Greece, Bust and Broken Coming Here Soon

In Greece, people my age are rioting on the streets.

In Ireland, an entire generation is leaving the country for good.

I just hope it really works out for her.

In Japan, young people can't even find love.

Let's get married!

Nice guy, nice face, whatever, just soon.

All asking for husbands.

'I'm Stacey Dooley. And in this series I'll visit three countries.

'Each hit in different ways

'by the worst economic meltdown in living memory.'

It basically says, if you're here to take your own life

because you're worried about money, don't.

You have to think the kind of place you'd have to be in

to come somewhere like this and think it's my only way out.

I want to find out what it's like for young people like me

caught up in the crisis,

and what might be in store for us here in the UK.

Welcome to Ireland, 2012.

'Tonight I'm starting my journey in Greece,

'a country on the brink of going bust.'

We've got a permit.

'I want to find out why some are driven to the point of suicide.'

Oh, my God, there's someone up there!

I did not realise the desperation that your people are in.

'I want to see the extreme things people do just to earn a living.'

-Snails?!

-This is our last chance.

And I want to find out

if Greece really is on the verge of revolution.

We are going to resist and we are going to win.

-We have to go.

-SHE SCREAMS

They must be desperate beyond desperation

for that to be an answer.

For us Brits, Greece was where we went for some fun in the sun.

But two years ago the party ended.

Financial turmoil in Greece is the worst crisis in Europe

since the Second World War.

Greece is heading for bankruptcy.

Athens has come under intense pressure

to straighten out its finances.

Billions of euros in debt,

Greece needed to be bailed out by the rest of Europe.

The money, in the form of emergency funds and loans,

is in return for a package of severe austerity measures.

The government was forced to slash spending, cut wages and raise taxes.

However bad the economic mess we're in here,

at least we're not Greece.

These austerity measures have pushed the Greeks to breaking point...

They will not tolerate the austerity measures being imposed upon them.

..making our favourite holiday destination

look more like a war zone.

So here I am, look, I'm in Greece, Athens. I'm so made up I'm here.

All over the past year, every time you put the news on,

Greece, Greece, Greece, it's all up in arms, everyone's angry,

it's all really kicking off here.

So I'm going to dig deep and see what's what.

I've come at a critical time.

Next week, politicians must decide

whether to accept another multi-billion euro bailout

or let the country go bankrupt.

Whatever they decide,

it will have a massive impact on young Greeks for decades to come.

I haven't been in the car more than 20 minutes

and I've already seen police everywhere,

nearly every corner I've turned there've been police

and they've had the big glass riot barrier things.

It does seem to be all kicking off everywhere you look.

There's protests, people with megaphones, there's flags,

there's signs, big posters.

You can feel it in the air,

you can feel something's not quite right.

And something's not quite right when I check into the hotel.

I literally am the only person in the whole hotel.

-Hello. Yia sas.

-Yia sas.

-How's things?

-Hi.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, too.

My name is Aida.

Are you affected yourself, Aida?

Of course we are affected in this hotel.

This little hotel, it's a family business.

We don't have reservations, we don't have e-mails,

we don't have phone calls.

It's the first time that happens, such a thing.

It's bad in Athens, in Greece in general.

When you think of Greece, me, as a Brit,

I think, holidays, sightseeing, lalala!

Things are tricky in the UK, no question,

but here I think it's on a whole other scale.

They were saying there's a great view.

Jeez!

My God.

Look, there it is.

-That's the

-Acropolips,

-am I saying that right?

-Acropolips.

That is the sightseeing place,

that is the place to come and view in Athens,

and I'm a stone's throw away.

So this...

You know, there's no wonder this hotel has been booming

for so many years, and it's a shame they're struggling now.

Athens used to be famous for its ancient history.

But more recently it's become better known

as a city experiencing the extremes of government cuts.

Way deeper than anything we've seen here in Britain.

To get a feel for the place, my plan is to have a look around

with local journalist and activist, Konstantinos.

-Hello.

-Hi, nice to meet you.

-Konstantinos?

-Are you Stacey?

Nice to meet you. Welcome to Athens.

-Thank you, thanks for agreeing to see me.

-No problem.

Your local eyes will be spot on, just what I need.

You're lucky because it's a nice day,

we have a nice opportunity to check out the town.

-I brought the sun with me.

-Yeah, yeah.

So this is your stomping ground.

This is the centre, Syntagma Square. Where everything happens.

It's the main focal point of every march and protest in Athens.

-Right over there is the Greek Parliament.

-I wondered what that was,

that building.

And the main cause of all the troubles of young Greeks today.

So, this is the place, if you've got something to say

and you want politicians to hear and see you, this is where they come.

If you want to complain, you come here.

Is it young great Greeks protesting, because they've got no opportunity?

During the last two years, it's been people of all ages

and social status.

The consequence of the crisis are visible on almost

every aspect of Greek society.

-It's unbearable.

-Enough is enough.

Pensions are being cut, salaries are being cut, benefits are being cut.

It's without precedence. There are signs of struggle in the city, really.

-Will you show me? Can I spend the day with you?

-Obviously, I'll show you. That's why we're here.

-Is this usual - empty shops?

-Things are really going bad.

It's not just this shop. You can see around you -

sales - 40%, 50% off, 60% off -

people didn't have so much money to spend like they used to.

Imagine Oxford Street with an empty building.

-How long would it stay empty?

-A day?

-A day, exactly.

What's going on here? Is this recycling?

These guys are scavenging for plastic bottles,

tin cans, glass bottles.

If you gather 20 bottles, you get a coupon

and you can go eat free.

-Wow.

-He gathers most from the big bottles from his house,

and the little ones, he scavenges from around the buildings.

Alouminio...

Glass, plastic...

He's doing this,

because that's how hard times are.

That's what's going on. People are scavenging on

a high street in Athens, Greece, in the European Union.

You're used to seeing that in Africa.

I've seen it in Asia a lot. But it wouldn't even

enter my head that's how serious

and that's how difficult things are here.

Literally, we've just left this square not so long ago,

-and this has popped up.

-It's free food for all, a soup kitchen.

How are you? Nice to meet you.

What made you decide to come out today?

We have problems here. We starve.

Did you ever think you'd be doing something like this?

No.

But not everyone's keen to share their country's problems with me.

It seems some proud Greeks are embarrassed

by the state their country is in.

Because they've had jobs and they've lived a certain lifestyle,

they're finding it embarrassing that they can't sustain the life they're used to.

Nobody thought we would be here today in this situation. Nobody has prepared for it.

I've studied, I have my Masters, my diplomas and everything.

I'm fortunate for a job in anything.

Do you believe things will improve for you and get better?

We will make it better.

Well...

'I can understand Konstantinos' anger.

'Despite his education, he can't get a job. In fact, over half

'of all young Greeks are unemployed -

'three times more than in Britain.'

Everything we're told, like study hard, have a good degree

and everything will solve itself, it's not true.

People from my generation grew up with hopes and dreams.

I'm 25 years old and I still have not got a regular job.

It feels like I'm stalling, like time is running underneath my feet.

I've spent the whole day with him and he seems like a really cool guy.

His life's not going the way he wants it to, and he doesn't want

this and he doesn't find it fair,

and I totally get that.

Hanging out with Konstantinos gives me

a sense of the frustration many Greeks feel.

But later, I stumble across a shocking example of just how

desperate some people have got.

Oh, my God, there's someone up there.

And they look like they're...

Oh, my God, I can't believe it.

I can't believe this.

I can't look. I can't look if they jump.

It's a girl. It's a girl!

There's news people everywhere, there's people with cameras.

She seems really distressed.

It turns out the woman is a civil servant,

who has just learned

she's to lose her job because of government cuts.

She doesn't just work there,

her husband works there. They've got two kids.

One of the kids is poorly.

So the kid needs money every month to get the treatment.

She's a normal person, hanging off the side of the building,

because she's just found out she doesn't know how

she's going to feed her kids.

'She's not the only one - all her colleagues have been laid off too

'and the department shut.'

-Is the building being closed?

-Yes, it's closed.

-So more jobs are going to go?

-All the people stop the job.

-I understand.

-That's why she wants to fall.

I hope to God she doesn't jump.

You know, you've been hearing and hearing about things like this.

People are reaching breaking point. This is how serious issues are here.

'Thankfully, the woman doesn't go through with her plan.'

A guy came onto the balcony and he's taken her in.

'After more than four hours, she's eventually talked down.'

This is just incredible. I can't believe that poor lady up there.

I think it will become more and more common.

-You think that?

-Yes.

When you're desperate and have nothing to lose...

I thought, "Economic crisis" -

I did not realise the scale,

you know and...

..the desperation that your people are in.

I didn't get it.

'I discovered the closure of the woman's department

'is big news here in Greece.

'She works in social housing, helping provide

'affordable homes for the poor.'

Excuse me?

Hi, I'm Stacey Dooley from BBC Three.

I just want to know what you think the closing of

this organisation will mean here?

In England, social housing is for the people who most need it,

the poorest people in our community.

It's there to help them.

So, if social housing is going, it's hitting the poorest,

the hardest, the first.

After the press conference, I take the chance

and go into the woman's offices, to speak with some of her colleagues.

-I'm Stacey.

-How do you do?

Has, literally, every single person here, everybody in this room,

has had to go home and tell their family it's closing down.

This has affected everybody?

How many people will be directly affected

by the closing of this organisation?

I grew up on a council estate. I'm very working class,

I understand the importance of these homes,

so, for me, to hear somewhere like this is closing,

I, personally, think it's disgusting.

I don't understand why the government decided to close this.

What makes the difference to them?

-Is that what it is?

-Yah. That's right.

Where do the government expect these people to live? On the streets?

-Where else are they going to live?

-It doesn't care about people.

About souls, about our bodies.

We're not people. We are animals.

Help us!

We are dying!

I just honestly stumbled across this today.

The lady, hanging off a ledge,

threatening to jump because she is in such...

a terrible situation,

and you think that's awful, and your heart goes out to her.

But, then you go on to learn that...

..the problem that is making her life hell -

this organisation closing -

is affecting over a million people.

And I cannot believe this is a result of the government.

'My trip so far has shown me the human price of spending cuts.

'It's a stark reminder of what could happen in Britain

'if our debt gets worse.'

'Soon, Greek politicians will vote on whether to take another bailout,

'and introduce even tougher austerity measures.

'To show they're against this, the people are out in force.'

Konstantinos has been on the phone. "Stacey, there's a massive march planned."

This is something that I see on the news at home,

you're bombarded with all these riot images, and everyone getting

angry and frustrated, so to get the opportunity to see

it myself, to be amongst the Greek people,

I think will be fascinating.

-How are you?

-How are you?

Oh, my God, thank you for telling me about this. I can't believe it.

-This happens so often.

-There's so many people here, I didn't realise.

Not so many. Not so many!

What is this particular strike for today?

Companies and factories shut down.

People have been laid off and this is a support of solidarity.

Also, there's a general feeling in the Greek people,

that the measures that are effective right now, in order to save Greece,

the bailout package, doesn't serve the interests of the Greek people.

It just serves the interests of the banks

and the big European corporations that do not want to lose

their money due to Greece's financial crisis.

This is what really bothers every Greek.

-Do you understand English?

-Yes.

-Ahh!

So you being here today, you're hoping to change parliament,

change government, change Greece as it is today?

Do you hope for a revolution? A total revolution?

For the whole of Greece, every Greek person? The whole of the world?

Yeah, you think that?

Yeah.

It's going to spread.

Do you feel optimistic that this could make a difference?

I don't believe that change is going to come today, obviously not,

but the more aware that people get, the better

and hopefully the next one will be even bigger and then one day

we will invade parliament and take them by their throats.

Let me know when that happens!

'Of course he's being over the top, but like Konstantinos, many young

'Greeks do feel their lives have been ruined by the politicians.'

There's so many different people from so many backgrounds

and age groups, they're all here for the same reason -

everyone's had enough.

I feel like this really could be the start of change,

it does feel like that.

It feels like there's a real sense of...

determination from the people.

'Speaking to the protesters, it's clear they're angry

'and have lost faith in their leaders.

'But why?

'How has the government's handling of the crisis hurt normal Greeks?'

I've only been in Greece for a short time but already all I've heard

is hardship, poverty, unemployment, it's sky-high here.

I want to see what living through an economic crisis means.

How bad are things, show me?

So I'm off to one of the worst-affected areas

in the whole country.

'I've come to Perama, a rundown city on the coast of mainland Greece.

'The main employer here is shipping,

'with the countries biggest port and dockyards all nearby.

'But, like most industries in Greece,

'the crisis has taken its toll here too.'

'80% of the population here are unemployed -

'four times the national average.

'I'm here to visit a charity-run clinic which I'm told is

'one of many that have sprung up recently.'

These people have been waiting ages and the doors have just been

opened and everyone is rushing in to see the doctor I imagine.

SHE SHOUTS IN GREEK

It's jam-packed, people everywhere.

I've seen similar scenes like in Africa and Asia

and things like that.

'But unlike the third world, Greece does have a National Health Service

'so what I want to know is why anyone needs to come here at all.

'To find out, I'm meeting 32-year-old Dr George Papadakis.'

This man was hospitalised some days ago

-because he had a heart attack in the hospital.

-Oh, God.

These are the medicines he needs to take,

the problem is he has not got the possibility to buy these medicines

because it costs a lot of money.

So, this clinic has effectively saved your life?

Was the reason this clinic exists,

a direct result of the economic crisis?

Lately, everybody who has to go to the doctor or the hospital,

he has to buy a five euro ticket...

-Just to get in?

-Just to get in, yes.

They have to pay for blood tests, X-rays,

and after that they have to pay for their medicines.

'New charges for getting basic help mean many poor Greeks

'are effectively denied access to their National Health Service.'

I'm here having a look at the economic crisis which

is awful in itself, but then you have a chat with the Greek people

and you think it's like a humanitarian crisis.

Here you can see the actual face of the crisis -

it's the people's face.

As I look around the clinic,

doctors have started handing out more than just medical help.

This is like a donation room, I suspect.

Clothes, kids' clothes, blankets,

rucksacks, that kind of thing.

It's like the back of a charity shop, isn't it?

It doesn't look like a doctor's surgery!

And then food, milk, spaghetti, powdered milk for the kids...

Why are you here at the clinic today?

You OK? Don't get upset, don't worry.

Something that you sense quickly is that these people aren't

happy that they're here, they're not here because they fancy free stuff,

they're here because they've got absolutely no other option.

And with the camera, a lot of them are hiding their faces

and it's because they're embarrassed.

They're proud people, they don't want to be begging for handouts.

I think they can't believe that they're having to do this.

'Unfortunately,

'the reality of the crisis is a third of all Greeks now find themselves

'living below the poverty line, relying on others for survival.'

Dr George was explaining to me that there's been a lady who's

been in and out of this clinic for a couple of months

and she was often coming to get help and food parcels.

She's not there today, she's at home so I thought it would be

a great opportunity to just run the parcel over and I can have a nose

at the kind of living conditions and the troubles that she's facing.

So, off to do me bit for the day!

'Up to 100 patients visit the health centre everyday,

'many with problems linked to poor housing and bad diet.

'And looking around you can see why.

'It's a million miles away from the Greece you see

'in the holiday brochures.'

When I said I'd deliver this food parcel,

I did not realise she lived at the top of Europe!

It's unbelievable.

'I've come to the home of Yannis and Spyridoula.

'Proud parents to newborn baby, Chrisovalantis.'

Hello!

Oh my goodness, who's this?

'Because of the new hospital charges, a complicated pregnancy

'and caesarean section has left the couple owing thousands in medical bills.'

You're both unemployed and obviously

Mum's going to have to be at home with baby,

but are you actively looking for work

and it's just not there for you?

How does it make you feel having to rely on charities and handouts?

Who is to blame, who has put you in this position?

Today for me really was about me

getting the opportunity to see for myself

how the economic crisis is affecting real Greeks,

and I totally got that today.

I've spoken to this lovely couple and I wasn't expecting the house

to be as basic as it is, I mean there's polystyrene sellotaped to the wall,

there's a single bed that I suspect they both sleep on, in the kitchen.

And when I say kitchen, there's just a sink and a table with all their bits on it.

I've just delivered a food parcel and we're in Greece,

we're not in a third world country here.

It's crazy for me to think it and I totally get it about how

Greeks are so up in arms about having to live this way.

It's poverty.

No wonder they're out in the streets protesting,

no wonder everyone's got the hump.

I would never want to be in this position.

From what I've seen, it's clear the government's extra tax

on public services is having a shocking impact on normal Greeks.

Hello!

'I've been invited to meet We Do Not Pay -

'a group I met at the earlier protests that were formed

'specially to take direct action against these measures.'

Explain to me a bit more about what it is you as a movement do.

You go to hospital, you have to pay five euros in order to be examined.

That's something we cannot accept because we have paid taxes

all these years in order to have free public health care.

-The system is unfair. Profit is the main goal.

-Yeah.

And I think that in order to overthrow something,

you must hit the beast in its heart.

-So actually take real action?

-Yes.

-And is that what you as a movement do?

-Yes.

'To find out what hitting the beast in the heart involves,

'Elias has invited me along to watch

'as they carry out a guerrilla protest.'

OK, let me help. What do you need me to do?

We do not pay!

SHE LAUGHS

Oh.

Oh, I've got my badge on. I'm feeling really...

I'm excited, actually.

I'm excited to see this kind of protest in action.

We do not pay.

LOUDHAILER CLICKS AND SQUEAKS

It's broke.

I don't know how useful it is.

I don't know if people don't pay or they do. I guess I'll find out.

-LOUDHAILER WAILS

-Oh, I'm sorry.

Thank God you've got me for tonight.

I'm very useful.

-THROUGH PA:

-Hello? Hello, everybody,

and good luck for tonight. Thank you.

We Do Not Pay take their protest to those public services

directly affected by the government's new charges.

In the past, they've held actions in hospitals and at motorway tolls.

I'm not entirely sure what will happen when we get to the other end.

I don't know how people will react to them.

I just don't know, I guess I'll soon find out.

Tonight, the movement have targeted the Athens underground system.

So, basically they're taping up the swipe machines

so you can't physically pay.

And they're just literally ushering everyone through.

Some of them have gone up here to put their big banner up.

I don't know if you can see that going up now.

The workers have come up to them now to stop them, look.

-What's going on?

-She was bypassing our action now,

and she was validating tickets in the manual way.

On the flip side, is she not just doing her job?

She shows disrespect to our fight, that's a common fight with employees.

-We are with them, with their side, we are not against them.

-OK.

This, on a political scale, is very big

-and we should defend our action.

-Yeah.

I spoke to Elias and he reckons that they've prevented

the people paying up to 8,000 euros

with all the people they've let through.

And part of me admires them, part of me thinks, "Good on you,"

you know, "You're doing something you truly believe in,"

cos it's one thing moaning about the situation,

there's another thing to get out and do your bit.

'And this lot aren't the only ones.

'Thousands of protest movements have formed recently,

'each reacting against the government's handling of the crisis.

'But do any of them really offer an alternative

'for the future of Greece?'

In a way, I definitely agree with most of the things

your movement is saying, but then on the other hand I'm thinking,

well, what if everyone said, "Oh, we're not paying for this,

we're not paying for that," where would the country end up?

-So it's very difficult, isn't it?

-Yes, it is, actually.

-It's not black and white.

-Well, no, no, it is.

For me, it is black and white.

If we had a society, an ideal society,

that everything was working as it is supposed to do,

then it would be a crime not to pay,

but we are far away from that society.

The social goods like health, education,

they should be free and everybody should have access to it.

We need to have solidarity - it's very important -

not only in a period of crisis,

but we have to have it as a philosophy of life.

'Most young people I've met have told me

'they want to see big changes to how Greece is run.

'Some have even mentioned revolution.

'But what I want to know is how did it ever come to this?

'To explain, Konstantinos has arranged to take me

'on a journey out to the suburbs.'

-God, you've got new hair!

-Yeah, you like it?

The hair's gone. So, Konstantinos, why are we getting a train today?

Because it's a particularly good way for you to understand

how Greek money is being badly spent,

going into bad pockets and everything.

The train system's a pretty good example of that.

-Is this us?

-Yes, this is us.

The annual expenses for the railway system

are like 600m euros per year

whilst the income is only 100m euros.

How do they justify that, if that's common knowledge?

The railway system is bankrupt. It's completely bankrupt

and it's been for many years, and they just keep feeding it money,

feeding it money, but it's not only the trains.

In every aspect of Greek public life

a lot of this money is used to go into back pockets or to bribe.

A lot of money is being paid to politicians to approve certain companies to do certain projects.

So it's not just a simple case of they're not able to

manage their books, it's actually corruption?

You can't say there's corruption everywhere in Greece,

that's what I believe, but, you know...

-In your opinion?

-But that's what most people think, I guess.

I mean, it's disgusting that they're quite happy to cut

working-class Greek people's jobs

every day, left, right and centre, cuts, cuts...

Factories closing down, organisations closing down,

but they're happy to keep pouring hundreds of millions of euros

into something that doesn't work.

It's stupid.

'But the billions wasted on an inefficient public sector

'is only half the story behind the Greek debt.'

This is one of the richest neighbourhoods in Athens

and as you can see, it is pretty evident,

-I mean, the houses are huge and everything is well protected.

-Gated.

You can see the contrast between this area and the rest of Athens

you have seen, and it's been proven that several Greek businessmen

that do live in these kinds of areas owe large amounts of money

to the Greek state, but through tax evasion for several years.

We're talking about amounts of money

that could seriously save Greece at this moment.

Well, they should be the first port of call, shouldn't they?

You know, when a country's in such an awful state, you'd think,

"Right, there's people that we know owe hundreds of millions of euros,

"so what we'll do is we'll get that before

"we go and cut jobs of the working class people."

-Exactly.

-That is what you would hope a country would do.

It's destructive. It's destructive to try and pay off our debt

by crippling your economic system instead of collecting what's rightfully yours,

and imagine, these are people that have more than enough money

to pay their taxes, and especially in a time of economic crisis.

Don't they feel a sense of duty, of responsibility?

'Despite losing an estimated 15 billion euros a year,

'few Greeks have ever been done for tax fraud.'

What on earth do they need a riot van for around here?

I have no idea. That's just a part of the bargain, I guess,

they have with the Greek parliament.

'From what I'm hearing, it seems that the interests of the Haves

'come before the Have Nots.'

Hello.

Hello. Is there a... No, we've got a permit.

We've got a permit to film in Greece.

We've got a permit, so we are allowed to film.

THE POLICEMAN SPEAKS IN GREEK They want to see the papers. OK.

That's fine. There's no problem.

We're not doing anything wrong. We're just filming.

Oh, no, it's OK. I don't feel scared.

Thank you.

-Nice.

-Mm!

-Nice.

Nice. Nice, Stacey.

Can you conceive this? You are in a square in the poshest part of Athens

and a riot van approaches.

'For me, I really wanted to understand and get my head round

'how a country gets to a position where it's very nearly bankrupt.'

You know, the main reason Greece is where it is today

is because the Greek government

have spent loads and loads and loads and loads of money,

but the things that they've spent the money on

aren't giving money back to the country

and then the people living the high life, you know,

they're not paying back the money they owe to that country.

So if that kind of carry on is happening for 10, 20, 30 years,

I can see that that's not going to balance out.

It's not going to work.

'Konstantinos clearly blames the wealthy.'

Rich people suck.

'But is it really fair to point the finger at the rich

'for not paying their taxes?'

GUN POPS

'To get some answers, I've got successful shipping tycoon

'Harry Vafias in my sights.'

-OK, Harry.

-Welcome. GUNFIRE

-SHE LAUGHS

-That's very dramatic!

Do you spend a lot of time here?

I come once every ten days to relax, to practice my shooting

and as you see, it's a very nice day so we are very lucky.

-A great day for shooting?

-A great day for shooting - targets not people.

-Oh, OK. I'm down with that. Let's go.

-Let's go.

-This way.

-This way?

'Now just 34, Harry was, before the crisis,

'one of Greece's youngest billionaires.'

But look, look, look. Not like that. Like that.

Harry, I'm really nervous.

OK, I'm going to do it.

-GUN BANGS

-Oh, my God. Sorry.

'Since the crisis hit, Harry's been forced to hire

'a team of bodyguards and carry a gun for protection.'

You never know if some crazy guy will try and stab you or nab you

or do anything to you or your family, and I hope that never happens,

but you must be ready to defend yourself.

So do you have to carry a gun every time you leave the house?

I have it under my seat, yes.

GUNFIRE

Harry, this is too heavy for me. I can't manage.

-I can't even hold it up.

-No, I'm holding it.

-Put your finger on the trigger.

-Don't leave me.

-No, I'm here.

Oh, my God.

-SHE SQUEALS

-Oh, my God.

Oh, Harry, I need a rest.

SHE GROANS

People will always ask super-rich people about tax evasion.

The problem for Greece was that tax evasion was a national hobby.

Everybody was doing it because the state didn't have the proper mechanism to check.

But I know billions of euros were owed through tax every year.

That's true - that was not only because of the rich people,

that was because of the whole population.

Everybody was doing it -

rich people, poor people, even, were not paying tax.

It was a huge problem for the government.

There were no earnings going in and only expenditure.

The last six months we've seen the huge progress.

New laws were passed, that were very, very strict

and now you owe one euro, you either pay it, make a settlement

or you go to jail. It's as simple as that.

'Greece has one of the biggest national debts in the world,

'so I'm not surprised to hear the government's finally trying to stamp out tax fraud.

'Unfortunately, it might all be too late.

'The country is still nearly bankrupt

'and soon the politicians may have to vote for that second bailout

'and be forced into further austerity.'

'For many, conditions in the cities are already too much

'and they've left for places like this -

'The island of Chios.'

I'm on my way to go and meet a couple called Alexandra and Nikos

and they've recently just moved over here.

They've started up a little business,

and I'm just keen to hear how they're getting on.

Hello.

-Welcome. Welcome to our island.

-Alexandra?

-Yes, I am Alexandra.

Nikos, pleasure to... Thanks for having me.

-So, Stacey. This is it.

-Oh, wow.

This is our new business.

This isn't what I imagined when you said "farm".

I imagined cows and pigs.

-What is it?

-They are snails, Stacey. Snails all over.

-I'm in a snail farm.

-A snail farm, indeed.

'After losing their jobs two years ago,

'these civil servants came to the island and took a massive gamble.'

As you can see...

Oh, my God. There's loads.

Some of them are ready, like that and that,

but the others are still very, very young.

How many have you got?

-Probably 800,000.

-800,000?

-Snails, yes.

We should call him Stacey.

OK. It will be your tiny pet.

Talk me through how you decide you're going to start up a snail farm.

-It was Alexandra's idea.

-Really?

We bought some books to read about this business

and we feel that maybe it would be good business to start up.

I guess so many young Greeks are looking for alternative ways to make money now.

Yes. This is our last chance.

If we can't manage to make a profit of this job,

then we don't know what to do next.

-Really?

-Yes.

-So, have you put a lot into this business?

Yes, we've invested our savings, also our family savings.

-Wow.

-So, yes, we invested a lot of money.

Yes, this is our last money for us and for our parents also.

SHE LAUGHS And now we will make it happen.

We are trying hard not to disappoint them.

So tell me, what's it like working together

with your boyfriend and vice versa?

-Eh...

-Difficult.

-SHE LAUGHS

'It's quite romantic, isn't it,

'to think that you could start a business with your boyfriend'

in the mountains, when in reality that's just not the case.

Stacey, this is the size we're looking for.

Alexandra, you know, she's had to make a lot of sacrifices.

All her girls are in Athens, her parents are in Athens.

She says, "You know, I would have liked to have made the decision,

"but I've been forced to take this,

"because it's the only option I was left with."

-This one is huge.

-Jackpot. We've hit the jackpot.

'You know, if this doesn't work, it's not just them that'll go hungry,

'everyone's life savings have gone into this.

'It's their entire family, so that's a big responsibility

'for a young couple to be taking on,'

but it's the only option they had.

So look, we've got 16 in here now. That's one portion, is it?

-In France, on every plate, you will see from 12 to 16 snails.

-That's a lot, isn't it, of snails?

'The couple have taken a big risk, piling nearly 40,000 euros

'into a new business right in the middle of the crisis.

'Soon, they'll know if it's paid off

'when they try to sell their first harvest to the French.'

-In England, you don't eat the snails there.

-No, not really.

'But ultimately, it's events in Athens that could decide their fate.

'I've got to rush straight back there

'because tomorrow it's decision time for the politicians.'

Here I am again. On my way to Syntagma Square

and, you know, today really is a huge, huge deal.

The parliament have to come to a conclusion today

about the future of Greece.

They are expecting up to half a million Greeks outside parliament.

Every single shop on the entire street is shut, you know,

they're expecting big crowds, so I've got my gear,

the riot police are all over the show...

We'll see.

Oh, my God. Have you seen how many people are down in this square?

This is incredible.

'Today is a pivotal moment.

'The country is days away from going bust.

'No matter what happens, the politicians must make a choice.'

What's going on in there right now

is either they vote for the memorandum

and we're going to be, in a way, enslaved for 50, 60, 70 years -

you never know how much - with higher taxes lower wages.

The other option is we go bankrupt. Now, if you ask the Greeks here,

I can guarantee to you they would prefer to go bankrupt.

It's a shame that people out in the street are screaming

for their future and people in there care about their pockets

and the pockets of the banks. That's all they care about.

We are the country that cradled civilisation and democracy

and at this point, there is no future for any of us.

That's why everyone's out here?

Yeah, I understand.

We stand in a moment of history where people have to choose.

They have to choose between the chains and the resistance.

We're going to resist and we're going to win.

'And it's not just the protesters

'taking the idea of revolution seriously.'

Do you think tear gas will be used today?

'Although everyone seems here for a peaceful protest,

'the atmosphere is one of frustration and anger.'

Just going out to get a feel of what's going on,

but the local lads have said to me

don't stand anywhere near the stairs because...

-WHISTLE TRILLS

-..when people are running away from the teargas,

you get stampeded if you're near the stairs

or if you're in the middle of a crowd,

so I'm just edging towards the edge ever so slightly.

But it's kicking off massively down there.

WHISTLE TRILLS

DRUM BANGS

They're shouting, "Thieves, thieves, thieves, thieves."

THEY CHANT IN GREEK

EXPLOSIVE BOOM

'Suddenly, without warning, police fire tear gas into the crowds.'

We have to go.

-SHE SCREAMS

-Oh, my God.

'What began as a peaceful demonstration

'quickly turns into a violent riot.'

ANGRY CHANTING

'I run into a hotel just before security shutters go down.'

Oh, my God!

It's just like madness out there. There's fire.

When I came in here it was like a war zone.

Everyone had their gas masks on,

people were rolling on the floor coughing.

People are getting marble off the hotel floor to throw.

SHOUTING AND BANGING

This is chaos.

AIR HORN WAILS

'From a balcony, I can see running street battles

'between hundreds of protesters and police.'

You know, I've been to really scary places,

places that are in civil war,

and, honestly, I've never seen scenes like that.

How on earth has a country in Europe got in this state?

I do not understand how this kind of carry-on is going on.

Police are getting in lines.

Oh, my God!

They must be desperate beyond desperation

for that to be an answer.

'Despite the huge protest outside,

'in Parliament politicians still vote in favour of the bailouts

'and a new wave of even harsher cuts.'

'Early next day,

'and already a massive clean-up operation is under way.'

You know, the damage is so severe in some parts

they've had to bring bulldozers into the centre of the town

to just clear everything.

Yeah, it's a right old state.

And this bit's really badly affected, look.

It's been smashed, the bank's been smashed.

And here, just marble.

Marble everywhere.

These are what were thrown last night.

It's crazy.

I do my bit.

-Boom!

-Oi, you!

Don't give me a fright!

'So much tear gas was used

'that commuters still struggle to breathe as they head to work.'

There was fire all around here last night

and I thought it was just fire, just, "Whoa, fire,"

But actually it turns out that the fire

can cancel the tear gas in the air,

so that's why they set fires sometimes, to get rid of the gas.

'The rioting caused millions of euros in damage,

'with shops looted, buildings burnt out

'and vandalism everywhere you look.'

The morning after the huge night for Greece last night, you know,

that was the parliament where the government was sat

and they've decided that they are going to take this bailout,

they are going cut more jobs,

more people are going to become unemployed.

If they're still employed, their wages will be cut.

The taxes will be higher.

You know, it's directly affecting the people

that were in the square last night, and they are outraged, you know,

they can't imagine things can get worse, but they're going to.

After everything I've seen and heard,

it's obvious where I need to go now.

I'm going into parliament, I'm going to speak to a politician.

I get to ask this woman face-to-face some really tricky questions

and fair questions that need to be asked.

I just don't know how she's going to justify the things

that these people have been doing.

Hello, how's things? I'm Stacey. Olga? Pleasure to meet you.

'While the riot was going on, MP Olga Kefalogianni and her party

'were in here voting in favour of the bailout and austerity measures.'

A lot of people out there on Syntagma Square

were protesting peacefully.

They were there to make a real point,

to try and show that they want change.

Revolution. I heard that word so many times.

I think it's really important for people to vote

and to express themselves.

I don't think that the best way to express your frustration is

with what we saw happening in Athens.

I think that's probably quite easy for you to say because

I can imagine you're not in a position where

you're wondering where your next meal is coming from.

How on earth can you justify further cuts, higher taxes?

These things are crippling your people.

I know you have to make sacrifices

and I know you're in a tricky position,

but how can you sit there and think "That's what we'll do"?

We didn't have any real good solution.

We had a bad solution and we had a catastrophic one.

Nobody wants poverty on this kind of extreme measures.

Nobody wants their people to feel the way

Greek people are feeling right now.

But at least, as far as I'm concerned,

and as far as my party's concerned,

Greece needs to remain within the eurozone area

and we have to stick to the measures we agreed with the European Union.

Can you see why that frustrates your people?

Can you see why they feel it's you against them?

And how are you going to make that not be the case in the future?

How are you going to get them to trust you?

I think this question of trust is very important.

Right now, Greeks have lost their trust in their politicians.

But I think the worst part is we're in such a recession

and this recession is only getting deeper.

All these sacrifices are really going to nowhere.

I think if we can't have economic recovery, then no programme,

no plan, no measures will ever be able to really lift us out.

It's just...

I don't feel any more hopeful for the country now I've just

come out of the parliament of the country.

It just kind of confirms everything I already thought.

Just last week, elections were held.

Huge numbers of Greeks voted against the austerity measures

and the parties responsible for them.

It's left Greece in a difficult position with Europe

as politicians negotiate a new deal.

It's what lots of Greeks want, but the country could still go bankrupt.

There's no doubt young Greeks still face a dark future, however

I am still hopeful for the country, but it's only because of them.

If I'm honest, I completely underestimated what was going on out here.

I had no idea that they were in such an awful position.

When you're hearing that a whole generation has been hit

the hardest when they're the least to blame, you can't help

but feel like it's just so unfair for them.

Despite that, you can't help but admire them.

They're clever, they're bright, they're articulate.

They've totally got it going on and I think

if it's that generation that's up and coming, the country will change.

I just don't know when.

My trip here is over, but before I leave,

there's one last thing I want to do.

One of the people that has stuck in my mind is Spyridoula

and I've had a real think about how I can get her some kind of help.

I know that a lot of charities have been popping up especially

over the past couple of months.

So I've made a couple of calls, spoke to a lady called Christina.

She's from a charity that could help Spyridoula specifically.

How's things? I'm Stacey.

'Christina's from a new charity called Give The Child...'

It's up this way. Follow me.

'..recently set up to help struggling parents.'

Are you all right? I told you it was steep!

How are you, Spyridoula?

My friend Christina.

'Christina's brought Spyridoula some baby clothes and toys

'and she's pledged to keep helping the family until things get better.'

I'm really pleased that Christina met Spyridoula.

I think that's them with a little relationship on the go now.

It is a nice thing to think that even the Greeks that are in

a difficult position themselves are all rallying around

and trying to help the other Greeks that are worse off than them.

Next week I'm in Ireland...

..a country still reeling from an economic collapse several years ago.

Welcome to Ireland 2012.

I find young people on the brink of homelessness.

It's an absolute disgrace, so get your finger out and do something about it.

It's your responsibility to look after your people.

I watch families being ripped apart...

It's not that I'm going because I want to go,

it's I'm going because I have to go.

..as an entire generation escapes...

I hope the sacrifice was worth it.

..leaving Ireland short of more than just cash.

Why aren't we supporting the most brilliant young people?

We just can't hold onto them.

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