Financial Times: Greece officially became the second poorest country in the EU

IN Report Financial Times It is said that By real purchasing Abilities Citizens Greece are located At the very bottom of Europe, Ahead of only Bulgaria.

Η αλήθεια όμως είναι άλλη: η ελλάδα είναι η πιο πιο πιο πρα στην ευρώπη μετά τη βουλγαρία. Ιδού που καταντήσαμε μετά από τόσες “επιτυχίες” … https://t.co/aepiwzecbt pic.twitter.com/mcvfyt8eys

– λαυρέντζος αναστάσιος (@Lavrentzosa) March 4, 2025

This means that, despite the recovery that is happening in the Greek economy, the country's citizens are poor, and it is possible that the situation may worsen in the future, As already noted by analysts in the article Ft (Financial Times), published a few months ago. In addition, our country is now compared with Bulgaria in terms of purchasing power of citizens. And the Greek economy has not yet reached even the levels that preceded the crisis.

The growth that occurs in the Greek economy seems to have slightly increased the standard of living of the Greeks compared to the average level of European Union In recent years, But it is not enough to get them out of the position of the poorest in the eurozone.

Greek economy and income

It is worth noting that the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Greece was comparable to the average level of EU Until 2009. Since then, 10 countries have been able to increase the standard of living above Greek. Currently, Greece is the second poorest country in EU After Bulgaria and remains an outsider in the eurozone. “Since the gap with Bulgaria is sharply reduced, it would not be illogical to expect that Greece will soon become the poorest country in EU“ – noted in the article Ftwhich caused many discussions in the Greek political environment.

How do these conflicting stories get along about strong restoration and poverty? The answer, in the opinion FtThe consequences of the economic crisis and the subsequent Austerity (strict savings) conclude. Greece expenses were reduced, and taxes were increased to ensure salvation from IMF (International Monetary Fund) and EUwhich led to the compression of the business and households, and the destruction of the economy, was indicated in the publication. As noted, the scale of economic damage was rare for the time of the world.

As a result, the Greek economy is about 19% less today than in 2007, despite the restoration of the country after the pandemic, while the economy EU In general, increased by 17%.

As reported Ftreal salaries were steadily reduced to 2022 – according to the latest data OECR (Organization of economic cooperation and development), – having fallen by 30% compared to the levels to the economic crisis. Anxiety relatively long -term economic prospects of the country against the backdrop of climatic changes and demographic problems is also reported.

Alarming poverty data in Greece

There are other data confirming the difficult conditions that Greece citizens face. In 2023, the Greek economy showed a growth rate of 2%, but poverty did not decrease. According to the data Ελστατ (National Statistical Institute of Greece), in 2023, 26.1% of the Greeks were at risk of poverty or social exception, which is 2,658,400 people. In 2022, the poverty level was 26.3%.

It should be noted that for Eurostat And Ελστατ The term “poverty” means that in everyday life we ​​would call absolute poverty or poverty. The poverty threshold is set at 6030 euros per year per person and 12,663 euros for households with two adults and two children under 14 years of age.

Especially alarming is the fact that the percentage of youth at the age of 18-24, living in conditions of serious material and social deprivation, is more than doubled by the corresponding European indicator. In particular, in 2023, 14.7% of youth aged 18-24 lived in conditions of serious material and social deprivation. They are followed by women with 14.1%, faces over 55 years old with 13%, while men have slightly lower indicators of material and social deprivation – 12.9%. We remind you that material and social deprivation does not coincide with poverty, since it is not calculated on the basis of income, but based on access to the necessary goods and services – from food and housing to leisure, the opportunity to spend a week on vacation or cover unforeseen expenses.

Children's poverty

Greece also has negative records in the field of poverty, since in 2023 almost 22% of minors were at risk of poverty (compared with 18.3% among adults), according to the recent report Γσεε (General Confederation of Labor of Greece).

Institute ινε -γσεε (the Institute of Labor of the General Confederation of Greece) noted that, although Greek society seemed to improve after the bottom of the crisis-with a milestone in 2015, when 25% of households Laying with addicted children below the threshold of relative povertysince 2020, poverty indicators They worsen again. For example in 2022 22.3% of households with addicted children in Greece lived below the threshold of poverty compared to 17.4% in EU From 27 countries. In 2023, a slight decrease occurred, by only 0.3 percentage points.

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