Sunday, November 4, 2012
Austerity Measures Too Harsh on Greek Citizens
The austerity measures forced on the Greek people are proving too much to handle. The country has been in a recession for many years and the people there are just trying to make ends meet. Unemployment rates remain high and pay has been cut as much as 50% in some instances. Pensions and benefits have also been cut.The price of the basics like food has increased and these people simply cannot afford any more. The two biggest unions organized strikes to protest the harsh austerity measures and riots ensued. These people are fed up but the government needs these measures to get another bailout which they feel will keep Greece out of bankruptcy. As Costas Liveris states,""I'm furious because even after the elections, we got promises but
nothing [from the government]," he said. "It's the same policy but just a
different party."With a new government, they hoped for change or at least some relief. He then goes on to say" "For the last few hours on the protest, me and my colleagues discussed how disappointed we are. We have no hope." That is how most of the Greek people feel. They cannot take any more.How many more bailouts will it take to make Greece solvent and at what price to the Greek people who have already endured so much? ( http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/26/world/europe/greece-protests/index.html).
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More Austerity Measures Introduced.
ReplyDeleteGreece continues to debate whether to stay in the euro zone or not. “Today we are voting,” Samaras said, “on whether Greece will remain a member of the euro or return to international isolation, collapse into bankruptcy, and go back to the drachma.” The pressure is enormous to please the Troika who will determine if the 3rd bailout will take place. New austerity measures include: cancelling all paid holidays such as Christmas and Easter, raising the retirement age from 65 to 67, cutting pensions by 15% for those already retired, military/civil servants pay cut by 35% and 6000 civil servants will lose their jobs every three months until the payroll is more manageable. The Greek citizens are dying a slow and painful death as they cannot withstand much more. Poverty and unemployment is at an all-time high. There have no where to turn. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/08/greece-cancels-christmas-as-austerity-measure.html.
Posted 10th December 2012 by Cynthia Krafton
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Corruption Continues in Greece
ReplyDeleteGreece’s economic woes continue to spread among the Greek citizens. People are being pushed to their limits. According to Theodore Peladides, economics professor, “In Athens, citizens endured the worst quality of life of any major European city. It is also the 78th most expensive of the 214 cities that were surveyed.” With austerity measures cutting jobs and pay, people simply cannot afford to pay their bills. Electricity is being cut to an average 3000 homes per day. “Greeks fear a jungle-like mentality is bound to emerge.” In these desperate times, corruption is seen as a means of survival. This is ironic because corruption is what got them into this mess to begin with. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/05/greece-analysis-corruption-index-austerity
Posted 10th December 2012 by Cynthia Krafton
More Austerity Measures Passed as Anger Continues to grow
ReplyDeleteMore Austerity Measures Passed as Anger Continues to Grow
Austerity measures were passed again involving more spending cuts, tax increases and labor reforms necessary to approve Greece for bailout number 3. These were considered the last painful tax measures. The next would be going after tax evaders and public expenditures. How much more can the citizens of Greece endure? Unemployment is more than 2 million and the people are going hungry. Wages and pensions have decreased 5 times in three years. The Greek people feel like they have nothing left to give. “These policies are clearly not working. All they have done is impoverish Greeks and this country and instead of going down our debt is simply going up,” said Illias Illiopoulos at the civil servants’ union. When the Greek people start to feel the impact of these latest measures there is great concern (thttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/07/greece-austerity-protests-violencehat the violence will escalate even further.
Posted 7th December 2012 by Cynthia Krafton