Dear Mr Junker,
I am addressing this to you, because I do believe from what I read in the news, that you are indeed a friend of the Greek people. However, this is an open letter to any and all of Greece’s lenders.
I am a 30 year old Greek man, born and raised in Greece, but studied abroad when I was 18. Since I was young, I had this sense of pride for my country (perhaps through “propaganda” at school). Greece, has its roots in ancient times, cradle of western civilisation, birthplace of democracy, philosophers, mathematicians, sculptors, architects etc etc.
Later we were told of how resilient the Greek people have been during the world wars: Hitler said that of all the nations Germany fought, the Greeks were the bravest and most gallant, and out of admiration he ordered the release of all Greek POWs as soon as they were disarmed; Winston Churchill said, "Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks."
There comes that pride again.
We later had to suffer through civil war and the “junta”.
My little country, located on the border between East and West. What a peculiar specimen.
I still remember January 1999, when the euro was introduced in Greece. I was 14. What an exciting time. Of course I did not understand at the time what the importance of it was, or what it meant to be “European”. All I knew was that the word “Europe” comes from Greece (another reason for my Greek pride to inflate), and that I would have to learn a new currency, which was difficult for my teenage brain (I even got a currency converter, how else would I know how many drachmas my souvlaki cost!!).
I also remember when prices were slowly but steadily going up. People around me were complaining about the Euro, ruining the economy. I never followed that logic. That was just inflation. I was always pro Euro!! That is our currency. We are Europeans god dammit (I told myself).
I also never really followed the news or been very political for that matter. I never cast a vote in any elections as I was leaving abroad, nor did I think that I had a good enough idea of politics to make an informed decision.
However, as I recently married a non-Greek, and we would like to start our own family, I started questioning some things. You see, our relatively newly-elected first time prime minister, was negotiating the release of funds for Greece, from our lenders. He had promised to end years of austerity and restore our pride (perhaps we are too proudful as a people).
I had relative optimism on Mr Tsipras. He is young and he seems to be at least trying to make a difference. I do not know what games happen behind closed doors, I do not know under what pressure he is from any outside forces, I do not know almost anything to be honest.
The one thing I did know for certain, is that for a brief moment, just for a little bit, I had one tiny bit of optimism.
Optimism that our lenders would see, not only the error of our ways (the Greek ways), but the error of their ways too. They would be forced to take a deep long look, and see that the way they are handling the situation is wrong. It has not worked in the last five years. It will not work now. I am not an economist, but I feel like you are putting a band aid on a terminally-ill patient. This is not going to work. How many more times does this sort of approach have to fail, for the powers that be to realise this approach does not yield results.
I am not part of the generation that took advantage of all those “magic” Greek systems, the fat salaries, the early retirement, the 13th and 14th bonus salaries, getting loans from banks etc etc.
People younger than me are in an even worse situation. They will never know what it feels like to not have uncertainty in your life, whether you will be able to find a job, get married, start a family, whether you can simply “enjoy” your life. Is this a “sins of the fathers” situation? Why do young people have to suffer for the mistakes of their parents and their parents parents.
On the other hand, why do the voters of other countries have to suffer for the mistakes of Greece. Well you see, first of all, when you drive an economy, no, when you drive a country to its knees, how will it ever be able to repay its debts.
Second of all, I will be idealistic a little bit. I do not care about early retirement. Scrape it. Make it 70 years old for all I care. I am sure if you ask 20 to 30-year-old unemployed people, most of them would say the same thing. All I am asking for is for the people of Greece, the new generation to be able to find a job to begin with. With the things the creditors demand, unemployment will rise even more.
Third of all, allow me to be selfish for this one. This is called European UNION. We are hypothetically UNITED. When one of us falls, it is the duty of the rest to pick them up. Otherwise, what is the point in even trying. Germans are for Germany, Dutch for Holland, Slovaks for Slovakia and whoever fucks up, let them fend for themselves. Throw them to the wolves.
I am wracking my brain trying to think if that is what Europe really wants. For us to learn “our lesson”. For the old people who messed this up to see the error of their ways. And for the young people? To lose all hope? To expatriate? What was the young generations big sin? That they were born Greek? That they were born with pride? Should we beat it out of them?
Also, don’t forget that this generation of young people will grow knowing only austerity. They will one day come to power. It is not going to be right now, maybe not in 5, 10 or 15 years. Maybe it will be 30 years from now. Just think that you are breeding an entire generation of people that will grow up hating on Europe and what it stands for.
I just feel like screaming, crying into my pillow. Where is the solidarity? Where is the love? Where is the UNION?
I started wondering whether Mr Tsipras should say “the big NO” as he calls it, much like the Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas said to Benito Mussolini on October 28, 1940 (which in hindsight now, is celebrated as one of the two biggest public anniversaries in Greece).
Perhaps part of me just thinks that we would be better off without the Euro as our currency? Or perhaps I just want to feel that sense of “Greek pride”, that I have now lost as an adult? Just one last time. Try to relieve my childhood memories of what it feels like being Greek. What it feels like being EUROPEAN.
There is so much more I would like to say, so much more I would like to write. But I am not on the right state of mind, I can’t think straight right now. It is 2.30 a.m. and I need to get some sleep. I am fortunately one of the few lucky ones that has a job, and I need to wake up early tomorrow morning.
I don’t know if this letter will ever get to you, or that it will matter at all. Perhaps I am writing it just for my own peace of mind, to release some tension, in the slightest hope that it could or would make even the tiniest bit of a difference.
Maybe Greece should leave the Eurozone. Maybe we should leave the European Union. Maybe the European Union should find a new name. One that does not have its roots in ancient Greek Mythology. Or perhaps that is the irony of it all in the end. Take everything from my tiny, insignificant country. Just leave the empty husk alone, when there is nothing else to take.
Sincerely
Karantzouvalis Ioannis
