By failing to address this problem and instead doing the bidding of European banks, the European Union took a knife to its own credibility. If the rule of law is not at the heart of the Union, then what is? In choosing Syriza, Greeks were rebelling as much against the indifference of Greek and European elites to impunity, and the inequality it perpetuates, as against austerity. Similar anti-establishment anger exists in much of Europe, which is why foreigners were celebrating in the streets of Athens on election night.

So why has the European Union turned a blind eye to corruption in Greece?

One possibility could be that in order for someone to receive a bribe, someone else has to pay it. Of the few cases prosecuted in Athens, most have involved European companies like Siemens, Daimler and Deutsche Bahn being accused of bribing Greek counterparts. If Greece were to vigorously pursue prosecutions, many blue-chip European companies could land in the headlines. With anti-establishment forces resurgent, this could eat away at support for mainstream parties in the Franco-German heartland.

Another reason might be that central banks were perhaps complicit in corruption as well. Rather than carefully monitoring the quality of loan issuance, for instance, the Greek central bank seems to have failed to prevent lenders from issuing billions in sweetheart loans. Pursuing such cases could undermine the credibility of Europe’s central banks and pose an existential threat to the euro project.

The debt-relief plan proposed by Syriza, which links repayments to economic growth, is a reasonable one. But Greeks seek more than debt relief. The justice and jobs they crave will come only once the rule of law prevails and prospective investors feel safe doing business. Syriza’s government has pledged to stamp out corruption; the European Union and its member states should commit to helping it vigorously pursue prosecutions. This is essential not only because Greek prosecutors are starved of resources, but also because many graft cases are transnational in nature.

Most Greek people are incredibly hard-working, a fact borne out by statistics from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It is therefore especially galling to be portrayed as lazy by the world’s media. The Greeks have suffered for the misdeeds of a few tens of thousands, perhaps, of their fellow citizens. Now, if Syriza and the European Union cannot reach a compromise, they risk being kicked out of the eurozone, a fate that would condemn another generation.

Greece is the symptom of a broader European problem. The European Union should revive its own fortunes by focusing on its real deficit — justice. This is the debt it owes to future generations.

Gregory A. Maniatis is a senior adviser to the United Nations, a senior fellow at the Open Society Foundations and the Migration Policy Institute, and a co-director of the migration initiative at Columbia University’s Global Policy Initiative.