The struggle for social progress is ahead of us
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In today’s paper(9/7/17) of ‘Nea Selida’ newspaper, the following article of Alternate Minister of National Defence, Dimitris Vitsas, is published:

It is undoubtely the first time over the last decade that the path for Greece to overcome the crisis is clear. The removal of the memorandum trusteeship in the summer of 2018, the final arrangement of the management and reduction of the public debt, an integrated program of productive reconstruction, the establishment of a new welfare state, a just system of redistribution and careful steps in foreign policy are elements of a new type of growth at steady pace, a growth, which beside the growth rates of Gross National Product,etc, will result in the qualitative and quantitative reduction of unemployment and the steady work forms.

The opposition, of course, major and minor, does not agree with this perspective. On the contrary, it is still defending the political route, which put the country in the memorandum period and even worse, it is defending the management choices of this period. A political route which raised the public debt, destroyed the productive web of the country and laid the foundation for the development of corruption and intrigue phenomena.

It is obvious that the only perception regarding growth that ND and PASOK have is growth on borrowed money, the dependent kind from which only a few can benefit. This perception led also to the memorandum choices , to the memorandum itself and  the destruction of the productive forces, the reproduction structures, the society and welfare state as well and at the same time it did not remove the country from the  trusteeship and even more, it closed down the exit roads from the crisis-besides, the same perception appears even in the management of the finances of their parties, ND and PASOK.

The last Parliament discussion on economy is typical. Not even one proposal from ND and PASOK, only scaremongering and the pursuit of  polarization. This is as far their political word goes, this is as far their interest about the country and society goes. I wonder if it is worth for someone to focus on such a confrontation. It is clear that, while we must remind everyone about destruction and its components, at the same time it is an exaggeration to focus only on what the system represents-in the context of policy, media and finances. It is more proper to care about finding ways to resolve real problems. This is where there is a difference, the abyss that divides us, this is truly a new ground.

In the beginning of this article we pinpointed the immediate political goal: exit  the trusteeship, exit  the crisis. Towards this direction, our political plan is not defined by words, but, mainly, by actions, connected and coordinated, which constitute the puzzle pieces of the political goal. These actions are tested in the framework of financial growth, new jobs and the improvement of the everyday life of citizens, starting with those affected  most by the crisis and the memorandum choices.

Today, all serious factors in the Greek drama-creditors, markets, investors-have no doubt that the memorandum program will be terminated in 2018. It shows in the profit of the Greek bonds, the respective rise of the Stock Exchange, the investments interest. The bank system has been stabilized at a satisfactory level and bank managements process plans of loans increase in the domestic market. This trend must be reinforced.

The fact that the European institutions have approved an arrangement plan for the public debt gives us at the same time new financing tools for the reinforcement of economy and especially, production. The exit in the markets, which, I insist, must take place in a calculated way and under no circumstances under stress to find more money, creates the conditions for the country to become integrated in the international regularity.

It is clear that our economy needs investments. Funds from abroad and the interior and human capital investments, as well. Investments targeting the production and services sectors, where the country has a relative advantage, investments that create added value and not ‘investments no matter what’.

Towards this direction I support two things. First, the exploitation of the geopolitical position of the country and the historic coincidence. That is why at the beginning I integrated the foreign policy in the growth effort. Second, a motivation system per financial sector and territorial district, which, on one hand will magnify the area’s advantage and on the other hand, it will be the basis for complete networks of services, trade and exports. This system will reinforce specific investments and actions, without, of course, prohibiting or fighting others. This motivation can be financial, cooperative and of course tax related.

Special attention must be paid to social economy sectors, with even greater reinforcement in the  efforts of the youth, of collective nature. Let’s take for example an initiative of agricultural exploitation by new producers, which will be netted with a manufacturing and standardization unit and it will create a production chain in the domestic market, in accordance with the rules of trade law-and not only that. Let’s think of how many jobs  such an effort can create in the production, distribution line, other services and trade, if reinforced just a little by the State, in terms of land, primary fund and procedures against bureaucracy.

What I mean is that we must use our brains to work productively  all levels-from economy to social welfare. In my mind I claim that the succession of ‘Greece during the crisis’ cannot and must not be ‘Greece before the crisis’, because that way we will only function in a dangerous spiral of false growth-crisis-etc.  
We aspire to creating a new Greece, in terms of economy, democracy, society reproduction and social welfare. In this context, we are making everything clear and are leaving ND and right ‘Social democracy’ behind. In this context, the political struggle becomes social progress.