Let us start rebuilding

This year’s anniversary of Greece’s independence from Ottoman rule finds the country burdened by two unrelated crises. This is a country that has gone through a lot in the past but managed to survive, grow and prosper. However, through those tribulations, it had the good fortune to be supported by enlightened leaders, as well as to secure powerful alliances and set ambitious goals. There is little in the way of hope on these fronts right now, and on a day like this we should be looking at the past and asking ourselves where we are going.

Greeks have learned to put the blame for their ills on others and while it is true that Europe is facing a leadership deficit and has made mistakes that contributed to Greece’s problems, we need to get serious so that the country can again become one that is respected and strong. We need to rebuild a Greece that relies on the skills and strengths of its people. Failure to do so will mean that at the end of the day we only have ourselves to blame.

We have fallen too far and neither our past nor our future generations deserve such a thing.