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Get him to the Greek referendum: fearful expats book out flights home Get him to the Greek referendum: fearful expats book out flights home
(2 months later)
Spurred by patriotism and fear, Greeks are flying home from across the world to take part in Sunday’s bailout referendum.Spurred by patriotism and fear, Greeks are flying home from across the world to take part in Sunday’s bailout referendum.
Due to referendum rules stating that ballots must be cast in person, the estimated 1 million Greeks living abroad will be disenfranchised unless they fly back to vote. Alexis Tsipras’s announcement last weekend gave them just one week to scramble on to flights.Due to referendum rules stating that ballots must be cast in person, the estimated 1 million Greeks living abroad will be disenfranchised unless they fly back to vote. Alexis Tsipras’s announcement last weekend gave them just one week to scramble on to flights.
Christopher Ioakimidis, whose parents own a pharmaceuticals import business in Greece, flew to Athens from London on Tuesday. He said an exit from the euro would be “disastrous” for the family business. He also held fears for his freedom to remain in the UK as a Greek citizen if an EU exit occurred. One young Greek man who did not want to be named, whose parents own a pharmaceuticals import business in Greece, flew to Athens from London on Tuesday. He said an exit from the euro would be “disastrous” for the family business. He also held fears for his freedom to remain in the UK as a Greek citizen if an EU exit occurred.
“It wasn’t an issue for me how much the flight was,” he said. “If there was a bad result, if there was a big ‘no’ and we left the euro, then I knew that I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I hadn’t come back to Greece to vote.”“It wasn’t an issue for me how much the flight was,” he said. “If there was a bad result, if there was a big ‘no’ and we left the euro, then I knew that I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I hadn’t come back to Greece to vote.”
All returning Greeks the Guardian spoke to intended to vote yes. But the expat vote is not uniform: one group of enterprising democrats have crowdsourced €1,287 to help them fly back and vote “no”.All returning Greeks the Guardian spoke to intended to vote yes. But the expat vote is not uniform: one group of enterprising democrats have crowdsourced €1,287 to help them fly back and vote “no”.
The numbers of returning voters is not known, but, after experiencing heavy demand, Aegean Airlines has announced extra flights connecting London and Brussels with Athens. The airline said sales of flights from German cities had also shot up.The numbers of returning voters is not known, but, after experiencing heavy demand, Aegean Airlines has announced extra flights connecting London and Brussels with Athens. The airline said sales of flights from German cities had also shot up.
Vilma Kaza, a public affairs consultant in Brussels, said the Aegean offer made it much easier for her to come home for “one of the most crucial votes in Greece’s modern history”. A yes voter, she has spent her working life in Belgium, France and the UK. “This might give you an idea why I consider Europe my home,” she said.Vilma Kaza, a public affairs consultant in Brussels, said the Aegean offer made it much easier for her to come home for “one of the most crucial votes in Greece’s modern history”. A yes voter, she has spent her working life in Belgium, France and the UK. “This might give you an idea why I consider Europe my home,” she said.
An art director for a Venice fashion label, who did not want to be named, was returning to Athens for just 24 hours. “It’s very easy for a lot of my American friends or Italian friends to think that returning to the drachma is an interesting scenario, like a socio-political experiment, when they don’t have emotional ties to the result,” she said. One of her friends was coming back from Singapore for the referendum.An art director for a Venice fashion label, who did not want to be named, was returning to Athens for just 24 hours. “It’s very easy for a lot of my American friends or Italian friends to think that returning to the drachma is an interesting scenario, like a socio-political experiment, when they don’t have emotional ties to the result,” she said. One of her friends was coming back from Singapore for the referendum.
For Sophia Drossopoulou, a computing professor at Imperial College in London, this will be just the fourth time she has voted since leaving in 1974. “I have spent the last five and a half years reading the news, and worrying, and the last seven months in agony about each decline,” she said.For Sophia Drossopoulou, a computing professor at Imperial College in London, this will be just the fourth time she has voted since leaving in 1974. “I have spent the last five and a half years reading the news, and worrying, and the last seven months in agony about each decline,” she said.
Speaking to the Guardian from a Swiss transit lounge, one man who did not want his name published said he had taken time off from his job at a wearable tech start-up in New York and paid US$1,500 for flights for a three-day visit to Athens.Speaking to the Guardian from a Swiss transit lounge, one man who did not want his name published said he had taken time off from his job at a wearable tech start-up in New York and paid US$1,500 for flights for a three-day visit to Athens.
Remaining in the US had become unbearable, he said. “You’re isolated, you don’t have many Greeks to share your thoughts with. All you have is text messages and friends on WhatsApp and reading up on newspapers.” He began watching Greek television for the first time since moving abroad, making up for lost time with 25 hours of it in the past week.Remaining in the US had become unbearable, he said. “You’re isolated, you don’t have many Greeks to share your thoughts with. All you have is text messages and friends on WhatsApp and reading up on newspapers.” He began watching Greek television for the first time since moving abroad, making up for lost time with 25 hours of it in the past week.
“I’m actually not someone with very strong political feelings. I’ve skipped several elections in the past. But this time it’s different; it wasn’t about politics. It was about Greece,” he said. Like many Greek expatriates, he believes an EU exit – which he believes could follow a no – would make it impossible for him to return one day and build a decent life. “For me it’s personal.”“I’m actually not someone with very strong political feelings. I’ve skipped several elections in the past. But this time it’s different; it wasn’t about politics. It was about Greece,” he said. Like many Greek expatriates, he believes an EU exit – which he believes could follow a no – would make it impossible for him to return one day and build a decent life. “For me it’s personal.”