, I must remind that Samaras never hid, he was never silent like his newfound ally; he was always at the forefront with his right and wrong decisions and paid or reaped the corresponding political price.
