Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner really worried for Greece right now...

I'm sorry guys, but I have to let this out... I feel almost like home here and it's one of the nicest Internet places, with people ready to offer some valid advice, etc...

So, In case you haven't heard it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24141246

A 34 year old musician was stabbed to death by neo-nazi 45 year old. Ok, this much is something that can happen elsewhere. Problem is that the neo-nazi political party has 10%, and is in the parliament. In addition to that the austerity measures have torn the country SO MUCH that right now I'm afraid of a civil war.

In all honesty if something like this happens, I'll take my kids, a copy of all EMF scores, plus a few hard drives, an flee the country... And I'm NOT kidding!

[/panic mode off]

I previewed my post (as I advise others to do so) and I can see that the above is very... panicky. But it remains a dangerous situation right now, exactly because Greece has no social network to speak off: We never were a society and right now this is more evident than ever!

That is so sad. R.I.P. Pavlos.

Nikolas, if you are really concerned then it might be best to get repositioned in another country starting immediately, probably through connections you can get some sort of artistic employment and/or an artist's permit for many places. Unless you have a very good idea of where you are going and why then it might be best to not choose a Euro country, Japan, the U.K. or the U.S.

If you delay then by the time you leave you might not be able to move any Euros to speak of out of the country as already is the situation in Cyprus.

And whether you stay or go, don't keep your money in Euros or any of the other paper currencies.


M.

Shame to me for not mentioning this...

The information is a bit sketchy as of yet, but in any case a young man, a musician, my age is gone... by stabbing. And it's a real pity.

Rest in Peace Pavlos! And hope your family can hang in there...

Nikolas,

I'm very sad for your country and this situation. It seems like civility and decorum have become passe. We don't hear much about Greece in the US, so it's your judgment that matters here. If you don't feel safe then perhaps it's time to leave. I sometimes feel the US has gone crazy but it seems much of that is just media hype. We have Neo-nazis in the US too, but I only hear about them when I get a communication from the Southern Poverty Law Center (a group devoted to exposing hate crimes and teaching tolerance). I know my support won't mean anything but you have it. I respect you, your music and your judgment.

Your panic is for good reason and I agree that it's time to start thinking of a plan incase things become too further out of hand. Keep us updated and stay safe.

I'm safe right now and both my kids are fast asleep in their room... So things are, right now, ok.

The right wing party (the neo nazi one) called Golden Dawn is getting ready to appear in the very place that Pavlos was killed.

The left wing party (around 20% in the recent elections) decided that the government is off the law (for whatever reasons of their own) and want to do some sort of a guerilla war inside Athens!

I don't know what on earth is happening right now... I'm keeping a very close eye on what's going on, and I hope that me and my kids will be safe. There's already more than 1 people to accommodate us abroad (including my wife in Azerbaijan) and there's bank accounts in England, where we lived for 4 years...

The one thing that needs to be done is to remain calm right now!...

My thoughts are with you, your family and your countrymen, Nikolas.

Regards,

Thank you Bruce. And thank you for your PM as well!

And thanks to everyone of course!

Oh, Nikolas, that's very unnerving. I am reallly sorry to hear news like this and I can imagine all the concerns that are running through your head.

I can also imagine that it is more difficult with your wife being out of the country - no one at home to talk to about all this. Sure there's phone and skype, but it isn't the same.

I pray that this will all settle down very soon.
My thoughts are with you - stay safe!

I think that if a large group of people figures out a way to put the situation in Greece on the world's public agenda Europe will start watching the situation more closely, something that can definitely prevent drastic events like a civil war.
I don't know how much you can actually do, but if there's any way to raise public awareness, it's worth trying.
(Of course, wait and see how the situation developes, maybe things will work themselves out over time, I sure hope they will.)

I'm also hoping that sanity will prevail. It's just that all this pressure is changing people! And our lenders don't seem to care much about the wreckage of Greece in the end.

Get out of there NOW.

You are right to be feeling worried. History is full of tragic examples where people waited until they were "sure" a civil war or other disaster was brewing, and then it was too late.

Adopt a rational economics perspective: Lay out all the costs/benefits of leaving now/later/not at all, with the situation in Greece either deteriorating/getting better. You should decide to leave if this kind of analysis leads you to conclude that the cost of inaction given a bad outcome FAR outweighs the cost of acting and it turning out to have been unnecessary.

I am so sorry for you and your fellow countrymen.

I am so sorry for you, your family, and Greece as a whole, Nikolas. My thoughts are with you.

i echo everyone else - such sad news.
neo-nazis for christ's sake, some people are so pathetic and medieval.

what with the whole syria and egypt thing (plus all the things you don't hear about) i sometimes wonder if people are inherently violent and just use any old excuse.

I sincerely hope you and everyone else in Greece remain safe.

Nikolas, I am very concerned for you. Unfortunately, when economic conditions become stressful, history has show that the smaller minded people look for someone to blame, thus the hate crimes. In this day and age, sanity usually does pervail and I pray that it will. I can't offer any advice other than to remember that family always comes first.

I have always watched the rise of the Golden Dawn with trepidation. It is unfortunate that in such stressful times, people will turn to whoever promises them the quickest, easiest way out, even if those promises come with a loaded weapon pointed at their heads. Violence is never the answer.

I have many Greek friends. Some are still there; some moved here a long time ago. All of them are worried, too.

Stay safe, keep your head down, and if you should need a couch overseas somewhere -- I have two.

My thoughts are with you Nikolas.

Cathy

Nikolas,

This is worrisome for sure. What a shame, especially as Greece is the birthplace of democracy! It might be good to have your exit strategy all worked out and ready to use if needed. Take care, friend!

Sophia