On air at 1100GMT: Are the Greeks behaving like a spoilt child?
| 10:14 UK time, Wednesday, 22 June 2011
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The Greek Prime Minister George Papandreo can breath a sigh of relief. Despite widespread protests on the streets of Greece, his government won a critical vote of confidence as it struggles to win support for extra austerity measures and avoid defaulting on it's debt.
One of the thousands of protestors outside the parliament building, Efi Koloverou, a 22-year-old student, told Reuters,
"I believe we should go bankrupt and get it over with. These measures are slowly killing us,"
But many people across Europe, who are having to face their own austerity measures
"Some of the policies announced last year and now, supposedly as assaults on the Greek way of life, raised eyebrows across Europe. Few knew of the Christmas, Easter and summer holiday bonuses in the public sector, known as 13th and 14th salaries, which were abolished for those earning above €3,000 a month (£2,700) and capped for those on €1,000 euros or less. Only now is the working week for Greek public employees being raised from 37.5 to 40 hours.For many in northern Europe, the rioting in Athens must remind them of a tantrum by a spoilt child"
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The 91Èȱ¬'s Business Editor Robert Peston has been tweeting his thoughts on Greece, with a rewording of the 70's classic Greece is the word
They got bills, they're multiplying, and they're losing control. But the wonga you're supplying, it's indemnifying! You'd better shape up, because you need a loan #greeceistheword
There is some debate about whether allowing Greece to default would cause a catastrophic economic chain of events or actually be small fry.
Here is a question and answer guide to how Greece finds itself here
