No political excuses

If there is one excuse we could make for the young men and women gathering in the country's public squares for a bit of fun, it's their post-adolescent need to blow off some steam after spending weeks in lockdown.

Those trying to ascribe political motives to these impromptu parties that have been cropping up in public squares in Athens and elsewhere, however, are driven only by self-interest and, what's more, they are doing so at the expense of the public's wellbeing.

These gatherings are not a matter for the police. They need to be addressed first and foremost by the country's political parties, who should make it clear that such behavior is irresponsible and unacceptable. They need to stop making political excuses.