Read the article “G. Papakostantinou as grave-digger”, of Stelios Kouloglou from tvxs.gr, in English.

G. Papakostantinou as grave-digger

Mr. Papakostantinou’s decisive role in the “Lagarde list” case has a symbolic value, if his guilt, as it seems, is proved; because the actions of the former Minister of Finance not only indicate attempts to corrupt the list and then cover up its very existence, but also reveal something much deeper: the way that the country has been governed during the last decades and, especially, since October 2009, when its latest tragedy began.

In the sinful life of the “Lagarde list”, the content is not as important as its cover-up. The list comprises deposits that had been made by 2007, namely before the outbreak of the financial crisis in Greece, and in a single bank of Switzerland, the HSBC. Many of those whose names are on the list have deposited their money legally. This is possibly the case for Mr. Papakostantinou’s relatives, whom he managed to erase from the list.

Whatever the case may be, Mr. Papakostantinou receives the list from the then-Minister of Finance of France, in the end of 2010, at a time when the country plunges into the crisis. He is the man who signed, without negotiating, a memorandum, which slashes the salaries and pensions of the weakest social groups, in the name of saving the country from bankruptcy and restructuring its economy.

The list offers him a unique opportunity to do what ministers from other countries did (they made 10 billion Euros) when they received the equivalent lists: to earn some billions for his country. He decides to act as a corrupt minister would in a banana republic, who doesn’t give a damn about the natives: he covers it up, erasing some of his relatives as well. The conclusion is clear: all this neoliberal gang that has governed-and keeps governing- the country has never had the slightest intention to purge it, to restore it and whatever else they claim that they aim to from time to time. Their goal is to serve the interests of the wider corrupt “family” and the powerful creditors.

Has Mr. Papakostantinou ever thought that it could be easily found out sometime that there are only 3 of his relatives missing from the list? Another characteristic of this case is the well-known arrogance of the native politicians, as well as their unrepentant behaviour: Mr. Papakostantinou even now insists that
if there are any accounts on the list that belong to relatives of his is something he has not been aware of until now!! It sticks out a mile!

Concerning PASOK, the “Lagarde list” is the coup de grâce, despite its announcement which openly attacks the usual suspect, SYRIZA. For the vast majority of the public opinion, Mr. Papakostantinou’s guilt is another proof of the corruption in PASOK. Bearing such heavy heritage, its president should have closed the shop and move on, when he took the wheel of the party. He didn’t do so because he is an important member of the same governance system. The only thing that is left for him to do is to watch Mr. Papakostantinou, the man who socially finished off with his financial policy the formerly mighty PASOK, drive another nail into the party’s coffin.

Source: http://tvxs.gr