To help keep tourists coming this year, the Greek Parliament reduced the so-called V. A. T. (value-added tax) charged to tourists by hotels to 6.5 percent from 11 percent.

In Greece, the value-added tax (a national sales tax) was increased four percentage points; the normal retirement age is also being raised.

If you fall below the new 50% tax rate, apart from a bit more VAT, nothing much has been taken from the likes of us to ease the national crisis.