The country has paid dearly for the unwillingness of all crisis-era governments to complete a fiscal adjustment programme without backpedaling, delays, and postponements.

They were unwilling to act with the sense of responsibility and urgency that bailout memorandum-era governments did in Portugal, Ireland, and Cyprus.

Even worse, Greek governments resorted to various duplicitous tactics in a bid to deceive creditors.

The SYRIZA-Independent Greeks government, unfortunately, has followed the same path. Even though it is not confronted with a fierce anti-memorandum front, it is delaying implementation of 88 preconditions for closing the ongoing, final bailout evaluation.

It seems, yet again, to believe that a political solution is feasible, and that the outcome of negotiations depends on its supposed negotiating prowess. It forgets that any negotiations cannot be conducted with Eastern bazaar-style bargaining.

The government also forgets that politics is not just rhetoric, promises, and slogans. It is mainly hard work.

The much-touted bailout exit cannot be achieved without rolling up one’s sleeves, and without a methodical approach and programme.

Greek society has paid a high price for easy rhetoric and slogans.

That is because, all these years, the slogans and rhetoric have proven hollow.

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