Agora
Posts by Nick Malkoutzis
One night in Cannes
There are few people in the world unhinged enough to have been willing to switch places with Greece's decision makers over the past few years. For all their failings, ministers, prime ministers and others have often found themselves in impossible situations, caught between a baying public at home and obdurate counterparts abroad. We must be clear that there were rarely straightforward solutions to Greece's problems since the start of the crisis.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Europe (282), Politics (387), Economy (331), Greece (498)
On the beaches
The quality of the water at 94 percent of Greek beaches was deemed excellent by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which awarded 408 Blue Flags to Greece this week, the second highest of the 48 countries the organization surveys. The high rating is testament to the care given local authorities, bathers, tourists, volunteers and Mother Nature.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Society (142), Greece (498)
![Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]](resources/toolip/img-thumb/2013/11/06/tsipras_1000_myrto_0511-large.jpg "Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]")
Has SYRIZA's moment gone?
In June 2012, SYRIZA came within 171,000 votes of winning Greece’s national elections as part of an improbable but meteoric rise from raggle-taggle band of dreamy leftists to Europe’s premier anti-austerity crusaders. At the time it seemed that, even in electoral defeat, SYRIZA and its young leader Alexis Tsipras were laying a cornerstone for something much bigger. But events since then, especially over the last couple of weeks, suggest that we may have already seen SYRIZA’s finest moment.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Politics (387), Greece (498)
Greece's ultimate sacrifice for stability
One of the ironies about the video showing ex-cabinet secretary Takis Baltakos in a furtive discussion with Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris is that this unholy alliance was being forged in a room that had at least nine religious icons on its walls. Another is that it showed Golden Dawn, the self-styled anti-systemic party, was completely at ease with the idea of cosying up to and horsetrading with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's right-hand man.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Politics (387), Greece (498)
Come back Cleisthenes, all is forgiven
Cleisthenes has a lot to answer for. Yes, he laid the groundwork for Athenian democracy in 507 BC but he also did it after being recalled from exile. As much as he helped transform ancient Greece, he a left dangerous legacy for its modern version. Since Cleisthenes, too many Greek politicians believe that some time away from the limelight can absolve them of any sins and, like the man from classical Athens, make a heroic return.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Politics (387), Greece (498)