they're poor because:
- they're lazy
those hardworking have already left the country or there are so few that it doesn't matter, rest of the population got basically used to getting money for free and getting paid even for being on vacation. they also think that being at work and drinking frappe and playing bejeweled = working.
- they're stupid
they are so stupid, they vote for extreme left party that joins with extreme right party, both gazing towards russia and communism, while current russia is nothing else but dictatorship combined with kleptocracy and they think its totally ok and applaud themselves for it. if you promise them golden elephant into every family during elections, there is a good chance you will become at least thessaloniki mayor when elections are over
- their country is a mess
they have no system in anything, you can go there on vacation and your employer doesn't even know when you come back. timetables are mess, in 21st century they don't even have real land registry, for anything you have to know somebody that knows somebody that knows how to do something etc.
- they cheat whenever they can
taxes being only the tip of the iceberg
- you can have almost anything for free
there are reduced prices or fees for big majority of population for almost anything. traffic, canteen, accomodation... you name it. for example for students there is no incentive to finish school quickly. you can be 35, study your 5th university and have absolutely everything at school for free including food and accomodation
- they are totally unreliable
in everything, their word stands in vast majority of cases for nothing more than dog's poop. if you do anything that matters, needs exact dates, its better to count the greeks out
- half of the country is owned by a few oligarchs
aka in ukraine or in russia, these people just don't redistribute enough of their wealth back to the population - and i am not even surprised they don't
- they think so high of themselves
whenever you point out there is something rotten in their country, they just tell you they invented matematikó, logikó, philosophicó and democraticó while they blame others for their misery
- their schools are a joke
to finish their "elite" technical university all you need is half of your brain and a left hand, still you will do better than most of the greeks