24 May 2013

Greek gov’t seeks military camp to serve as prison for state debtors

Gradually, Greece turns into the 21st century version of the dark and gloomy world of Charles Dickens: with households burning wood for heating,  with workers working for nothing, … and to put the icing on the Greek cake, soon also with debtors’ prisons.  What we reported in January, turns into reality: tax prisons! The government seeks a military camp to turn it into a prison for those unable to pay their debts: to tax office or social security funds, for example.

debtors-prison

However, this prison conditions will not be as harsh as in the Marshalsea prison, where Willam Dorrit spent long time. Modern Greek imprisoned debtors, for owing the state more than 5,000 euro  will “live in humane conditions,” as the ministry of Justice told members of the Parliament on Thursday.

“The state is seeking a military camp within the limits of Attica prefecture for the housing of state debtors charged with prison penalties, ” deputy Justice minister Kostas Karagounis told MPS adding that the special prison for debtors will improve their detention conditions that will be more humane.

See Keep Talking Greece