9 out of 10 Greeks oppose austerity: survey

ATHENS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- In the third year of a harsh austerity and reform program, an overwhelming 94 percent of Greeks oppose the measures aiming to resolve the debt crisis, giving boost to the anti-bailout main opposition Radical Left SYRIZA party, a fresh survey showed on Friday.

In the autumn of 2010, at the start of the implementation of the bailout deals with international lenders who keep Greece afloat, three out of ten respondents were backing the plan to exit the crisis, in a poll carried out for local Skai television channel and "Kathimerini" daily by polling firm "Public Issue."

In the sixth year of deep recession, amid record high unemployment and poverty rates, only 6 percent of respondents in the monthly survey said that Greece should continue implementing salary cuts and tax hikes under bailout agreements and pay back its debt load.

In addition, an increasing number of Greeks holds a negative view of the European Union and the euro. In February this year, shortly after Greece secured a new bailout tranche to tackle the crisis, 70 percent of respondents expressed a positive view of the EU and the European common currency.

As the Greek government faces a new marathon round of negotiations for further painful policies in order to receive the next bailout aid tranche this spring, austerity-hit Greek citizens are divided. Fifty percent of respondents now vote down the EU, while 48 percent still back it and 59 percent have a positive view of the euro.

Government officials and local and foreign experts warn that without financial aid from European Union and International Monetary Fund, Greece faces a chaotic default and exit from the euro, which could contaminate more economies across the continent.

Living on 30 percent reduced income on average due to austerity and recession, with development still not in sight, more disappointed Greeks support the anti-bailout SYRIZA party which ranked second in last year's general elections.

SYRIZA holds a marginal lead of 29.5 percent to 28.5 percent over the ruling New Democracy (ND) conservatives of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Public Issue's poll showed. SYRIZA's popularity rose by four percentage points within a month, pollsters noted.

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