140 × 210 SPINE: 19 FLAPS: 80
The system likes symbols when they serve its interests and meet its expectations. Otherwise… it destroys and replaces them.
Dimitris Kotzias was born in Athens in 1946. He studied chemistry at the University of Bonn where he carried out his doctoral dissertation too. He worked at the Institute of Ecological Chemistry at the Helmholtz Centre for Environment and Health in Munich, Germany and then at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy. Founding member and for many years President of the Mediterranean Scientific Association of Environmental Protection (MESAEP).
The ideal
H
e got to where they wanted him to go. He became party leader and prime minister. For them, for the system, the ideal candidate. The right person to faithfully carry out their orders and a specific policy, their policy, until they realized that he, their own man, has decided to chart his own path, that he has a vision and stands against compromise and defeat.
In the last years, Dimitris Kotzias has written three books (novels). Μέρες που έφυγαν, μέρες που έρχονται in Greek, 2013) which translated into German (2016) under the title Gestern und Morgen and English, entitled Yesterday and Tomorrow (2019). Ο Ιδανικός Υποψήφιος (in Greek, 2015). His last novel Μέρες του Σεπτέμβρη has published in both Greek (2017) and under the title Days in autumn in English (2018). The present book, entitled The Ideal Candidate, is the translation of his second book Ο Ιδανικός Υποψήφιος in English.
ISBN 978-960-564-997-5
Vatatzi 55, 114 73 Athen ΤEL. : +30210 6431108 E-MAIL: ekdoseis.ocelotos@gmail.com www.ocelotos.gr
o celotos PUBLISHING
All his works have published by Ocelotos Editions (www.ocelotos.gr, Athens). e-mail: dkotzias10@gmail.com
The ideal candidate
DIMITRIS KOTZIAS
The ideal candidate
Τιτle Translation From The Greek Edition Author Translation Correction Layout - Design Copyright© 2020 First Edition
The ideal candidate O ιδανικός υποψήφιος Dimitris Kotzias Jacqueline Ryder Myrtilo, Λένα Παντοπούλου Dimitris Kotzias Athens, October 2020
ISBN 978-960-564-997-5
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of the author and of Ocelotos Publications. The heroes and events of the novel are products of the author’s imagination and are in no way related to real people and situations.
Vatatzi 55, 114 73 Athens ΤEL.: +30210 6431108 E-MAIL: ocelotos@ocelotos.gr www.ocelotos.gr
To Silke
The system likes symbols when they serve its interests and meet its expectations. Otherwise‌ it destroys and replaces them.
First part
1
T
he black Mercedes climbs the winding road to the village at great speed. The village of Platanos perched on the slope of the lush mountain awaits the great visitor. Opposition leader Nikolas Karamichalis, chairman of the “Democratic Recovery� party, will begin his pre-election tour in Platanos. The message had long been given to the mayor of the village and he had immediately begun consultations to prepare for the visit. He also alerted the surrounding villages and invited them to contribute to the preparations for the good of the area. After all, this would be the first time a party leader, and even a big one, would come to the village. The elections are scheduled to take place in five months time and the mayor has great expectations. Platanos is the head village of the area so he has to show that he can honour his visitors regardless of their political origin. Minas Papadogiannis has been mayor of Platanos for the past ten years. A simple man, stingy with his words. Although he remained a deeply conservative man politically, he had never outwardly given the slightest inkling of his political ideology. He avoided extreme discussions on political issues. The village was his world, the only thing that concerned him besides his family. He was trying to find the right solutions to the problems of the village and to help those in need. In order to do all this, he made sure to work with politicians from all parties. In this way he had achieved a great deal for his village and this was recognised by all, right and left, and even more 11
by those who no longer wished to belong to either side, those who were bored of politics and politicians in particular, after the scandal over the construction of the road that would unite the city in the plain with Platanos and surrounding villages. As soon as he received the message from Athens that the President of “Democratic Recovery” and leader of the opposition was planning to start his election campaign from Platanos, he immediately called the Community Council for a meeting. He knew in advance that there would be objections to the visit. “Democratic Recovery” was a conservative party. It had managed to rally all the right and far right politicians in an effort to overthrow the socialist government that had been in power in recent years. Its leader and candidate for future prime minister, Nikolas Karamichalis, is a relatively young politician who studied abroad but is not very experienced in political matters. They had voted for him as party leader because he is young, forty-five years old, has never been involved in scandals and comes from a family of politicians. So all the “bigwigs” in the party were confident that they were promoting a man of their own to an office where he would most need their help, while they knew very well how to fulfil their own wishes that they called “political programmes” and strategies. For them, Karamichalis was the ideal candidate.
The debate in the Community Council was quite noisy and contentious, as Minas was expecting. His wife, Evanthia, had also told him, “Minas, take care not to be characterised as conservative and right-wing man”. As Evanthia spoke to him you could clearly see the anguish on her face. “We have lived through these and other times,” she continued, referring to the junta period, when someone had tried to sully his name, alleging that he was a companion and honoured the junta gov12
ernment. Fortunately, these efforts had failed. Minas proved his impeccable character, far from any involvement with the junta. His attitude throughout those “stone years” as he called them, turned out to be good for him. His fellow citizens trusted him and voted for him first as a Community Advisor and then as Mayor of the village. George Lekkas owned Platanos’ small supermarket “with all the goods of the earth” he used to say. He was the hardest of them all, opposed to making this an official visit from the outset. “Since he wants to come let him come. No need for drums and violins. Anyone is free to go to the square to listen to him. After all, we know what he will tell us. We see him every day on television. That’s enough”. George Lekkas was one of those who were frustrated by politicians. Some time ago he had joined the socialist movement but soon abandoned it after a lot of problems with his peers. Difficult character. As he stopped for a moment to take a breath a loud voice intervened, that of Fanis Archontakis, president of the local agricultural cooperative. “Stop, Lekkas! Why not welcome Karamichalis properly? He is the leader of the party and so far doesn’t seem to be involved in any kind of malpractice, no matter what people may believe. He is coming to our village, our home”. He looked at everyone around him, trying to understand the echo of his speech from their faces. Minas Papadogiannis let them talk. He didn’t want to interrupt anyone and only took the floor when asked for some extra information. He had made up his mind and had a specific idea for the visit. But he waited. Years of experience had taught him to wait. Occasionally he looked at his watch. It had already started to get dark, and he had to go home. He was expecting a phone call, this time from Thessaloniki. His old friend Kostas wanted to talk to him about Karamichalis’ visit. “We need to make a decision now”. Minas did not want to 13
140 × 210 SPINE: 19 FLAPS: 80
The system likes symbols when they serve its interests and meet its expectations. Otherwise… it destroys and replaces them.
Dimitris Kotzias was born in Athens in 1946. He studied chemistry at the University of Bonn where he carried out his doctoral dissertation too. He worked at the Institute of Ecological Chemistry at the Helmholtz Centre for Environment and Health in Munich, Germany and then at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy. Founding member and for many years President of the Mediterranean Scientific Association of Environmental Protection (MESAEP).
The ideal
H
e got to where they wanted him to go. He became party leader and prime minister. For them, for the system, the ideal candidate. The right person to faithfully carry out their orders and a specific policy, their policy, until they realized that he, their own man, has decided to chart his own path, that he has a vision and stands against compromise and defeat.
In the last years, Dimitris Kotzias has written three books (novels). Μέρες που έφυγαν, μέρες που έρχονται in Greek, 2013) which translated into German (2016) under the title Gestern und Morgen and English, entitled Yesterday and Tomorrow (2019). Ο Ιδανικός Υποψήφιος (in Greek, 2015). His last novel Μέρες του Σεπτέμβρη has published in both Greek (2017) and under the title Days in autumn in English (2018). The present book, entitled The Ideal Candidate, is the translation of his second book Ο Ιδανικός Υποψήφιος in English.
ISBN 978-960-564-997-5
Vatatzi 55, 114 73 Athen ΤEL. : +30210 6431108 E-MAIL: ekdoseis.ocelotos@gmail.com www.ocelotos.gr
o celotos PUBLISHING
All his works have published by Ocelotos Editions (www.ocelotos.gr, Athens). e-mail: dkotzias10@gmail.com