Greece has a lot of deep rooted problems. I know a lot about Greece thanks to my Greek friends I've known since childhood.
There's a saying that you get the politicians you deserve (assuming it's a democracy). I agree with that.
Greeks are lovely people, I like Greece and it's culture a lot. But the society, culture and the Greek mentality has it's problems. The curruption is not only among politicians, it's rooted in the Greek mindset itself. Greeks are warm and friendly people, but not always honest and trustworthy, and Greeks have a mistrust towards other people in everyday matters, especially mistrust towards authorities. This goes way back in time of course, first with the Turkish occupation and later by their own right wing militia government in the 60's or whatever. There's been tension between the left and right for a long time.
Greeks have developed this custom of mass protests and labor workers strikes. It's not all for the bad, but overall the society has suffered from it.
The EU has helped the Greek economy tremendously. Greeks ackowledge that themselves, but at the very same time they always have the tendency to blame their problems on the Germans or Americans or whatever.
This is just a small part of what my greek friends have told me over the years.
