Maria Katsounaki

July 24 marked the 52nd anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece, and, as is customary, a special event was held at the Presidential Mansion to mark the end of military rule. So, we ask: Is the Greek political system in a position to honor such a historic anniversary by coming together for a few hours in the same space or at least posing together just long enough for a group photo?

The person who came up with the title “Trust Your Stars” for the ill-fated program for young researchers and scientists must have been infected by a heavy dose of sarcasm. The aim of the call, which had been published in late 2023 by the Education Ministry, was, supposedly, intended to “support research projects with a high impact on the economy and society through the production of high-quality research.” The all-too-familiar buzzwords about hubs of excellence and innovation were obviously scattered in there as well.

The island of Paros declared a state of emergency a few days ago “for reasons of safety and hygiene.” The wildfire that started at the landfill left thousands of hectares burned and a feeling of great insecurity among residents and visitors. It was not the only island to suffer from blazes. Skyros and Salamina – where two people died – have been added to the August toll.

We live in a world where every day there is at least one thing to lose sleep over: “Biblical” natural disasters, fires or floods, femicides, and threats to public health (like the West Nile virus). The Greek government's financial resources allocated after disaster has struck will necessarily multiply. No statistics are needed to understand this.

If one were to leaf through the National Action Plan for the Protection of Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (2022-27), you would find that it is presenting a slew of shortcomings and problems. The “strategic objectives,” the 11 new policies, the dozens of measures, should have borne fruit a year before the expiration of the five-year deadline.

Whatever the official findings concerning the cause of death of singer Giorgos Mazonakis, the debate it has initiated over shady anti-aging and longevity clinics could prove useful.

We need to wait until Monday to hear what the recently released Number 2 of the Golden Dawn criminal organization is planning.

We heard and felt the blast all the way in Pangrati. Shortly after 7.30 am Friday morning, a sudden loud crack shook the walls, windows and bed. In Plaka, on Lysikratous Street, a building collapsed in a powerful explosion, with all indications so far pointing to a natural gas leak as the cause. Witnesses spoke of a pervasive odor in the area since Thursday afternoon. People working in offices in the vicinity reported having to shut their windows to keep out the smell. The scenes of destruction have been well documented and the investigation is still underway. What is not being documented is the fear and insecurity of the people of Athens – the fear that they are increasingly exposed to unpredictable hazards every single day.

Despite the fact that the issue of forged certificates is neither new nor catches the Ministry of Education off guard, no solutions are forthcoming. Although suspicion is spreading and meritocracy is being undermined, the antidote needed to restore the damaged credibility remains nowhere to be seen.

Would you call a foul for €10,000? Would you accept a “freebie,” say, one pizza out of every four, on the condition that you pay in cash rather than by card? If the answer to these questions were “no,” then the recent scandal involving match-fixing in Greek basketball would never have occurred; nor would the Greek state have been deprived of €25 million in VAT, tax that went unpaid for years by the owner of the chain, Pizza Fan.