A few months ago, to address the demographic problem caused by low birth rates, the government decided to give €200 monthly for two years to any woman who has a child before turning 30 (total amount €4,800).
Now, the government has decided – in the name of gender equality – that women can join the army if they wish. They have the right to, in other words. A right they didn’t even need to fight for. It’s being handed to them.
Unlike boys who must serve 14 months, women’s service will range from six to 14 months. And while boys must enlist immediately after finishing secondary school, girls will have the choice to enlist between ages 18 and 26.
After that, they may or may not have time to have children to benefit from the €4,800 allowance.
However, since probably not many women will want to don khaki and serve in the army, they’ll be offered incentives. One of these, according to the Defence Minister, will be discounted tuition at private universities as well as the opportunity to join the National Guard as contract soldiers.
An opportunity they already have but isn’t exactly in high demand. They’re also considering bonus points for admission to the Fire Service or Police. And once all this happens, male recruits will protest against discrimination. They’ll demand the same choice about how many months to serve and at what age.
And most people, boys and girls alike, will probably opt for the 6-month service. Especially girls, so they can still qualify for the childbirth subsidies before 30.
And then we’re supposed to find strange all these things that a fellow named Costas Patsalides is saying. That he’s not an individual, as he claims, but an entity subject to the American flag and regularly in contact with US officials.
Psychologists assure us that he and his like-minded followers don’t have psychological problems. Just like most others who spout nonsense.
As bizarre as this fellow’s TikTok pronouncements sound while he’s wanted by authorities, many other things sound equally strange.
Even many official announcements that are supposedly thoroughly studied before being made public but turn out to be full of holes when you hear them.
So the authorities shouldn’t worry: Neither public order nor anything else is being shaken. And now that the army will be strengthened with women, we’re not scared of any threats.