Political veneer conceals Greek reality

"There is barely a more fitting symbol that defines Greece today than Dionysos, the now infamous restaurant that used to draw glamour from its namesake, the ancient Greek deity, and its proximity to the Parthenon – a restaurant that last week made headlines after revelations about its malodorous kitchen", writes the Pantelis Boukalis. "A restaurant that has always attracted local and foreign elites and has been linked to important moments in Greece's political life (such as the recent meeting between the Greek premier, his Bulgarian counterpart and the Russian president). ... Like the ill-fated restaurant, our state appears just another corner shop. They're both largely kept alive thanks to the shadow of the Acropolis, namely tourism ... The Olympic Games are a good example: We bedazzled the world – but bedazzled as we were by our own glory, we left the much-hyped Olympic legacy, those costly venues, to crumble. ... We speak big words, we love to hear them and we take pride as we float in an ocean of scandals and dodgy food."

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Public Culture, » Greece
All available articles from » Pantelis Boukalas

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, March 21, 2007