MacroPolis

Greece leads way in cutting spending on healthcare, finds OECD

Greece made the biggest reduction in its healthcare budget of any OECD country between 2009 and 2011, cutting spending by more than 11 percent, according to a report published on Thursday.

Seven in 10 Greeks raiding savings to pay bills, two in 10 have no deposits

Seven in 10 Greeks are raiding their savings in order to make ends meet, while two in 10 say they have no deposits at all, according to a new survey by Public Issue.

Nobody has less confidence in their government than the Greeks, OECD finds

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has published its annual Government at a Glance report for 2013. The study includes some interesting data on Greece, particularly with regard to people’s plummeting trust in decision makers.

Greek consumers take effort to lower prices into their own hands

By: Nick Malkoutzis

One of the common complaints in Greece over the past few years is that although wages and pensions have been reduced substantially, the prices of even basic goods remain high. The crisis has, however, prompted somewhat of an awakening among a section of Greek consumers.

High school pupils see answers to crisis in protest and emigration

Less than one percent of young Greeks believe that voting is a way to make their voice heard, according to a new survey that also suggests teenagers are feeling increasingly ignored by decision makers.

Fight against tax evasion yields results, reveals challenges

By: Nick Malkoutzis

Improving tax collection in Greece has been one of the dominant themes over the past three years as the government not only tries to boost its revenues but also aims to ensure greater fairness amongst taxpayers, which is a key factor towards increasing the acceptance of the challenging fiscal adjustment program the country embarked on in 2010.

Greece trying to lay 'phantom' pensions to rest

By: Nick Malkoutzis

One of the main problems the Greek state faced at the start of the crisis was putting right the obvious public administration inefficiencies that had become an undue burden on the country’s finances while also being a source of gross unfairness. An example of this was Greece’s pension system and the poor way in which it was managed.

Tech start-ups click into place to fight off Greek recession

By: Nick Malkoutzis

It is clear that the economic environment in Greece over the last few years has been unfavourable for local businesses. Demand has plummeted, liquidity has evaporated and political instability coupled with international speculation about Greece’s future in the euro have created numerous and large obstacles for Greek entrepreneurs in all sectors.

From soup kitchens to school meals, demand for welfare in Athens is surging

The City of Athens has conducted the first ever survey of people using its welfare services, including soup kitchens, and the findings of its report provide further cause for concern about the social impact of the crisis, particularly in the centre of the Greek capital.

Volunteers try to fill void left by retreating Greek state

By: Nick Malkoutzis

One of the most worrying aspects of the crisis has been that the financial constraints on the state and its ever-decreasing role in a number of areas, such as social welfare, healthcare and urban services. This has left thousands of Greeks directly exposed to some of the worst effects of the recession.