Editorial: Yachts
The prime minister says he vacationed on a yacht to protect his privacy.
One of his ministers traveled on a yacht in order to charm film executives.
There will always be some reason for one to use a yacht and a minister who had the opportunity to experience the comfort of a luxury yacht will no doubt have his own reason.
Why should they do this secretly?
The answer is simple. A government that denounces the elite does not want public opinion to know that its members enjoy the perks of the elite.
A legal commentator opined that the PM’s aim was to deceive citizens.
The minister said that he used the yacht in order to promote the aim of luring film productions to Greece.
What national interest is served by having film industry executives and ministry staff traveling on a regular passenger ship to see Greece’s beauties even as the competent deputy minister was sailing on a private luxury yacht?
Who covered the cost of this lonesome trip? Did the minister or the prime minister pay for it or was it the state? Was it an undeclared gift, as was the case with the PM?
The press in a democracy reveals and raises questions on behalf of the citizenry.
In the meta-democracy of the government, however, a segment of the press hides events, backs government actions, and is annoyed by the revelations made by others.
Instead of checking power it protects it even on yachts – or rather mainly there.