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That is why I said it was predictable for me and unfortunately, it shows the decline and the small chance of the country to be ruled by two parties, each of which is worse than the other. At no point in their political activity, have these two parties put the national public interest against their party interests. Their present position shows exactly what they have done in the last 30-40 years.

For some time, there has been a general feeling that early elections are approaching? What is your assessment?

I think it is quite certain that there will be early elections. When a democratic state cannot be ruled as is the case of Greece now, what else remains? We need a government equipped with a fresh expression of popular will. There is no other option in terms of democracy. You cannot impose policies that people deny. You need to have a minimum level of agreement on the part of voters.

The results of recent polls show that it is most likely that New Democracy would be the winner. But everybody is commenting on what would happen after the election and what the country would go through then.

This is something we cannot know. Indeed, it is most likely that New Democracy would have the greatest number of votes. I very much doubt, indeed I even think it would be impossible for this party to be able to establish self-government. And fortunately too, I would say. It should not be able to form its own cabinet to compel parties to cooperate. However, I think we cannot just transfer the current conditions to the future. I think the crisis acts as a catalyst for awareness and eventually, there will be new political formations.

I understand that elections are a factor of uncertainty. It is a fact. But this is an uncertainty that we cannot avoid. It is like wanting to have a tooth out without feeling any pain. This is impossible. Policy itself causes uncertainty, especially in times of crisis. But the bet is precisely here: to deal with uncertainties in a creative way. That is why I am saying that I am expecting to see new political formations; to see political parties commit themselves to cooperate if they fail to draw up a coalition government. If these questions are put to the Greek people, whatever government emerges after this, it will have a very different legitimate basis from today's government.

Do you think the Greek people are ready for such changes?

I think that no one is ready enough. This is an ongoing process. But the fact is that we are more mature than we were last year and the year before last. In my opinion, despite the protests, which have been very intense over the last two days, people have understood that things are very difficult. Therefore, they are ready to accept the new severe measures, but they feel the need of hope the government will give them. The big bet is the way they should use politically all this discontent politically. In Greece, we need new leaders and formations. We need people who are not in the first line now, but who will have to take the leading role to find creative expression of the excitement, fear and anxiety of the people. This is the essence of politics: How to turn our creative excitement into a political act.

Of course, I cannot be bound to a specific forecast, because this election will not resemble any of those in the past. In a crisis, electoral competition will not develop the way we know. Many politicians will not even dare to appear in public. Everything is different. And here all who consider themselves active citizens have to intervene in the most appropriate way to enable the Greek people to express their will in a more creative way.

Are you optimistic about the future of Greece?

Yes and no. I am not optimistic about the near future. This decade is lost to Greece. If we look at things as external observers, we will see that it will take the country ten years to get back on its feet. The conditions will become more difficult before they get better.

I am optimistic about the distant future, because the bubble of the false world that was created in Greece after the restoration of the democratic system in 1974 has already burst. Unfortunately, its blow caused much of a fuss. The crisis shatters self-delusions, it pops balloons, driving us to concentrate, to think about fundamental matters related to the political and public life in the country, about which we did not think before. For example: what the role of the state is, how big the public sector should be, issues of probity in public life, corruption, confidence in institutions, etc. These fundamental questions have arisin for the first time and I think they will find their answer in the future.

As for the near future, I am pessimistic and I think that, by all means, we should avoid the worst scenario which is leaving the Euro zone. This should be our "red line". If we don't cross it, we can achieve everything else despite the difficulties. But this takes time.