Greeks expect the worst in ’04
Despite the coming of the Olympics and the promised delivery of a series of major infrastructure works, Greeks regard 2004 with great gloom and expect their lot to be worse than in 2003, according to a poll published yesterday. The international survey by Gallup International and TNS ICAP pollsters found Greeks to be the second most pessimistic among 61 nations, with nearly one in two respondents (46 percent) asserting that this will be a worse year than 2003. The poll found that Slovakians had the most dismal outlook, with 50 percent expecting their fortunes to deteriorate in 2004. Poland, Ecuador and Portugal followed Greece at 43, 43, and 41 percent, respectively. Some 59 percent of all Greeks said they anticipated financial difficulties, while 36 percent expressed fears that unemployment would increase considerably in 2004. A total of 64 percent expected some rise in unemployment. And 43 percent said they stood a chance of losing their jobs, with 73 percent fearing hardship in finding new employment.
