corruption

A roundup of news in the wake of the Socialists’ return to power in Greece:

Greek Orthodox Archbishop Demetrios congratulated George Papandreou on his election victory in Greece. The Archbishop wished him success in his “manifold work for the benefit of the homeland and the Greeks abroad.”

Sworn in

A self-described “diaspora Greek” who was born in the US, Papandreou is conspicuously cosmopolitan. As president of Socialist International, the world grouping of leftwing parties, he has campaigned for minority rights and the decriminalisation of drugs … “Our biggest challenge is to regain the confidence of the Greek people who have lost their faith in politics and in what Greece can do,” he told the Observer. “One of the reasons this government failed was because it had no credibility after the amazing corruption we have seen in the last year. I am a socialist, but I am very non-dogmatic.”

But he is ambitious …

Papandreou has also pledged to move against the high salaries paid to executives, to tax major property holdings, including properties held by the Orthodox Church of Greece, to tax offshore companies and large inheritances; and to abolish numerous state agencies and entities to reduce public spending

Papandreou wants to dip into the “diaspora” talent pool to fix his country: Continue reading →