Daily life gets Greeks down
Greeks appear to be slightly more positive about their daily lives than they were six months ago but are still less optimistic than their European counterparts, according to a Eurobarometer survey whose results were made public yesterday. Nearly one in seven (67 percent) Greeks polled claimed to be satisfied with their daily lives, a small increase since last October but still below the EU average of 80 percent. Of some 1,000 Greeks polled in April and May, the most optimistic were those aged between 15 and 24. However one in two (52 percent) of respondents believes that their economic and employment situation will deteriorate over the next year. According to the poll, half (51 percent) of Greeks believe the biggest problem in their country is unemployment, compared to an EU average of just 34 percent. After joblessness, Greeks are worried about the country’s economic situation and inflation, issues that their EU counterparts are relatively unconcerned about. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, a greater proportion of respondents (66 percent) put their faith in the European Union rather than in the Greek Parliament (53 percent) and the government (41 percent). Most Greeks (71 percent) have a negative view of globalization in the EU, as compared to an EU average of 39 percent. Moreover, 50 percent of Greeks believe that globalization obliges local businesses to relocate elsewhere for cheaper labor. Greeks are also among the EU’s most negative regarding the euro, with 52 percent expressing their disappointment, the highest rate after the British (64 percent), who have not even adopted the European currency. The poll also reveals that nearly one in seven (66 percent) Greeks mistrusts the Internet, the highest rate in the EU.
