Tens of thousands of Greeks rallied in Athens last Thursday, Oct. 18, as part of a nationwide protest of new austerity measures being demanded by Greece’s lenders that would cut almost $18 billion from the country’s already depressed economy, according to the New York Times.
Dr. Mike James, director of Harding University in Greece, said Porto Rafti, the university’s seaside town located 20 miles south of Athens, has been untouched by demonstrations, but has still felt the effects of a suffering economy.
According to James, the Harding-owned campus known as The Artemis rents to four tenants, one of whom has since left. James said the other three have only remained because the university has been willing to reduce the rent, allowing them to stay in business.
“Greece is going through a tumultuous time, economically,” James said. “Small businesses are failing rapidly as can be seen by the large numbers of empty commercial locations with the sign ‘Enoikiazatai’ – For Rent.”
Even with students making frequent trips to Athens, students at HUG this semester have been largely unaffected by the protests going on in the capital city. James said the protests are planned in advance and advertised, therefore students know when to avoid going in to areas affected by demonstrations.
James said despite the common portrayal by the media, the majority of protests are peaceful.
“The austerity measures that have been enacted have the people rising to shout their objections, often with large gatherings of 50,000 or so protestors,” James said. “However, these are basically good people wanting to protest intolerable conditions. Of the 50,000 that may attend a large event, 49,900 are peaceful protests. There will always be a small percent of radicals willing to throw rocks and firebombs at police – even in the U.S.”
In late 2009 the government under the new Prime Minister, George A. Papandreou, revealed its predecessor had been concealing a rapidly growing debt. Since then the country has been relying on international bailouts that have forced the Greek government to take austerity measures that have slashed incomes and significantly raised taxes on Greek citizens.
Greece’s sales tax is currently at 23 percent and is expected to rise. Gasoline is almost $9 per gallon and the country’s income tax and property taxes are unpleasant. In addition Time magazine reported unemployment in Greece has passed 25 percent and more than 50 percent for those between the ages of 15 and 24.
“Honestly, we didn’t notice much,” said Autumn Dixon, a senior who attended HUG over the summer. “The public transportation was on strike a few occasions, and there were several days we weren’t allowed to go into Athens because of the strikes. Economically, I think the Greeks loved us more – especially in the Plaka – because we were Americans and they knew we had money. They were constantly trying to convince us to buy things from their shops, and while they would haggle, they usually wouldn’t budge more than 5-10 euros on something.”
James said despite the economic conditions, the Greek people remain warm toward HUG students and optimistic about the future of their own country.
“The spirit of the people is very strong, and they continue to have a positive outlook that all will work out favorably at some point in the future,” James said.
