No one should wonder that Greeks will not welcome the New Year with full of optimism. Why should they? Austerity and its impact in real life is here also for 2016, new austerity measures that will hit broader groups of the society are on the way. No one here has illusions about it, no matter how the Government tries to draw a – if not rosy – at least a ‘pale pink’ picture. Not Matter what the Institutions and creditors predict for a recession at Zero %, Primary Surplus at whatever% and other miscalculations on their spread sheets.
This attitude has been mirrored in a public opinion survey conducted by the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki for private SKAI TV and thus in the period 14-15 December 2015.
90% of respondents believe that the new year will bring worse austerity measures than the ones already implemented.
84.5% of respondents is disappointed with the governmental performance to date.
66.5% of respondents believe that the economic situation of their household (definitely or probably) will worsen in the next 12 months – a figure just slightly down from 70.5% in the respective survey in November.
77.5% of respondents believe that things -for the country and the citizens – are heading in the wrong direction. Indeed, this answer was given more than half (57%) respondents by SYRIZa voters. These percentages are almost unchanged compared with the corresponding survey in November.
84.5% of respondents stated that they are not satisfied with the performance of the government up – among them also 67% of SYRIZA voters.
85.5% of respondents “see” tougher measures in the new year than the ones already implemented. A view shared also by 75.5% of SYRIZA voters.
More results of the survey here in Greek.
Of course things will be tougher as the upcoming measures hit the nerve of the society. One has just to think about the Pension “reform”, the “Red Loans” that will be sold to Distress Funds and the confiscations of the Finance Ministry directly from bank accounts and assets. The rest of the measures will be … peanuts.
December 20 was the deadline for Ukraine to pay back a 3 billion dept to Russia. As Ukraine is now officially on default, IMF changed it’s own conditions allowing this country to receive more loans, the opposite of what was done with Greece.
yes, Ukraine has the support of Germany towards the evil Russians :p
They also have a welfare-state and give people public assistance, guess the only condition is “Let’s have a war!”