Reading the news of Greece can make you not only pessimistic but also afraid to go out in the streets. Actually, I am glad that I live in the calm and quite peacefull Serres.
People protest and riot against something that seems to be unchangeable. "Fresh clashes broke out between demonstrators and police outside parliament on Tuesday evening, hours after police fired teargas to disperse youths hurling petrol bombs at them. (...) Inside, lawmakers were in the final stages of a debate on the 2012 budget packed with unpopular austerity measures.", wrotes "Athens News" (http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/51156)
The government adopted the new budget of 2012. It includes increasing taxes and spending cuts - all just to lower the debt. There was no other choice for the government as well, or it only seems so? Unfortunately my knowledge in economy is not enough to say something with a 100% proof, but still I have a feeling that increasing tax burden will only create expanding of black economy as people will try to avoid paying taxes as much as they can. And already now it is said that crisis has killed 60 000 businesses, not the best data for country that really needs working enterprises.
Actually, reading news about Greece, it gives the same feeling as reading news about Latvia, lets say, a year ago. Except all those dramatic and violent protests - we did not do anything like that -, we mostly suffered in silence. Now Latvia is compared with Germany just after World War II - with all our problems with banks...
Let's hope for the best for Greece as well.
People protest and riot against something that seems to be unchangeable. "Fresh clashes broke out between demonstrators and police outside parliament on Tuesday evening, hours after police fired teargas to disperse youths hurling petrol bombs at them. (...) Inside, lawmakers were in the final stages of a debate on the 2012 budget packed with unpopular austerity measures.", wrotes "Athens News" (http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/51156)
The government adopted the new budget of 2012. It includes increasing taxes and spending cuts - all just to lower the debt. There was no other choice for the government as well, or it only seems so? Unfortunately my knowledge in economy is not enough to say something with a 100% proof, but still I have a feeling that increasing tax burden will only create expanding of black economy as people will try to avoid paying taxes as much as they can. And already now it is said that crisis has killed 60 000 businesses, not the best data for country that really needs working enterprises.
Actually, reading news about Greece, it gives the same feeling as reading news about Latvia, lets say, a year ago. Except all those dramatic and violent protests - we did not do anything like that -, we mostly suffered in silence. Now Latvia is compared with Germany just after World War II - with all our problems with banks...
Let's hope for the best for Greece as well.
Maybe Latvians should learn from the attitude of Greeks, because we stay still and quiet and the government keeps putting the money in pockets. At least in Greece politicians feel pressure and don't have so much time and possibilities to put everything in their pockets.
ReplyDeleteI also hope the best for Greece.
I could agree with you that we should show our emotions attitude much more, but if we would organise such strikes and demonstrations, there is a big risk that it could turn into violence and I think that it is one of the lowest thing that society can do.
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