This is not even 1/10 th of whats going on in Greece. An example. There are public sector employees that get paid 16 monthly salaries per year (yes one year is not 12 or 14 months for the public sector worker unions in Greece as everywhere else in the world). Those same employees enjoy other benefits also (63 days vacations etc.) On the other hand everybody on the private sector tries to cheat back. So its not uncommon to earn say 60 â 80 â 100k per year and declare only 6 â 8 â 10k per year in your income statement. As for those âteeth lessâ farmers makloda I was laughing when I read that. Those âteeth less poor farmersâ have nowadays on average a quarter million bank account and they spent their day drinking ouzo and eating souvlakia while some hard working immigrants are doing the jobs for them. If those are poor then I wonder what is like to be rich.
By your account the smart Greek farmers appear to be twice as rich as the average German. German average household net worth is "only" EUR 140,000 EUR, with 65% in real estate and 35% in liquid instruments. The Germans in turn have a trade surplus vs. Greeks deficit, a highly skilled labor force, higher productivity and lower unemployment than the Greek. Your story doesn't add up, not even a tiny bit. Obviously, the assessment of abundant Greek wealth is a result of either national pride or of utter delusion - or both. There are rich people everywhere. In Nigeria, in South Africa, in Greece and in India. Doesn't mean the average population is swimming in money and is enjoying a modern lifestyle.
If you saw that "greek wedding" movie, that is my life, without the free house. I'm the xenos (outsider). It is an extremely accurate portrayal of Greek pride, and that pride (or denial, if you prefer) is playing out on the Euro stage. My father-in-law completely denies that there are any financial problems in Greece, he states the "f'n Germans" are trying to take over Europe, "just like 70 years before". He will also acknowledge the graft and corruption, but blames the previous administration, always.
Makloda, The real problem is the US, Germany, Japan, UK and Spain. Greece is used to divert attention from the real problems. Greece, like several other nations, financed the reunification of Germany by getitng loans and buying German durable goods. German controlled EU parliament instituted special trade laws that made German goods cheaper and foreign goods a lot expensive. Examples: 1. Greek orange juice bottle produced in Greece costs 1.30 there but only 0.85 in Germany. How do you explain that rocket scientist? 2. German cars cost less in Spain or Greece than in Germany. American cars cost 4 times as much in those countries than in the US. How do you explain that? Is that free trade? Germany cut all EU trades rules to its advantage and when the crisis came refused to let the ECB print money with the sole objective of controlling financially the countries its policies have ruined. This is called economic war.
That farmer in the picture is wearing a leather jacket. Cool. And 3 of the police have their shields upside down!
I see one farmer in an expensive leather jacket surrounded by at least 20 policemen. Is that guy makloda?
In Belgium they are closing an Opel factory despite it being the most productive and financialy healthy plant in favour of less productive, aging German plants as opel internal documents showed themself.
This is crap! Get some facts before you spew ok! Want to know why German orange juice is so cheap and Greek not? Because German companies are highly efficient and automated. Germany is a king in food processing. I know because my brother works in the bottling industry and the efficiency they have is incredible. He sometimes has to work in Club Med and he is amazed at the inefficiency of the people. Germany has many faults, but industrial production is not one of them. No regarding the cars. OF COURSE THEY COST more in Germany because the cars in Germany are not like the cars in Spain. In Spain people drive 120 HP cars. In Germany people by default drive 190+ HP cars. Thus cars in Germany will be more expensive, go figure! Those people that import cheaper German made cars are usually importing the cheap lower end cars that are higher priced because most people drive higher end models. Regarding how American cars are more expensive. I call BS because I bought a Jeep in Germany, and sent it to Canada. The Jeep dealer was impressed because the German jeep had more luxuries and cost less than the same Canadian jeep. Also what models did you look at? Most likely the gas guzzlers which will higher taxes. Christian