GREECE
Kathimerini
Those who thought that the corruption scandals and shady intrigue bedeviling Greece’s Orthodox Church were just a passing phase have been forced to reconsider. But the latest wave of revelations has swept away any leftover delusions nourished by senior Church clerics as well as by the political class. The embarrassing failure of the Church Hierarchy to shoulder its share of responsibility and kick off a process of self-cleansing has made state action imperative.
The longer ruling officials remain paralyzed before the turmoil, the more the crisis will deepen. The inertia has opened the door to dangerous shady games. The relentless competition between private television channels means that the hidden agenda and ulterior motives of the different sources are not put under scrutiny.
True, the noise generated by the disturbing revelations serves the government’s objectives, for it deflects public attention from everyday problems. As a rule, of course, politicians are keen to steer clear of such ailing phenomena. Even more so when these concern the Church, which, save the political parties, is the most influential institution voter-wise.
Posted by kshaw at February 26, 2005 02:02 PM