If there were a political “shame meter,” Alexis Tsipras would certainly have… put an end to it.
The current head of ELAS, who now poses as the guardian of the rule of law and claims to have all the economic solutions, has a “rich” resume of budget cuts and, in general, cases that have likely abolished any notion of a well-ordered state.
The most characteristic case is Mati: the tragedy that claimed 104 lives is one of the greatest failures of the state apparatus in the country’s modern history. The images from the meeting at the Coordination Center at a time when Greece was mourning dozens of victims continue to haunt Alexis Tsipras and his colleagues from that time politically. The effort to manage the public narrative preceded the full disclosure of the scale of the disaster, and this remains etched in the collective memory.
On the issue of pensions, the Tsipras government managed to create utter chaos. While the much-touted Thessaloniki program promised more money, it abolished the EKAS, introduced the Katrougalos Law, imposed increased health insurance contributions, and ultimately drastically reduced benefits for many categories of insured individuals.
At the same time, promises to abolish the memoranda came to nothing, while the much-touted “tough negotiations” were thrown in the trash. In their place came the referendum, capital controls, and ultimately the signing of a third memorandum.
A series of scandals followed, raising serious political questions. The Novartis case is perhaps the most emblematic. What was presented as “the biggest scandal since the founding of the Greek state” ended up being accompanied by allegations of a political conspiracy, with references to interference, protected witnesses, and the notorious “Rasputin.” The case ultimately backfired on those who attempted to turn it into a weapon to destroy their own political opponents.
The case of Manolis Petsitis also fell into this same category. A figure who, having gone from being a party ally and close confidant in ministerial offices, found himself at the center of media reports regarding business activities and ties to DEPA. The case, evidently, cast serious doubt on the operation of a behind-the-scenes mechanism of influence and power.
Issues of mismanagement
This was followed by allegations regarding the management of funds for migration. Billions of euros in funds channeled during the refugee crisis came under the microscope of investigations, while there were even reports of interventions that retroactively legitimized procurement procedures. At the same time, the European Anti-Fraud Office investigated specific contracts related to the management of these funds.
The situation in which the Public Power Corporation (PPC) found itself also raised significant questions. The public electricity company reached a point that even government officials after 2019 described as critical, while the proposed acquisition of an energy company in North Macedonia was the subject of intense political debate.
On the privatization front, the sale of TRAINOSE for 45 million euros was also the subject of fierce criticism. This was especially true given that SYRIZA officials themselves had previously estimated the company’s value to be many times higher. Similar questions were raised regarding the Thriassio Freight Center and the terms of its concession.
There was also no shortage of suspicion surrounding television licenses and the Kalogritsa case, which was linked to the plan to create a television landscape favorable to the government at the time. Nor, of course, were there any shortage of allegations regarding direct awards, the splitting of projects, and last-minute amendments that favored specific interests.
Even the case of the sale of missiles to Saudi Arabia sparked a political storm, with allegations regarding the conduct of government officials. The same goes for the public clashes among top ministers, a prime example being the accusations by Kotzias and Kammenos regarding secret funds, interference, and non-transparent procedures.
Alexis Tsipras has now forgotten all of this and hopes it will be erased from the memory of the Greek people as well. Except that every time the former prime minister attempts to present himself as the embodiment of “the new,” reality reminds us that before any comeback, there must be a reckoning. And the record of the 2015–2019 period remains a heavy burden, no matter how much some may wish to leave it behind.
