The world around us has become very dangerous. International conditions have become highly volatile, and neither the extent of the economic crisis, nor the social upheaval, nor the likelihood or extent of military conflict can be predicted. Amid this concentration of uncertainties, the stakes of the upcoming elections it is existential for our country.

I will mention only three, but very important areas: Diplomacy. Participation of the country in the fourth industrial revolution. Fighting the Deep State. In any of the three cases where we fail, the price will either lose Cyprus forever, along with the islands in the eastern Aegean, or remain so technologically backward that it will forever be left on the margins of the developing world.

Our diplomacy, under the leadership of Mr. Dendias, quickly and radically changed the situation – it created regional alliances with Egypt, Israel and parts of the Arab world, acquired a strong presence in Europe, strengthened the alliance with the United States, and for the first time in our history, he organized cooperation with an increased the Greek lobby in Washington and with Senator Menendez, a big believer in the notion that Greek interests strengthen American interests against a now alienated Turkey. Diplomacy relies heavily on personalities and chemistry between people. There is no Dendias without Mitsotakis. Together they are a guarantee that our alliances will be strong and that the two of them, with their chosen partners and four years of experience, will find good solutions for the new contingencies that await us.

Our participation in the fourth industrial revolution. In the previous 3 (end of the 18th, end of the 19th, end of the 20th century) we stand in lines. In the fourth, algorithms, robotics, artificial intelligence, we entered hesitantly since 2000. One by one, we acquired a mobile phone, computer, Internet, and there were also small steps from the state. However, suddenly after the first phase of the coronavirus, it became clear that the Mitsotakis government had planned a leap for our country in advance. The ideal organization of mass vaccination against the corona virus amazed us, it became a model for European countries such as Germany and made the name of Pierrakakis known both in Greece and abroad.

All other services that the state now offers its citizens in electronic form, inexpensively and quickly, quickly followed. Digitization is moving fast. In the end, the face of the country and the balance of power in its society will change for the better, but much, much remains to be done. Mr. Pierrakakis existed even before he became a minister. But it was Mr. Mitsotakis who distinguished him and supported his proposals. You can – if it suits you – imagine that Mr. Pierrakakis is working with Mr. Tsipras as Prime Minister, but it seems to me more likely that he is leaving for another state where there are no Poles.

The Deep State is a twisted unionism intertwined with economic and political interests. He became a man at the end of the last century, he had few opponents and, until recently, unsuccessfully, apparently, does not fiercely defend his achievements. The Mitsotakis government has so far failed to eradicate it. Resistance to the introduction of assessment; tolerance for violence in universities; endless and unsystematic “demonstrations” with their unnecessary destruction; hostility to smart machines (resistance to an online course that could not be done without a computer, the very expensive technology that would have made trains safe but left them to rot and loot, etc.). In this battle, the Mitsotakis government won only minor victories. But even those few, like 112 and gov.gr, are stepping in and increasingly limiting the Deep State’s power over citizens. So it is self-evident that at the first opportunity, one of the tentacles of this, the Deep State, will see to it that they are disorganized and discredited. But, from gov.gr. what has been created so far, SYRIZA is interested in keeping everything that helps her “control the joints of power”. This is what he announced to us as the goal of the “second left”. Let’s not forget about it.

So what is at stake in the upcoming elections is whether the Deep State will grow stronger or lose other tentacles. If the digitalization of the state goes so that we can participate in this fourth revolution, digital, or we will find ourselves on the sidelines. And in foreign policy, will we keep what we have won and continue to successfully dispose of it, or will we experiment.

* Ms. Athena Kakouris is a writer.