Student's story of living through Greek financial crisis

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Page last updated at 06:19 GMT, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 07:19 UK

By Steve Holden
Newsbeat reporter in Athens Eddie Moissis

Twenty-three-year-old Eddie Moissis meets Newsbeat for a beer on a mild Monday night in Gazi.

It's a lively suburb near the centre of Athens.

Judging by the amount of people having an evening drink outside you wouldn't think Greece was in the grip of a financial crisis.

But Eddie, who's a student there, says the mood has changed dramatically in recent years.

"I remember Greece as a place where people laughed all the time and this isn't the case any more," he says.

"You will not see a happy crowd. It's horrible. They're forced to feel sad.

"I know people who have been discriminated abroad because they're Greek."

Depression

Greece is in the grip of severe cuts, part of the deal to secure large European loans to keep the country financially solvent.

But earlier this month, voters there took a stance against austerity.

The vote was spread among a range of different parties leaving none with an overall majority.

There have been protests in Greece by those who don't want more cuts

That's forced politicians to make a coalition, something they still haven't been able to sort out.

Greece is currently without a government.

"The cuts in wages has forced me to cut things out," says Eddie.

"Thankfully I'm relatively OK financially. However it's this sadness and depression that is all around.

"In 2006, I finished high school and went to study in the UK but I loved Greece and the Greek people.

"I dropped out in my second year there and came back because I missed home.

"Now, I feel more depressed than when I lived in the UK.

"Will we run out of money? I think so. I'm not sure of the repercussions. Our country is a lab rat.

"Other countries are testing us to see what would happen if there was a bigger crisis.

"If we do start from scratch, there will be no excuses and everyone will have to do their best to survive and rebuild the country.

"The people have changed and I hate it."

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