FACTBOX: People's reaction to world financial crisis

Wed Oct 8, 2008 4:45pm EDT
 
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(Reuters) - Following are comments by people in reaction to the global credit crunch and the response by governments and central banks.

CLAUDIA PENNETTA, 29, ACCOUNTANT IN MILAN:

"Capitalism needs to have a long, hard look at itself. These bailouts and part nationalizations are almost communist."

ILIAS STENOFILAX, 49, BANK CLERK IN ATHENS:

"This is a drop in the ocean, it won't achieve anything. I don't believe it will have the effect it is seeking. The only people who will benefit are borrowers."

JOST IVANCIC, 22, STUDENT IN LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA:

"I'm a student, the only way I think I could feel an impact is through it being even more improbable I could get a bank loan to buy a house or a car. I have no money to speak of right now."

MIHALIS THOMAIDIS, 55, SALESMAN IN ATHENS:

"This is the best that could have happened. It will make money move around and help consumers."

PETER TUMMONS, 66, WORKER IN PUBLISHING IN BRITAIN:

"I think they've had plenty of leeway over the years, they've made billions and paid out billions and now when times are tough they should take the tough times and resolve them themselves."

ADAM STEMPINSKI, 38, POLISH CONSTRUCTION WORKER IN ICELAND:

"It's getting more difficult to make ends meet. But I believe the country will pull through. I'm staying here, I'm still better off here than in Poland."

IN BELGIUM, cinema audiences burst out laughing at an advertisement for Fortis, subject of a Benelux government rescue plan last week, which shows a graph and states: "Life is a curve. Where are you on it?"

SVEINN ANDRI SVEINSSON, 45, LAWYER IN ICELAND:

"The situation is rather serious and quite scary and we just have to let these days pass and hope for the best."  Continued...

 

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