Letter from Thessaloniki
The White Tower is to Thessaloniki what the Acropolis is to Athens: an imposing structure that does triple duty as identifier, landmark and symbol. Another of the city’s symbols is the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) – an annual event that has lost its prestige as an economic institution and become more an arena for political showdowns between parties and clashes between the government and social activists or unions and, more recently, dissent within the party. In any case, the struggle is no longer between New Democracy and PASOK, but rather between ND and apathy. This fact was once again made perfectly clear at the press conference on current affairs given yesterday by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. From a platform for promoting business activity, the TIF was yet again transformed into one for sowing political tension, a development which the business community here, no doubt, is viewing with some concern. With about 17 specialized fairs held throughout the year, the «Big Fair» in September has lost much of the glamor and importance of the good old days, when the event really meant something. Nowadays, the party leaders’ speeches each year is the crucial event. In the case of the prime minister, Karamanlis this year, the task was even more interesting and, evidently, more difficult. With two top government officials – Merchant Marine Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis and State Minister and government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos – under attack over claims that they have behaved unethically, the government’s ability to clarify economic matters has become weaker than ever. However, both ministers have solid evidence that they have acquired much of their fortune in the most honest way – they have married into it. Yesterday, Karamanlis mentioned this fact at his press conference. Apparently the issue of business ownership and successful careers of women is not just about proving a point to prejudiced male tycoons or government ministers. «This is no longer a trade fair but a political bazaar,» said the head of one local government faction, the widely respected winemaker Yiannis Boutaris. «Barba Yiannis,» as he is called by some, charged that the site in the heart of the city occupied by the exhibition organizers, HELEXPO, and the adjacent army base, dating from the time when the Turks occupied the city, should be converted into a park. «The trade fair has veered from its goal,» Boutaris said. Karamanlis’s speech on economics left most unsatisfied. The real major change for the country, namely the introduction of deep and radical reforms announced in previous years, has not materialized – yet. Furthermore, one of the stickiest points for the prime minister in drawing up his speech was that this time the possibilities for him to promise new projects have been exhausted. Yet one might ask: What about the older projects? What about the much vaunted metro in Thessaloniki? In an effort to convince residents that they are not being ignored by the government, Public Works and Environment Minister Giorgos Souflias assured us last week that the city will have a metro by 2012. But we have heard similar assurances in the past. In 2003, the then (PASOK) Public Works Minister Vasso Papandreou said the metro would be up and running by 2008. «Yes, but now our metro will be different. Whenever it opens. Much better than the one in Athens. It will smell like a garden!» «Oh really! How is that?» I asked the local journalist who had given me this priceless information. «A relevant study is being prepared,» he whispered in my ear. «With the aroma of the White Tower. The preliminary stages will involve test sniffing. It’s a new concept [by the mayor?] to mask unpleasant odors like kebab with onion, bougatsa, spilt beer or ouzo. Don’t forget, the first line will run across Egnatia Street, a very busy main road.» «Yes, I know,» I replied. «So are they going to follow the example of the Paris Metro?» «What? Somebody else did it already?» was his disappointed reaction. It is widely known that the initiative was first introduced by the Paris Metro, which in 1999 created a fragrance called «Madeleine» with hints of orange, lavender and lemon. It was named after what was formerly the French capital’s smelliest station. Several years ago, in 1999, the then Prime Minister Costas Simitis in his inaugural address at the opening of the TIF announced that the time had come to make Thessaloniki the economic and financial center of Southeast Europe. «But there’s no need to hurry, is there?» he quickly added. This quote was repeated several times – surely in jest – during Pandelis Savidis’s talk show «Anixneuseis» last Wednesday on ET3. The subject for discussion was whether Thessaloniki could now claim the title «Metropolis of the Balkans.» There was a telephone poll as the somewhat pessimistic discussion progressed on the tube, focusing on past infrastructure projects, education, research and modern technology. Sadly, viewers came to the conclusion that among the cities of the region the title should go to Istanbul – or, if you prefer, Constantinople. Here in Thessaloniki, the White Tower – probably built by the Venetians during their brief tour of duty – functioned for almost five centuries to express the palpable physical presence of the Ottoman Empire. But the Ottomans infused modern Greece with a repressed eastern self, one which is still very much alive. In the early 18th century, the tower was converted into a prison. It was at this time that it became known as the «Tower of Blood» for the torture and executions carried out there. Only late in the 19th century was it whitewashed, relieved of its correctional duties and renamed the White Tower. They say that history is comforting. For all those terrible things happened in the past, and here we are still, watching television and wondering what to do for Christmas. However, in one version of FYROM’s currency, the famous «White Tower» of Thessaloniki was depicted on the state’s banknotes. Could this be a sign of trouble ahead? And if so, how might we avoid it? But let’s return to the economy. The conclusion to emerge from the two days of Karamanlis’s presence in the city is that there should be cutbacks in public spending and that we should be aware that economic growth has slowed. Oh yes, we should also be prepared for a halt to rises in real wages. It is going to be a difficult winter as we Greeks spend more than we earn. Even worse, our behavior does not appear to convince our partners in Europe that we are the right ones to lend scarce funds to.
