Subject: »PIIGS - economics problems

Just show the real figure of the percentage of public employees and compare them to other countries. Then think of the fact that all who don't work in public sector have to pay for those in public sector. It is unnecessary to compare between the countries, just look at Greece's situation!

For example; it shows that dutch pension is 3200 euro on average and that we pay 1400 euro to public workers. Both are the highest within the numbers you mention. But, we don't have too many public workers AND our other wages are much higher as well so there is no problem. Also, our pension system is much different.

Again, I will say; don't make unneeded comparisons to make yourself believe what is wrong. Greece has problems by itself which it needs to solve by itself (with the financial help of Europe and IMF). There is nothing that will be changed to that fact.

Yes. That's the average. The public and the private sector together. Let's see the data from the public sector alone...

You can't compare pensions in real amounts when the cost of living in each country is so different.

you can compare pensions and wages when prices are almost the same or even higher.

but anyway, such numbers always tell the one side of the story.

The cost of living is much higher in somewhere like the UK than it is in Greece. The tax burden is also a lot higher otherwise I'd have a swimming pool too ;)

That's not to say I don't sympathise with you, the IMF aren't exactly known for their sensible approach and it's not like you made the decisions on how much to borrow and how large a public sector to have.

The cost of living is much higher in somewhere like the UK than it is in Greece.

hehe
well, that's partly true, although living cost in uk and especially london is way higher than everywhere else in europe. :P
however, prices of everyday goods in greece must be of the highest in eurozone. i am not sure about that, i just remember a research on this some months ago.

In Belgium 2800 euros? I'd like to see that ... And why would those numbers be correct, and all the others wrong?

Sorry, I think I missed the point where you presented that fact: employees from public sector retire at the age of 50 and get afaik 90% of their base wage. Add the fact, that the public sector is quite big, and you'll get one giant debt-creating mess. No country can afford that.
So please don't search for the problem abroad. It's right under your nose...

That's what I wrote. Where do you read anything about lazy greeks?

omg, where do you get these numbers? I cant believe them.

He is citing the source. Still, "I can't believe them" is not really the way to go when arguing against data :P

@all: comparing your non-eurozone wages in euros with Greek wages is pure nonsense: you still need to apply the echange rate and the price level to see whether one is really higher than the other.

Instead, comparing Greece with other europzone countries is much more sensible, since price level (which are different) aren't that different (still, they should be brought in for a right comparison), and no exchange rate is needed.

the echange rate

No such thing exists within Eurozone ;-)

That's why he wrote "non-eurozone" ;)

you said''that fact: employees from public sector retire at the age of 50 and get afaik 90% of their base wage''
a
your media give you the myth of''lazy greeks'' and you just believed them
dont blame you ;)

Damn, I should read better next time ;-)

Just to be sure. You know that Slovakia is in the eurozone, right?

...
You really like to make things far more complicated than they are...

Yes, but I was thinking about Hrvatska, Lietuva, etc, which were also posted ;)