"Well, the economy seems to be showing signs of improving. There's major road and railworks going on, a few abandoned buildings being restored in the center of Athens, and as far as I know the suicides motivated by debt have decreased. But as I said, it only seems to be improving – because if anyone digs under the surface of all this 'development', there are lifelong private debt contracts and money-draining deals involved that will last over 50, maybe up to 100 years. 'Public' investments will gradually turn private, and people living in Greece will be forced to pay health, education, transport, communication and then water, electricity, heating on a Switzerland scale, but earning next to nothing; or migrate, or get rid of all their real estate inherited from grandparents in villages they won't be able to visit again, work until death, or simply die earlier.
The reforms demanded by the Germans are rational alright, but they're based on the imaginary idea that there's a functional, reasonable government and a well-informed body of citizens who know their rights and obligations and how to manage finances. Greek reality is another thing. The average Greek citizen is a part of an over 40-year-old lie that everything is under 'democratic' control... Instability, inefficiency, covering up losses and faults, nepotism are common practice for all political parties and governments, that's why there are no differences between them any more. None of them had the balls to tell the truth and lose!
The average Greek citizen loved (and still does, I think) to be lied and promised to that someone else will rescue them and take care of his/her business, no effort or payment needed. Until recently this fraud was always successful. This resulted in total distrust in any authority, laws and regulations. Easy but stupid tax policies, raising VAT on restaurants, bars, coffee shops – just made tax evasion explode. Why would we pay the government more while it legally orders lowering of pensions, wages, education, and health? Greek finances are caught in a vicious spiral, like politics are. It will take at least one, if not two generations to realize what impact foreign politics and bank deals will have on life in Greece in the next decades. Keep in mind that this country is already kind of drained of a large part of its younger and financially active generation, who escaped to all directions in the world.
A last remark from a street musician like me: Most of Athens' homeless people who are literally dying on the streets, eating out of garbage bins and drinking out of any leftover cups are either drug and alcohol addicts, mentally disturbed individuals and yes, foreigners from Bangladesh to Denmark, legal and illegal immigrants, victims of international trafficking, stranded in this country due to bureaucracy, lack of social integration policy, caring, money and reason, things one can hardly find here these days."
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