Athens, Greece - this is a birthday that little celebrating. One year earlier Saturday, with his days of faltering economy from bankruptcy and end months of speculation Greece requested loan bailout.
Prime Minister George Papandreou chose remote from Kastelorizo island and its quiet seaside decor, to announce the "need to officially ask our partners to mobilize the urgent national support mechanism."
International solidarity, he said in a televised speech, "would send a strong signal to markets that the European Union must not be played with, and it will protect our interests and our currency."
Twelve months, there is little indication that the signal was received.
Greek bonds have been removed by the three major rating to junk status agencies. And the huge borrowing costs have almost doubled, with the price of insurance of the debt. The Greece would currently pay interest of 15% on a duty of 10 years, compared to the German reference of 3.27%.
At least 160 000 people have lost their jobs since April 23, 2010, with the Government of austerity acceleration layoffs and business failures. And the national debt is expected to exceed the level of urgency of 150% of the gross domestic product in 2011.
"At this moment, we have a very, very difficult situation that requires a fast response and drastic measures," economic analyst Vangelis Agapitos said. "" "". Obviously the markets know that there are political fatigue and political cowardice to fully take strict measures that are necessary. ?
Despite the denials of daily Government, 47% of Greeks believe now that the country will have to restructure its debt, only 24% believe that it will not be necessary, according to a survey of opinion due to be published Sunday.
The survey by the research company Alco for the weekly Proto Thema used data of 1,000 respondents from 15 to 19 April. No margin of error was cited, but it would be normally about 3 percentage points for a poll of this size.
Support for the Socialists of Papandreou sank from 34.7% to 21.5% in the past 15 months, the survey found, although it still retains a thin ahead of rival conservatives.
After call to Papandreou by Kastelorizo, a rescue agreement was assembled in nine days, just ahead of a critical period of refinancing. The euro area countries and Fund International Monetary agreed to lend the Greece European billion - equivalent to annual production of nearly half of the country - in 2013.
In exchange for rescue loans, Socialist Government lacérés Papandreou euro14 billion off the coast of the budget deficit in 2010 with salary and pension reductions and a raft of unpopular measures to reduce waste in the public sector and the rules of market protective.
His Government has promised inspectors of debt that it will begin to generate a primary surplus in 2012, but budgetary targets have begun to slip this year due to the current recession. And the sharp rise in discontent is growth in contrast to the appeals by the Central Bank of Greece and analysts for bolder expenditure reduction measures.
"The (national) debt is 150% of GDP and rising." Had it been half this amount, perhaps these (austerity) measures would suffice, "stated Agapitos." "The number of measurements is unprecedented." Sort of way it is, the Greece is that the effort is there. However, expectations are much higher and continue to increase, due to the Greece waste is. ?
Papandreou is unlikely that get much respite this Easter, with the school and hospital closures planned this year and a massive privatization program, triggering a general strike on May 11.
Many of his countrymen, however, are looking forward to a break of the national gloom this holiday weekend.
"I just can't watch the news more - it is so depressing,"window said cleaner Stratis Dervendlis, who prepares a series of excursions in and around Athens on his days off the coast."".
"The bad news is constant." It is as a person to the hospital, recalling that they are sick all the time. Instead, they should give us courage and tell us how we are going to get better. ?
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Writer AP Elena Becatoros contributed.
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