One Year On, Political Elite Unchanged, Meikar Says
A year after Silvergate broke, the scandal's instigator Silver Meikar says he has not noticed any change in the way the political elite thinks.
Last May, Meikar said in a newspaper article that he funneled thousands of euros from questionable donations to the Reform Party. The Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation, but had too little to go on to make charges, adding that clouds of suspicion remain over the party.
The Prime Minister’s party faced public outcry, leading to protests by social and political commentators, the President’s Ice Cellar meeting and the People’s Assembly - a citizen's parliament.
“I am pleased that during the last year a comprehensive debate on what should and what should not be allowed in politics has taken place,” said Meikar, speaking on ETV today, adding that he has never supported tough new laws, but rather hoped for a change in people’s minds.
“I have a feeling that thanks to the lengthy debate, people’s attitudes have changed. I feel sorrow that this change has bypassed the political elite,” Meikar said, a former Reform Party MP.
Meikar said the next parliamentary elections, in 2015, would show whether the scandal had any effect, whether voters will continue to back the same politicians or if they still remember.
“The goal of the People’s Assembly project was to open up the political system. To increase political debate, I find that it is important to, say, lower election thresholds. I believe the number of people needed to found a political party should be lower,” said Meikar, adding that the proposed new party financing bill, currently in the hands of the Constitutional Committee, seeks to change little things, not what the assembly actually hoped for.
Meikar said that although there have been few changes to the mainstream parties, a number of local governments have become more active, coming up with new ideas, and that these local politicians could move up to state level at some point.
The former Reform Party MP said that the four main parties, the Reform Party, IRL, Social Democrats and the Center Party, will only reform if their pre-election ratings drop, adding that any changes motivated by lower ratings are still better than no changes at all.