Greece has been having a bad reputation recently. Almost every day thousands of Greeks go into the streets of the country absorbed by the economic crisis to protest against tough economy measures suggested by the government on the EU’s demand. The screens show angry Greeks breaking shop windows and setting buildings on fire. The other day in Athens the famous Attikon Cinema was burnt down…
However, the Greek authorities realize that there is no alternative to tightening belts. The government has already worked out the detailed plan to overcome the crisis that has to be approved in Brussels. In his appeal to the nation Prime Minister Lukas Papademos urged the Greeks that if the assistance of 130 billion euros is not supported Greece will face the economic chaos and social instability. The Greek President Karolos Papoulias made a certain contribution to fight the crisis by refusing his salary. What do the Greeks think about the recent developments in their country? Will they agree to tighten their belts as the leading EU countries insist? This is what The Day spoke about to a Greek Ukrainian, head of the debt department at the company Makridakis Oleh IVANIV who has been living and working in Athens for 11 years now:
“Now in Greece the salaries in the state sector are being significantly reduced. There is no any significant change in the private sector so far, workers are being fired. People who work or have businesses are taking this step to reduce the salary expenditures. This is why a lot of people are unemployed now.
“The steps the Greek authorities are taking now seem delayed to me. The Greeks do not realize it since they are not psychologically prepared for the reforms that are carried out. The decision to reduce salaries is not right. Some people have got many loans and cannot pay them if their salaries are reduced. The government is trying to make people poorer. However, I do not think that it will support their economy.
“A lot of money, two to three thousand euros, was allocated to maintain one government employee. Certainly, they got additional percents to their salaries depending on the sector they worked in. For example, if someone worked on the third floor and had to move to the fourth floor to perform their duties this person additionally got two percent to the salary. These are very high and needless expenditures. That is why the Greek government is now trying so hard to reduce the salaries. Most of the government employees and self-employed people are well-to-do.
“The Greeks feel that their salaries are being reduced, the same goes for the 13th, 14th and 15th salaries. The changes also concern pensions since the state used to pay pensions of three to four thousand euros.
“Certainly, the general situation presented in the media reflects the developments in the country. Trade-unions gather the people at the demonstrations nobody pays them for and this way the Greeks defend their rights. By the way, the fires that periodically happen during the demonstrations are organized by other people – anarchists. They are responsible for disorders shown by the media. In my opinion, they are supported by the government. It is done to show that Greece will not accept the conditions of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank, and the European Commission. However, I think that the Greeks have accepted it since the prices are growing for everyone the same as taxes that everyone pays.
“If we look at their lifestyle, though the Greeks have limited themselves in something in their everyday life, their life is still the same as it was before the crisis.”
Do the Greeks realize that they have to tighten their belts and work as, for example, Germans do?
“No, they do not. The Greeks have an absolutely different psychology. They have been taught this way and although they know about the developments in their country, the Greeks have not still felt it. I think they do not what to change. The evidence of this is how the Greeks start their working day – slowly – and finish it the same way. I can also see their attitude to work… In my opinion, it will take a long time for the Greeks to tighten their belts and start working to strengthen their economy.”
Now a lot of people in Europe say that Greece has to leave the eurozone to be able to overcome the crisis. How do the people in Greece take it?
“The Greeks are very negative about leaving the eurozone. The Greek economy depends on euro and if their national currency drachma is introduced enterprises and the whole country will go bankrupt. The prices and obligations will change and the economy will be affected a lot. The Greeks do not agree to leave Europe as well and this opinion has been expressed in the media. They want to be in Europe and only they can decide whether they should leave it or not.”
