Cynicism

The procedure of submitting a declaration of wealth, known as "pothen esches," is yet another version of hypocritical populism.

There is no doubt Greece needs an independent body to inspect whether people who are managing public money have become wealthy by illegal means.

Many respected historians and intellectuals have warned that, if past experience is any guide, the Greek crisis could evolve into something far worse than an economic disaster. I share their concerns. Greece is a bankrupt nation under foreign supervision. Its institutions are creaking and society has sunk into an ocean of cynicism and frustration. The Greek crisis is a systemic crisis.

The cynicism and low quality of debate seen in Parliament on Monday do not benefit democracy in the slightest, particularly when the issue at hand is corruption in the country's public life, a major concern in Greece.

This is the kind of issue that cannot be handled through the use of political fireworks, by dragging people through the mud or launching attacks at a personal level.