National duty

July proved to be an extremely crucial month for Greece’s future in the European Union. Following the victory of the no-vote in the July 5 referendum that the leftist-led government called on a set of creditors’ proposals, the country could have easily found itself outside the common currency area. An exit from the eurozone would very likely have been followed by further decline.

A number of state and political officials back then appear to have played a decisive role in helping to steer the country away from the worst-case scenario. When the fundamental interests of the nation are at stake, it is imperative that key players get together and leave their partisan and personal differences aside. Such a pragmatic attitude is dictated by the common good.

Short-term alliances driven by opportunism and political interest are one thing; acting in accordance with one’s national duty is quite another.