The old expression “beware of Greeks bearing gifts” has taken on a new meaning as the recession bites harder in Greece. According to Reuters, Leandros Rakintzis, who has been tasked with exposing bribery and corruption in Greece’s public sector, has recently issued a report on his endeavours noting that the value of traditional “Greek gifts” otherwise known as bribes has fallen dramatically,

Sadly and somewhat Ironically he was quoted as saying “While the crisis has not reduced corruption itself, it has reduced the price of corruption.” Maybe Greece will reach the point where the gifts get so small that they won’t bother with them any more.

This article was first published on 1st August 2012.