Athens benefited from three financial assistance plans, in 2010, 2012 and 2015. The release of this third assistance plan on August 20, 2018, is accompanied by the pursuit of structural reforms.

The early legislative elections of July 7, 2019 saw the victory of the New Democracy party (right): its leader, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, became Prime Minister, putting an end to the Syriza government of Alexis Tsipras, which came to power in January 2015. The Greek government has finalized its national recovery plan of 32 billion euros from the European recovery fund.

But the situation remains fragile: the banking system is vulnerable, The population has been affected by the loss of a quarter of the Greek GDP since 2009, the amounts of pensions have halved in ten years and the unemployment rate remains at a high level (18.23%).

To encourage tourists to return, the country reopened its doors to foreign visitors in mid-May. It is vital that they return as revenue from tourism, which accounts for 18% of GDP, fell from 38 billion euros per year to just 14 billion euros last year. And the government is betting on

the "zero Covid-19 islands": 

postcard views, white sand beaches ... without the virus and its variants. This is the dream image portrayed by the Greek authorities.

Luke Brown

has been to some of these islands to see if the reopening is rushed and if enough people have been vaccinated there.

Since 2015, Greece has been at the forefront of welcoming refugees and migrants.

The migration issue 

. is both a challenge and a burden. This year, the EU announced the construction of five new refugee camps in the Greek islands near Turkey, at a cost of € 250 million. For many, residents and migrants alike, this is just a way to move the problem out of sight. And back in Athens, many migrants still face Kafkaesque administrative problems that seem destined to make them leave.

Luke Brown went

to meet them.

A program presented by Caroline de Camaret, produced by Johan Bodin and Mathilde Bénézet, with images by Stéphane Bodenne and the participation of Luke Brown and Céline Schmitt.

In partnership with the European Parliament

The project was co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the European Parliament grants program in the field of communication.

The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is in no way responsible for or bound by any information, information or views expressed in connection with the project for which only the authors, individuals interviewed, the editors or broadcasters of the program are responsible in accordance with applicable law.

Nor can the European Parliament be held liable for any damage, direct or indirect, which may result from the implementation of the project.

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