Agora
Posts by Nick Malkoutzis
![Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]](resources/toolip/img-thumb/2013/10/09/poverty_myrto_0910-large.jpg "Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]")
The Greek crisis we don’t see
The economic impact of the Greek crisis has been well publicised. A recession that began in 2008 has led to GDP contracting by a quarter, while unemployment has risen above 27 percent. Greece’s fiscal consolidation effort has also received much attention. A general government deficit of 15.6 percent in 2009 was transformed into a small surplus in 2013 – one of the sharpest adjustments the world has ever seen.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Economy (329), Society (140), Greece (496)
The wrong prescription
As is customary by now the troika’s return to Athens has been accompanied by a flurry of speculation about how targets will be met. This time the focus is on the structural rather than fiscal side. This simply means replacing the back and forth between Greece and its lenders over excruciating details of how money will be saved with a similar tug of war over the minutiae of reforms.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Economy (329), Society (140), Greece (496)
![Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]](resources/toolip/img-thumb/2013/11/02/goldendawntorches_myrto_1000_011-large.jpg "Photo by Myrto Papadopoulos [www.myrtopapadopoulos.com]")
Greece in danger of repeating familiar mistakes with Golden Dawn
Barring any last minute upsets, Golden Dawn will officially become Greece’s third-largest party when local and European Parliament elections are held in May. At least that is what opinion polls have been indicating for some time. It would represent another milestone in the shocking rise of the Neo-Nazi party, which has proved a challenge Greece’s political system has been unable to tackle.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Politics (385), Greece (496)
Off the isles of Greece
This week marked the anniversary of the birth of Lord Byron, a foreigner who loved Greece but was also embraced by Greeks. One of his most famous poems, The Isles of Greece, invokes the wondrous spirit of Greeks’ ancient ancestors. Great victories, such as in the Battle of Salamis, are exalted in this memorable example of his work.
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Europe (281), Greece (496)
The EU, the troika inquiry and the big disconnect
They came to praise the Greeks, not to bury them. “The path of economic and social recovery is long and arduous, and has exerted – and is continuing to exert – hard sacrifices,” said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy at the opening ceremony of the Greek presidency last week. “But we all pay tribute to the courage and fortitude of the men and women of Greece.”
Contributor: Nick Malkoutzis
Categories: Europe (281), Politics (385), Greece (496)