Coronavirus and rising prices

The most alarming conclusion of the socio-economic study, the data for which were obtained in the course of a survey of citizens, is the fact that 69.2% of respondents state that they have already limited the purchase of basic goods.

According to the financial barometer (Οικονομικό βαρόμετρο GPO), the pandemic is being recorded as the biggest problem at the moment, followed by high cost and impoverishment.

In particular, 34% of citizens consider the pandemic the biggest problem, followed by: rising prices – 31.9%, unemployment – 15.3%, crime – 11.6% and, finally, Greek-Turkish relations – 6.1%. This hierarchy demonstrates the importance that citizens attach to issues of daily life that significantly affect the political environment.

At the same time, 66.9% of the total believe that the government’s efforts to keep price increases are insufficient, and 61.7% – that countervailing measures cannot cover the increase in electricity tariffs, according to the Οικονομικό βαρόμετρο GPO. But the most alarming conclusion of the entire survey is the fact that 69.2% of citizens say that recently they have already limited the purchase of essential goods, and 76.8% restrict or are more careful in the consumption of electricity.

The crisis in the economy plus problems in the health sector put strong negative pressure on the inhabitants of the country in the end. Only 43.3% of those surveyed positively assess the general actions of the government to combat the pandemic. Negative opinions were also recorded on the issue of vaccination, where 47.4% positively assess the policy and actions of the government, compared with 51.7% criticizing. In addition, 60.5% of respondents said that they suffered financially, and 45.3% noted a decrease in their income.

Citizens see “tomorrow” rather pessimistically: 49.6% – about half – believe that by the end of the year their personal financial situation will worsen. This index was fixed at 28.6% in May last year, 36.4% in July and 39.4% in just the month to September 2021. This increase in pessimism of about ten percentage points most eloquently describes the anxiety and uncertainty experienced. Estimates of the general economic climate in the country are also negative: the percentage of those who predict improvement is constantly decreasing: from 35% in May to 23.2% today.

As a result, it is clear that citizens have already fully realized that they have “difficult times” ahead of them. Rising prices, inflation, a strong blow to the family budget and a large tax burden on net income. According to experts, this is a temporary phenomenon, which does not at all reassure the townspeople preparing for the next difficult winter.

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