Athény - problémy s odpadky opět diskutovány v řeckých novinách
No more excuses for chronic trash woes The garbage issue has come to a head as
the management of waste in Athens has become a national shame. For a few days
once or twice each year, the inhabitants of the capital witness the same old
story as municipal authorities fail to collect the piling rubbish from the
streets. As a result, about 4 million Athenians — that’s close to half the
population of Greece — are subjected to an evil smell and an ugly sight, a mix
of torture and humiliation. At the same time, the mountains of garbage are a
serious health hazard reminiscent of living conditions in Third World countries.
When will we see an end to this disgraceful situation? For decades, governments
have come and gone but the problem remains. Politicians, local leaders, workers
and local communities have so far failed to find a final solution to a problem
that may indeed have many dimensions (and has actually become more complex after
prolonged foot-dragging) but is no longer an issue in any of the continent’s big
urban centers. So why does the problem persist here? The residents of Athens
have every reason to be upset. Excuses for this unacceptable situation abound.
But government and, by extension, local administration officials must realize
that ordinary people care little whether a mayor is guided by political
expediency or whether a minister is controlled by private interests. They just
want to see an end to the city’s dysfunctional waste collection system. As far
as voters are concerned, it’s up to their political representatives to come up
with a final solution. It’s easy to understand why people have little interest
in attending seminars on sewage sludge and biodegrading process technologies.
They do not share responsibility for the incompetence of past and current
administrations. They demand that their government keep the streets clear of
garbage — and rightly so. ZDROJ:www.ekathimerini.com
No more excuses for chronic trash woes
The garbage issue has come to a head as the management of waste in Athens has become a national shame. For a few days once or twice each year, the inhabitants of the capital witness the same old story as municipal authorities fail to collect the piling rubbish from the streets. As a result, about 4 million Athenians — that’s close to half the population of Greece — are subjected to an evil smell and an ugly sight, a mix of torture and humiliation. At the same time, the mountains of garbage are a serious health hazard reminiscent of living conditions in Third World countries.
When will we see an end to this disgraceful situation? For decades, governments have come and gone but the problem remains. Politicians, local leaders, workers and local communities have so far failed to find a final solution to a problem that may indeed have many dimensions (and has actually become more complex after prolonged foot-dragging) but is no longer an issue in any of the continent’s big urban centers.
So why does the problem persist here? The residents of Athens have every reason to be upset. Excuses for this unacceptable situation abound. But government and, by extension, local administration officials must realize that ordinary people care little whether a mayor is guided by political expediency or whether a minister is controlled by private interests. They just want to see an end to the city’s dysfunctional waste collection system. As far as voters are concerned, it’s up to their political representatives to come up with a final solution.
It’s easy to understand why people have little interest in attending seminars on sewage sludge and biodegrading process technologies. They do not share responsibility for the incompetence of past and current administrations. They demand that their government keep the streets clear of garbage — and rightly so.
ZDROJ:www.ekathimerini.com
Sdílet článek na sociálních sítích
