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Emanuela Karastoyanova

On the day of the local elections the Greeks went to the polls to cast their vote, though without any optimism. Although these are the first electiona in which the election of regional governors depends on the votes of voters, rather than by the municipality or region, the mood of people is definitely not upbeat. The reason? Lack of faith that things can change for the better and... lack of trust in politicians. In times of crisis, in which Greece is, there is no room for hope. Mostly for realism. And according to most of the people the choice of mayor or governor can not change anything.

In the late afternoon GRReporter was at the square in the capital’s district of Kolonaki. In the unusually empty cafes for a Sunday people comment on nothing else, but how the vote went. Here's what some of them said to us: "I voted. The only way to change something is when a person votes. In general, whenever elections are held there is always the possibility for somethin to change for the better. This is why elections are held" - said Panagiotis, middle-aged doctor, sitting in the cafe with his daughter. Panagiotis is clear that the difficult situation in which the country is, there is no place for optimism nor for pessimism, the only thing is to wait. And that would it be a mistake if things come to early elections. "The moment is not right for such things, our economy will not be able to withstand it" - he said.

A young girl, a psychologist by training, who wished to remain anonymous commented on the lack of trust in politicians. "I'm not very optimistic, because all of them bored me long time ago. I do not trust anyone anymore. All that everybody wants is just to eat. But I went to vote to show what I don’t agree with. Even if I didn’t want to vote I'd go to the polls again and put an empty bulletin. Abstinence does not mean to me that one is not interested in what happens. Quite the contrary. It means that the person was disgusted by it all. I really have nothing against those people who place blank ballots. It's a way to show politicians how negative people are. I, however, do not thing that early elections are a good solution".

Our next interlocutor is Jenny. From the very beginning she states that she did not vote as she hadn’t been able to travel to Corfu. "If I were at place I'd vote, but only because I know the people and their work. They are "my people". But overall I am not optimistic and I do not trust anyone. The Greek can not think of anything else but his pocket. It is true that we choose the politicians, but they then went another way. Guilty we are, but they. They are much more guilty than we are... Everybody steals. But not as the politicians in other countries to be looking for a way to get something for themselves as well. I don’t think that politicians in Bulgaria for example steal everything. They will take 20-30%, the rest they will leave to the state. Here 70-80% are being stolen and let’s leave 20-30% to the state... This is unacceptable". Asked if she believed that at some point things can change in a positive direction, she stated that if such a thing happens, it will certainly not be right now.

Her friend, Maria is from the island of Crete and she also hasn’t voted. But unlike Jenny, she stated that even if she was there she doubts that she would have given her vote to anyone. "I do not trust anyone. I will vote only when I see that the candidate is not one of those who only want to take for themselves. I do not want to participate in this fiasco. They say that everything is for the country but it is indeed for the party. We received so much money from the European Union and all of it has been stollen. And now the people will pay for that. I'm not optimistic. People are indignant. But even early elections will not make things right".