Impressive misery

“The social and economic situation of the Country worsens day after day, misery extends to encompass ever greater sectors of the population. The government plans to adopt a new law to increase taxes without considering the economic situation of families, of those with no money, who can’t even afford to pay their bills and buy basic necessities”. Monsignor Francesco Papamanolis, bishop of Syros and Santorini, president of the Greek Bishops’ Conference, described Greece as a country at the end of its tether, in an interview view Daniele Rocchi, for SIR Europe. “Packs of food from the EU – rice, cheese, pasta, oil – are distributed free to Greek people. We’re surrounded by poverty, people have reached the end of the road”. A tragic scenario. Dramatic figures leave no space for doubt. In December 2012 over 50% of Greek citizens under 25 were left without a job. In the month of October, the last available data, the overall percentage of unemployed people amounted to 26.8%, out of 1 345 unemployed. The collapse also involves bank savings: as of December 2012 82% had deposits of less than 2 thousand euro, while 11% had deposits of less than 10,000 euro, a sign of increasing poverty. Pensions have been cut from 5% to 15% by constant recovery measures. Over the past weeks a red alert was triggered at the ministry of finances owing to a 7% drop in tax revenues. Reportedly, the black hole in the budget in the first month of 2013 amounts to 305 million euro, due to the a drop in VAT revenues linked to 15% less Greek retailers and after a rise in heating oil, pushing consumption down 70 percent. This is only a part of the situation that the Troika (IMF, EU, and ECB) will be facing in Greece at the end of the month. As known, Greece needs international monetary support to cover its public debt. About a year ago (21 February 2012) the Eurogroup adopted a new € 130 billion bailout deal for Greece to last until 2014 with the goal of reducing Greece’s debt to 120.5% by 2020. On February 13 the Commissioner for Economic Affairs Olli Rehn made known that the European Commission decided to grant an extension for the fiscal consolidation of countries in deficit. Moreover, France, which this year will not fall below the 3% deficit-GDP ratio, appears to be the only recipient of that measure. Greece was already granted a similar deferment of payment last year, along with Spain and Portugal.Dioceses in deficit. Nobody escapes the crisis, not even the dioceses that can’t afford to pay taxes. “My diocese in 2012 – the prelate said – for the first time closed its accounts with a deficit, the same happened for Athens and Corfu. In my parish offerings decreased by 75%, while taxes amount to 48% of revenue. We have rented property, but many tenants do not have enough money to pay the rent. This prevents us from helping the very poor, and many come to us asking for money, food, clothing. “The day before yesterday – said Msgr. Papamanolis, with a break in his voice – came a mother who could not pay the rent of her house of the past seven months and she faced being evicted. We paid rent arrears to the landlord. Unfortunately we cannot help everyone. We are the Church and we can’t rely on finance to resolve the problems. Our compass is the Gospel that calls for solidarity and hospitality”.Without certainties. “The government only brings taxes and cuts. We can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel – continued the president of Greek bishops – for the past three years the Greeks have been making sacrifices without improvements. The youth emigrate in search of a job. It’s a very sad situation, with no certainties. There are ongoing strikes in all urban centres and protests in the streets often lead up to acts of violence and looting”. This occurs while Europe is “calling for rigor and austerity. Many people in Greece wonder whether the Troika is the cause of our crisis. Some demand exit from the EU, but I’m against it. Difficult years lie ahead. I do not know how we’ll get out of it. The poverty situation is dramatic. Only prayer is still tax-free”, concludes Monsignor Papamanolis. Ma faith, at least, cannot be taxed”.