This Article is From Jul 02, 2015

Greece Referendum: Report from Ground Zero

Free clinics such as these struggle with dwindling medical supplies to cater to those who have been left unemplyoed.

Athens: On a short ride from Syntagma Square to the headquarters of Greece's ruling leftist Syriza party, 22-year-old taxi chauffeur, Nik, said he was sure he it was going to be big 'no' for him in Sunday's referendum. "The only thing I want is to be able to live with dignity," he said.

"There are things that we, the young people want to do but can't, because of the situation. I want to have family but I don't see any reason to bring a child into the world and have nothing to offer to him," Nik added.

Unlike Nik, many have lost their means of living, even their homes. Civil society groups and NGOs are working actively to bring relief by providing free night shelters and clinics for those who have lost their jobs and social security cover.

NDTV visited a free clinic run by Medecins du Monde, where a group of doctors take turns to provide free consultation for a couple of hours every day. "

The clinic was crowded even at lunchtime and a visibly exhausted Dr Bettina Krumbholz told us that until two years ago, they mostly had poor immigrants coming to the centre. "Now more and more Greek people are coming. Very desperate, very poor, (people) who have lost their dignity and who are very depressed." Dr Krumbholz said medicines are already in short supply in Greece and the task of keeping up the morale is getting tougher.

In the buzzing Varvakios market in central Athens, a group of colleagues having lunch in a canteen said for them the important question was not whether it will be "yes" or "no" vote but how Greece will maintain social cohesion in this terrible situation.

Greece has run our of money and is also running out of time. On Tuesday, it failed to meet the deadline for the repayment of a 1.6 billion euro loan from the IMF (International Monetary Fund).

Sunday's referendum will be asking Greek citizens if they accept the proposal made to them by European institutions.

Most are yet to make up their minds about which way they'll vote and many say they aren't even sure what exactly a "yes" or a "no" vote could mean for them.
 
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