Keeping the faith

As negotiations continue concerning Greece's debt crisis and the country's future in the Eurozone, wort.lu/en gets the insider view from Greek nationals.

Greek national Michael Lefkaditis went to school in Luxembourg. He has two degrees and speaks four languages fluently. Today he lives and works in Athens, Greece, where he earns 830 euros per month for a private sector job.

“The most amazing and insulting part is that for this country I am considered to be highly paid!” he told wort.lu/en, adding: “This is not insulting for me because even the garbage man has dignity. Yet it is insulting for a country that belongs to Europe...this crisis has forced us to accept conditions that in Europe would not be acceptable!” 

“This crisis has forced us to accept conditions that in Europe would not be acceptable!

Bank closures

Michael's story is far from unique in a country which over the last five years has been brought to its knees by devastating austerity measures, which have left three million people in poverty, a quarter of the population out of work and prompted thousands of suicides.

The latest round of measures, which would have heavily taxed the tourism sector, was rejected by the majority of Greek people in Sunday's referendum.

The result is that now Greece is in limbo – unable to pay off its debts but unwilling to accept the crippling conditions of a new bailout, because they further threaten its economy.

During this period of uncertainty, banks have closed while the economy's main driver, tourism, suffers. 

Kyriakos Sidiropoulos has lived in Luxembourg since 1998. He says the burden of the recent crisis on his immediate family in Greece has been mild because they have been careful with their money. But, it is not true for everyone.

“Currently, the people in Greece are having a really hard time with the imposition of capital controls which allow them to withdraw only 60 euros per day.

"All the people who do not have credit cards have to stand in queues, sometimes for hours under the scorching sun in front of ATMs as the banks are closed,” he said, adding: “It will take them even longer to trust the system when the controls are eventually lifted.” 

Rich-poor divide widening

Most people, like Kyriakos' family, resort to using credit cards. But, he said that some companies are even rejecting these in favour of cash.

Michael added that public infrastructure in Greece had “fallen to pieces.” He blames past governments for making Greece the "land of no law."

He said that people from the middle classes, like himself, are being pushed closer to the poverty line, while the rich get richer. “You still see Porsches and Mercedes around and next there is someone searching for food inside a dumpster!”

“Listen, be empathetic and of course, visit Greece.

Migration

Michael said he is considering returning to Luxembourg to find work. And, if the situation continues to deteriorate in Greece, more migration will follow.

“If this rhythm is kept then in the near future, the average age in Greece will be 60 because all of the people who can work will escape.”

But, he is confident it won't come to that. Kyriakos, too, is “optimistic a deal can be reached” with the troika. 

Throughout the coming weeks and months, he urged people in Luxembourg to “listen, be empathetic and of course, visit Greece.” 

People in Luxembourg can support the most vulnerable people in Greece financially by donating to any of the humanitarian organisations and social initiatives working in Greece. To be informed of the initiatives running, email the local Syriza branch at syrizalux@gmail.com.

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