According to the 2016 European Consumer Payment Report, three out of four Greeks are unable to pay their bills on time, and as many as 68% are unable to service their debts.
What’s more, one in three respondents expressed the desire to leave Greece to seek a better future elsewhere, citing Germany and the UK as their preferred destinations.
The report, based on a survey by Swedish company Intrum Justitia in order to gauge debt and bill payments, also revealed that those who do keep up with their payments often have nothing left over to subsist on.
The survey, conducted between September 12-26 on a sample of 21,317 people across 21 European countries, showed that Greece performed poorly in most categories.
Over 50% of Greeks declare themselves unable to afford a “dignified existence,” compared with a European average of 29%, a figure that has risen 3% since last year. Also, 65% of Greeks expressed concern that they wouldn’t have enough money to live on after paying taxes, compared to the European average of 39% (up from 35% in 2015).
Findings revealed that 20% of Europeans believe their respective countries’ economies are improving, compared to only 5% of Greeks.