Publicity stunt

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras invited two deeply knowledgeable experts on climate change to his office Thursday.

It was a good and useful thing to do. But it would be better if he didn't only remember to turn to the experts on occasions when his public image demanded it.

People like atmospheric physics professor Christos Zerefos, Greek-American astrophysicist Stamatios Krimigis and other distinguished scientists from other fields should be utilized by the Greek state on a daily basis.

This government devalues the concept of excellence, appoints mediocre people to important positions, and resorts to the experts only when it serves its own political purposes.

How different the country would have been if top technocrats and scientists advised the prime minister, instead of useless civil servants and party cronies.