Editorial Ta Nea: A model programme

The great response and demand of citizens for the Fuel Pass 2 [a state automobile fuel subsidy] is most indicative of the needs of society and serves as a model that the government should follow in the immediate future.

The success of the procedure confirms the need of citizens for assistance and care, not in the form of handouts, but rather through a nexus of targeted social policies, which obviously must not hinder the country’s growth capacity.

The average household has become increasingly vulnerable financially due the energy crisis fueled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war.

The same holds true regarding the impact of galloping inflation and price hikes.

Yet, there is room to plan and fashion policies that will bolster citizens’ purchasing power and preserve social cohesion.

One should also take note of the comparative advantage provided by digital reforms that streamline all procedures and expedite the offering of aid to citizens, far from the Kafkaesque bureaucratic dysfunctions of the past.

It is inconceivable for the average citizen to be defenceless in the face of major, new economic trials.

That would signal a deterioration of the quality of life and provide fertile ground for populist and anti-politics forces which steadfastly bank on such crises.

What is needed is assistance, the creation of positive prospects, and foresight in handling what lies ahead, along with economic extroversion, growth, investments, and increasing demand.