Through our public intervention for a Living Greek Economy, we argue that the prerequisite for a truly vigorous recovery from the economic crisis is wide-ranging reform, based on sound ecological and social criteria.

We find that the Greek economy has always been and still is ecologically blind. Although the unbreakable dependence of social prosperity on the quality of the environment is uncontested, this vital link has yet to be represented in the quantities and indicators of economic progress and in economic policies. We stand behind the need to incorporate sustainability and environmental cost indicators in all policy-making processes.

We take note of the fact that the Greek model of growth has always relied on impunity and on burdening society with the economic and ecological consequences of environmental crimes. We push for social justice and full incorporation of the ‘polluter pays’ principle in policy-making.

We observe that Greece continuously undermines the prospects of sustainable economic activity and social economy, actively enabling clientelism, the lack of transparency, bad law and governance, disregard for court decisions, and complex and vague planning. We push for a state characterized by absolute transparency and public accountability, participation, motivation for sustainable business, legal certainty and clear rules for everyone.

We find that society remains essentially uninvolved in and detached from the development and production process. We push for a society built on knowledge, participation and solidarity—a society that seeks and develops positive solutions.

We recognize that the Greek society has a slowly awakening potential for building and supporting a truly sustainable economy. We promote solutions for a socially just and strong production economy.

We realize that the course of development that Greece has unswervingly followed in the past decades has created an immeasurable ecological deficit. We stand behind the need to reform fundamental sectors of the real economy and to implement absolute transparency and public accountability in both state and businesses.

We invite you to read our proposal. It is not addressed exclusively to politicians. It is addressed to all those who realize that the crisis might be a chance for positive change and maintain realistic hope for an effective and just way out of the crisis.