Keep Talking Greece

One in Two Foreign Laborers in Greece Work Without Insurance and Social Security

September 3, 2012 15

One in two foreign employees in Greece work without insurance and social security. That was the result of control checks conducted by the Greek Labor Ministry in the first six months of 2012. According to ministry data, 47.4% of the foreign laborers work without insurance and social security. Labor ministry, …

Athens: Green Light for Low-Emisions Cars in City Centre as of Sept 3/2012

September 3, 2012 Comments Off on Athens: Green Light for Low-Emisions Cars in City Centre as of Sept 3/2012

I think that’s the only measure I agree with: only eco-friendly, low-emisions cars will be allowed to drive through downtown Athens at any day of the week. The measure comes into effect, today, September 3rd 2012, in an effort to have residents of the Greek capital and the broader Attica …

Overthrow of Labor Rights: 5-Days Week to be Abolished by Troika’s Demand

September 3, 2012 26

While Greek government tries to save the country, the citizens are pushed into even greater misery. Incomes decrease, salaries, pensions and wages are cut, recession and unemployment blooming. Now an e-mail sent by the Troika to Ministries of Finance and Labor reminds the Greek government of some of its obligations that …

“Black Out” in Greek Health Care: 9 Million Insurers In Despair

September 3, 2012 7

Difficult days for the nine million insurers at Greece’s National Health Care Provider (EOPYY). As of September 1st, pharmacists refuse to give to patients prescription medicine on credit. patients have to pay from their own pockets and request refund by EOPYY. A refund that could be return to the payer several months later. …

Greek State Cuts Poverty-Pension to Over-aged Woman Because She Owns a Home

September 3, 2012 2

Greek state is broke and in need of every penny and cent it can get. Therefore, it cut the poverty-pension to an over-aged widow, when it found out, the home she was living in was in her name. Even though she had inherited it after her husbands’ death, even though the land-house was …

NYT: Trucks Full of Cash at Greek Borders, Should The Country Exit the Euro

September 3, 2012 5

I try to paint in my mind the picture… How a fictive scenario would look like in reality: two, three, four… trucks full of thousands fresh-printed banknotes in US-Dollars parked near a border post to Greece – in Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria or Turkey. Bored and unsaved truck drivers, resting their feet on the wheel, chewing …

Greek Prosecutors in Action: Staging Protests Over Wages Cuts

September 2, 2012 4

Greek prosecutors will go in action and launch a series of protests as the governments plans wages cuts also in the so-called “special payrolls”. The Governing Council of the Association of Prosecutors in Greece, held an emergency meeting on Sunday and decided to stage dynamic actions to protest the upcoming wages …

EP President Schulz Proposes Economic (Bubble) Zones for Greece under EU Control

September 2, 2012 16

The German head of the European parliament, Martin Schulz (SPD) proposed the setting up of special economic zones in Greece to boost the country’s economy suffering from dramatic recession. In an interview with the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel, Schulz said that in order to succeed, the plant required Greek readiness to implement reforms …

“Summer Sales Down 30%,” Says Greek Commerce Confederation

September 2, 2012 2

Reductions down to even 70% did not manage to tempt Greek consumers to put their hands in their pockets and spend money taking advantage of summer sales. How could they? It’s the fifth recession year and 72 upcoming additional austerity cuts in pensions, wages and allowances are scaring to commerce-death the average Greek …

Public Opinion Survey: Samaras and ND Lead, Opposition Does Not Gain Support

September 2, 2012 4

Almost three months after the the June elections and the establishment of the three-party coalition government, Greeks seem to be giving conservative Nea Dimocratia and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras a “period of mercy” to prove it can manage the situation and the economic crisis. However, public support for ND has …

“Blue Moon”: Rare Picture as Seen From Greece

September 1, 2012 2

That’s a very rare picture. A once in a life time glance of Blue Moon as seen from Greece. Or Greece as seen from the Blue Moon. Or just an excellent artistic work. By whom? Unfortunately, I cannot tell you. But I dared to “steal” the photo from Facebook. Enjoy! If …

Working Without Getting Paid: 400K Greek Employees Did Not Received Salaries On Time

September 1, 2012 15

Working without getting paid on time? Yes, that’s very possible, if you are in debt-ridden Greece. Thousands of businesses do not pay their employees on time, hundreds of thousands of households have to seek ways to come along without income. During last year, 120,000 business places did not pay their 400,000 employees …