The Dutch stereotype of Greece is that the islands are a nice holiday resort but that the country is full of corrupt politicians and lazy people who retire much earlier than we can.
Dutch people right now are deeply concerned over what will happen to their money when the European Union decides to grant Greece more loans in order to save them from economic collapse. Many Dutch of my acquaintance hold the opinion that Greece should either be thrown out of the EU or that we should leave the EU ourselves.
The Dutch minister of finance, Kees de Jager, has said that he won’t mind becoming “immensely unpopular” in the EU if that is what it takes to protect the Dutch people’s money.
I think he also said this to assure that he will also become `immensely popular` in our own country, where it seems that media-fueled stereotypes are rapidly gaining ground over common sense.
An example of the feelings exacerbated by our media came from a reader of the largest Dutch newspaper, De Telegraaf.
“It is time to think of our country first instead of wanting to save half of the world. … When is it enough? We have enough difficulties ourselves with all of our unemployed, a shrinking economy, and grim future perspectives. As far as I am concerned, they can figure it out [how to get out of debt] for themselves,” wrote Hans from Tilburg, in a comment on a Telegraaf article.
So much for EU spirit. Such pessimism toward Greece is sadly common among the Dutch, and I personally consider this a worse threat to the well being of the country than any fiscal drain the Greeks could bring upon us.
Very few Dutch realize the strain that Greece’s unprecedented austerity measures are putting on the people, and despite that Greece is a popular holiday destination for many Dutch, many in the Netherlands don’t even seem to care, on a personal level, how the Greeks are being affected.
The austerity measures imposed on the Greek government include increased taxes, large cuts to the social services, a 20 percent decrease in the minimum wage, the selling of large pieces of land, and a privatization program to sell off large state-owned companies and ports.
Earlier this month, a Greek staff reporter for The Epoch Times interviewed her countrymen, and their stories brought a human perspective to the controversial austerity measures.
Giakas Stelios, 34, who is temporarily employed for eight months only, as a postman, told The Epoch Times how the austerity measures are making it even more difficult to survive.
“I have always faced unemployment even though I finished university. I do not work in my area of expertise and I earn 700 euros (US$989) a month, and many benefits I had have been cut so I have to live on 700 euros in an expensive country and with the tax increase they will become even more difficult.”
And then there is the blame game. In times of difficulty, many people search for a scapegoat as if shifting the blame can soothe the pain or solve the problem.
And, to give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe it is true that, as the Greeks themselves say—that the debt crisis really is the fault of corrupt politicians and Greek bureaucracy.
However, it is probably more complicated than that and at some point bad situations are only made worse by finger pointing and angry demonstrations.
As a Dutchman, I am more concerned with how the European attitude, policy, and media coverage unifies or separates EU countries.
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