“What a day today, huh”, shrugs the old man from inside the kiosk. “What about it?” I try to sound oblivious. “April 21st, the junta…” He’s quickly agitated, starts to move his hands up in the air, drawing some imaginary bird, the junta’s shivering emblem. “That was the day they came, the day we went into hiding. We knew what was coming, oh did we know. But you know what? This is something you learn to appreciate after all these years. I never thought I would say this, but at least you knew what was coming. Yes, back in the day, a dictatorship was actually declared.” It’s easy to see what’s causing his frustration. Today, from all days, is the day chosen by the greek government to enter into official negotiations with the IMF to finalise the terms of its impeding bailout.

This morning the Athens daily Eleftherotypia issued a statement (gr) explaining why it has abstained from covering the latest “developments” in the “revolutionary struggle” case. It has openly accused the police of offering no access to journalists covering the story – and sure enough, of fabricating much of the story. This all comes from a paper that ranks among the very top in circulation in the country – and one that has been fully supportive of the PASOK government, so far. There’s something rotten in the air, some sense of an impending authoritarian rule, or is it already here? Hard to tell, these days. Back in the day, at least, dictatorships were actually declared.

“Happy birthday, military junta!”