A fierce attack against former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is launched in a post by the Minister of State Akis Skertsos.

“The ‘moral high ground’—whether on the left or the right—is the refuge of political fraudsters and habitual demagogues and populists. That is, of political forces that, instead of presenting a realistic, alternative governance program, claim a supposed monopoly on integrity by accusing their opponents of being corrupt across the board.

Precisely because they have nothing realistic or responsible to say, the forces of populism resort to “character assassination” —and even entire political camps—by playing on the emotions of citizens,” notes the Minister of State, continuing:

“This is how all the great demagogues of the 20th and 21st centuries rose to power. The populism of moral superiority that divides political parties into a priori good and bad, honest and corrupt, is the breeding ground for every form of anti-democratic authoritarianism.

But we don’t need to look very far back. Just 10 years ago. And to remember that this is how Alexis Tsipras came to power in 2015, only to end up with the great chimera of the disastrous referendum and the even bigger about-face that turned the“NO” into a “YES.”

Since then, Alexis Tsipras has claimed that he has changed. And indeed, we all deserve a second chance, both in life and in politics.

On one condition, however: that we have learned from our mistakes so that this new beginning does not lead to a repetition of the same errors.

Unfortunately, Alexis Tsipras is returning with new divisive dilemmas that once again resort to the easy path of moral superiority.

He calls himself honorable and returns to his old, failed formulas of the supposedly unshakable leftist moral high ground. He remains, therefore, —despite his efforts to appear reformed and moderate—unrepentant, incorrigible, divisive, and ultimately dangerous,” states A. Skertsos, elaborating:

*The man who orchestrated and played a leading role in an inhumane charade of deception in Mati, without ever apologizing for it, cannot call himself honorable.

*The politician who dismantled the rule of law by leading the Novartis conspiracy with the aim of imprisoning former prime ministers, former ministers, and the governor of the Bank of Greece solely because they were his political opponents, but who has not apologized for it, cannot call himself honorable.

*The prime minister who watched as two of his ministers were irrevocably convicted for attempting to interfere with the media and the judiciary, and who consented to the division of the Patras-Pyrgos highway in favor of a specific businessman—resulting in the deadly road that claimed so many lives not being delivered on time—cannot call himself honorable.

*A party leader who refuses to take responsibility for his personal choices, shifts the blame for his own mistakes onto the associates he himself chose, constantly discards new associates and casts aside his old comrades as easily as a hair is removed from dough, without offering an apology, cannot call himself honorable.

*And finally, the politician who released all those convicted of serious crimes in 2015 and amended the criminal code by keeping Parliament in session on the eve of elections to expunge serious offenses and commutesentences into lighter ones, without apologizing for it, cannot call himself honorable.”

In conclusion, “politics is not judged by who proclaims themselves morally superior. It is judged by the results it produces, by the truth it tells citizens, and by the responsibility it assumes when it fails.

Alexis Tsipras is not a new politician. He has a past, and it is marked by serious failures and missteps. He would be entitled to a second chance if he engaged in sincere self-criticism.

Greece paid a very high price during the era of easy slogans, moral superiority, and division. There is no reason to relive it.

The country does not need new self-appointed “moral saviors.” It needs politicians who are judged by their work, their choices, and their consistency. Because, quite simply, dishonest politicians can be found across the political spectrum. That is why, in a democracy, there are no moral monopolies.

The answer to corruption is not the selective invocation of morality. It lies in strong institutions, transparency, accountability, and taking responsibility. Unfortunately, Alexis Tsipras is proving, even in his political comeback, that he has learned nothing from the past. That is why he brings nothing new with him for the future,” the Minister of State concluded.