Cynicism among ministers of the conservative Greek government reached another level on Tuesday, when a minister told a TV magazine: ” Who doesn’t adjust dies!.”
Deputy interior minister Stelios Petsas appeared on the Morning Magazine of ANT1 TV to discuss the energy crisis and the natural gas prices in the context of heating in upcoming winter alongside with the government call on citizens to save energy and not use natural gas, but heating oil.
journalists at the magazine pannel pointed out to Petsas that 700,000 homes have paid thousands of euros in recent years just to switch their heating burners to natural gas. Note that prices paid by home owners have ranged between 3,000 and 5,000-6,000 euros.
When journalists asked the minister if there is any government thought of subsidizing the cost of the new change, Petsas said:.
“This is populism. Populism is when I refuse to see reality. Listen… the price of natural gas has increased by 1,200% and we say that if you move to something else that is cheaper and costs less to you and the state budget, we can help you.”
“The key issue in these cases is adaptation. Anyone who refuses to adapt, unfortunately dies” Stelios Petsas added cynically, provoking the journalists’ reactions.
“Citizens will die, Mr. Petsas. What adaptation, will we die of cold? It’s a bit cynical what you say,” said Giorgos Karameros answered him.
“The course of all of us depends on our adaptation to difficult conditions. When bombs fall in our neighborhood we have to adapt to these difficult conditions. We continue to support households and businesses. If there is cheaper fuel, let’s move to it. There is no locking someone up. Can it be moved somewhere? We are here to subsidize it”, the minister responded.
Video: ANT1 TV
As not differently expected, Petsas’ statements triggered an outrage on social media.
It should be recalled that Stelios Petsas is the same person who gave over 20 million euros from public money to media, including some websites hastily set up and had just one post, during the first Covid-lockdown in 2020, just to secure their support for the government in whatever policy it would implement. Back then he was government spokesman.
Petsas is not the first ND minister who ‘wishes’ citizens death. Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis cursed those who didn’t want to get vaccinated in October 2021.
PS No big surprise here, in fact: Petsas said what thousands of Greeks believe: That the conservative government of New Democracy and PM Mitsotakis does not give a damn whether citizens die or not.
The masks have fallen. The neo-liberal and one-person-centered government is drown in its own arrogance.
Let’s hope that this muppet is now out of a job
he won’t be, bozo’s like this are part of the furniture in Greece, when he goes his son or nephew will likely take over his role
This is the contempt that politicians have for their citizens. They will not be cold. But the way things are going now in Europe, the coming winter could be actually quite hot. In the streets.
Well, Mr.Petsas, you may be able to afford to switch to another heating source but many tens of thousands are not as wealthy as you. I, for one, could not afford to install oil heating. I am lucky that I have a log burner and access to a good supply of olive wood as I live in a farming community. What about the majority who live in urban centres? Your party was voted in and it can be voted out just as easily.
Populism versus reality? I don’t think you have a grip on either.
If you look at the last 50 years of Greek history you will find that the people have voted out many governments because they realised that the government had total contempt for them only to discover that the new government had about the same level of contempt. What can a citizen do if the only names on the ballot paper are of people who have complete contempt for them? It is the big flaw of representative democracy in all so called “democratic” countries.
how about we switch to a government that actually puts our own citizens first and stays out of foriegn entnglements?
It’s a case of..Rob the poor to feed the rich.
As always!!! 😡