A European Union public opinion survey on the impact of the crisis and poverty revealed the sad realities in Greece. Conducted in December 2011, i.e. before the second bailout, the EU poll showed that Greeks secure a grim ‘championship’ among the people of the 27 members states when it comes to poverty increase, unemployment and future perspectives. Unemployment is the biggest nightmare, and paying bills or covering costs for their children are equally sources of anxiety and fear.
Less than 50% of Greeks felt that their jobs were secure.
97% of Greeks found that poverty has increased in our country last year, while 72% of Greeks believed that the situation would worsen in 2012.
One in two Greeks (50%) is in a state of panic in terms of finding a job in the next 12 months, while 80% believe that if they get fired, it would be difficult to find a job again.
Also one in two Greeks (45%) said they had come to the point of not being able to buy food or pay bills. This figure puts Greece at the top of the category when compared to other Europeans. Europeans.
Seven in ten (73%) Greeks admit they delay paying their bills. In fact, for one in two (45%) the payment of bills is a permanent source of anxiety, while 28% of respondents said that the payment of obligations is no longer possible.
The majority of Greeks (63%) say, they are struggling to cover health care costs for themselves or their relatives, while 79% believe that the next time it would be difficult to come up for the costs costs of their children.
More than any other Europeans, Greeks fear that they won’t be able to keep paying installments for mortgage or their rent. One in ten (11%) are afraid that they will eventually lose their home.
Finally, as regards the issue of pensions, eight in ten are worried that their pension will not be enough for a decent life in old age (28% are in fear and 52% are convinced).
Of course, Greeks are not alone as the EUro crisis affects other nations as well. Respondents from France (93%), Portugal (93%) and Spain (92%) said also that poverty has increased in their country since October 2010..
“Under a fifth (18%) of EU respondents say that their household ran out of money to pay for essential goods and services at some point during the last 12 months. Over a third of people in Greece (45%), Latvia (42%), Lithuania (37%), Bulgaria (36%), Romania (36%), and Hungary (34%) say that their household ran out of funds. The position of Greece at the top of this list marks a change from previous surveys.
On the other hand, the majority (90%) of Germans, Austrians and Finns answered the EU poverty survey with a question “Crisis? What Crisis?”
Full Eurobarometer Survey Here
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