Auckland Greeks react to 'no' outcome

The Greek community of Auckland held a gathering at the Orthodox Parish of Auckland in Western Springs yesterday. Photo / Jason Dorday.

Members of Auckland's Greek community have expressed relief at the referendum's outcome.

Christos Montes, former member of Auckland's Greek Community board, said he was both proud and relieved upon hearing the result of his country's vote.

"I would say I feel more proud that the Greeks have actually challenged the system ... the no vote seems the most logical vote for the whole economic situation in Greece so I'm obviously quite pleased because it looks like Greece's democracy has actually prevailed and is kind of leading a historic moment for the whole Europe."

Mr Montes, who has lived in New Zealand with his wife, Georgia and three children for five years, said it seemed that no one actually knew what would now happen however it was expected that the Greek government would now negotiate to stay in the Euro zone.

Greeks were very proud people, he said, who would want to work their way out of debt.

"A yes vote was seen by very many people as an enslavery vote and Greek are very proud people and they prefer to suffer the consequences of the no vote.

"They are very happy right now, they know that there are going to be hard times to come but they are kind of more united and proud now and just ready to face whatever comes."

Mr Montes said his parents, Lyn and Theodoros, former King Country farmers now living back in Greece, were pensioners but were prepared to work and had land to produce their own vegetables to eat.

"They're very staunch about the whole situation and say whatever is coming is coming ... this no vote is at least something that will empower the government to get outside and say to the creditors that this debt is unsustainable, we do not have the means to pay it back we need to restructure and treat it in a different way."

As for what happens now, he said the government's finance minister had indicated it would pay back the debt, it was just a matter of when."

"At this point it is not possible to pay back this debt, it is just not possible you can't ask someone who doesn't have the money to pay back the money, it will just drive them more into the drive, so we need to just pause it, put on hold and make sure that we first grow as an economy, let us breath and then we gradually start paying it back."

Auckland Hellenic Community president Costa Kritos told the Herald this morning he thought the referendum was a waste of time.

"I don't think anything will change actually, that's only politics. I mean they borrowed the money they will have to pay it back."

However, the 82-year-old, who would have voted 'No' in the referendum, would now like to see the European Union take a deep breath and be a bit more flexible about getting the money returned.

It would be a long, hard road to recovery and the country needed time to get back on its feet, he said.

"Because one austerity on top of another doesn't help much. There's people suffering because there's no money coming in and a lot of unemployment can't be too good for the country, for the people."

- Additional reporting: NZME. News Service