国际英语新闻：Poll shows eight out of ten Greeks pessimistic about future of economy

ATHENS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Eight out of ten Greek citizens appear pessimistic about the future of the Greek national economy and the country, according to an opinion poll published on the Greek "Real News" newspaper on Saturday.

As Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou delivered on Saturday evening at Thessaloniki International Fair a keynote address on his government's economic policies for the short-term future to face an acute debt crisis, a string of opinion polls were released by the Greek media.

Some 81.4 percent of Greeks are pessimistic about the coming months and years, said a survey conducted by the MRB firm, up from 76 percent recorded one week ago.

Despite disappointment over the socialist government's policies, the majority of Greeks would still vote for Papandreou's PASOK party, showed another poll published by the daily newspaper "To Vima."

The ruling party would win 29.1 percent of the votes while the main opposition center-right New Democracy (ND) party would get 21. 3 percent, if general elections were held now, a poll conducted by the "Kappa Research" firm showed.

According to "Public Issue" pollsters who conducted a survey for the "Kathimerini" daily, 60 percent of respondents believe that none of the two major political parties can solve the country 's problems.

According to this poll, PASOK has a strong lead of 44 percent of votes over ND, which garners 27 percent. The Greek Communist Party gets 10.5 percent, the far-right Popular Orthodox Party 5.5 percent and the left SYRIZA coalition 4 percent.

The most important finding though is considered to be the high percentage (33 percent) of Greeks who warn that they will not participate in the next general elections as a display of their disappointment with all political parties.