Francesco Anselmi

Greek Chronicles

Since 2010, the Hellenic peninsula has been in an austerity regime, imposed by the European Union in agreement with the International Monetary Fund, as a condition for receiving the loans necessary to pay the expenses of the state, now unable to susta in itself independently. Policies, although Greek debt has decreased, have had a devastating effect on many levels, irreversibly changing the country's social and territorial development prospects. In recent years, Greece has also been the subject of an extraordinary exodus of migrants and refugees coming mainly from Syria and from North African countries upset by the various Arab springs.The dramatic socio-economic condition of Greece, associated with the need to relate to phenomena of world, have meant that in the Hellenic peninsula an unprecedented historical situation has been created, capable of showing all the gaps and contradictions brought about by the current concept of the European Union.

Since 2010, the Hellenic peninsula has been in an austerity regime, imposed by the European Union in agreement with the International Monetary Fund, as a condition for receiving the loans necessary to pay the expenses of the state, now unable to susta in itself independently. Policies, although Greek debt has decreased, have had a devastating effect on many levels, irreversibly changing the country’s social and territorial development prospects. In recent years, Greece has also been the subject of an extraordinary exodus of migrants and refugees coming mainly from Syria and from North African countries upset by the various Arab springs.The dramatic socio-economic condition of Greece, associated with the need to relate to phenomena of world, have meant that in the Hellenic peninsula an unprecedented historical situation has been created, capable of showing all the gaps and contradictions brought about by the current concept of the European Union.

The sprawling Greek capital is home to nearly half of the country's crisis-stricken population. Athens, Greece, 2011
Maria and Kostas, both heroin addicts. Kissing in the Omonia square area, Athens, Greece. 2012
A Romanian woman, known as Amalia to drug-abuse outreach workers, died of an apparent blood infection soon after this photo was taken, in an empty lot near Omonia Square. Athens, Greece, 2012
A Xenios Zeus patrol from the anti-immigration division, checking documents in a bar mainly attended by african migrants. Athens, Greece, 2013
Anarchist demonstartors preparing molotov cocktails the night prior to a demonstartion. Athens, Greece, 2015
A Syrian refugee family arriving on the island of Kos from Turkey on a dingy. Kos, Greece, 2015
Perama, some unemployed workers gather at the construction sites every morning with the hope of being hired for a daily job. Athens, Greece, 2016
Demonstrators retreating amid the smoke of teargases shot by Ellenic anti riot police at the site where the Canadian company El Dorado started a low cost goldmining project which is endangering the environment of the entire area. Megali Panagia, Greece, 2015
A church is what remains of the village of Komanos, destroyed by the expanding coal mine of Ptolemaida. Greece, 2014
Afghan refugees during an attempt to cross fences dividing them from the embark area of Patra’s harbour from where they will try to hide on a ship leaving to Italy. Patra, Greece. 2013