Head of Greek Church Says Austerity Is Deadly; Warns PM Greece Is on Verge of "Social Explosion"

The Orthodox Church Info blog reports today (February 4, 2012) that Archbishop Ieronymos -- the head of the Orthodox Church of Greece -- has taken the rare step of writing to Prime Minister Lucas Papademos to express serious concerns about the effectiveness of the government's fiscal policy and the effect it is having on Greek people.

In his letter, Ieronymos raises doubts on whether Greece should agree to further austerity measures to receive its next bailout by the European Union, suggesting that they are "large doses of medicine that is proving deadly."

Ieronymos also expresses concern about the impact of the economic crisis -- including a rise in suicides, homelessness, and unemployment -- and the desperate state in which an increasing number of Greeks find themselves.

He warned the prime minister that this was creating a dangerous situation in Greece, and that the possibility of a "social explosion" cannot be ignored.