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Refugees Are Causing A Mini Economic Miracle In Greece

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Jacob Bojesson Foreign Correspondent
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Greeks are taking advantage of the huge influx of Syrian refugees to get business booming in the midst of a broken economy.

Greece has been the gateway to the European Union for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees arriving over the past few months. Fighting for their lives, the refugees have little regard for the price tags and are willing to pay what it takes to get their lives going in Europe.

While the public sector is suffering from not being able to provide shelter and health care due to the huge demand, the private sector is prospering according to International Business Times.

Phone companies such as Vodafone are making a fortune on the increased demand by offering European SIM cards that are valid across Europe.

Business is up 20 percent for restaurants on the island of Lesbos, and most are willing to lose complaining regulars to make more money.

“This is just the start. It’s not going to stop. Either they’re going to kick us out or we’ll kick them out. Either the refugees stay here, or we do,” a local said of the refugees flocking their island, according to IBT.

Others decide to use a more unethical approach and over-charge the refugees. A taxi ride that normally costs €40 can go for as much as €250, and a pack of biscuits that a local pays €1.6 for costs a refugee €4. (RELATED: Refugees Get A Not-So-Warm Welcome In This Slovak Village)

A downside for the Greeks is that less tourists have decided to vacation on the tropical islands since the start of the crisis.

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Tags : greece syria
Jacob Bojesson