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Downey's Greek community anxiously awaits referendum in Greece
Downey resident Helen Kotinopoulus, 79, immigrated to the U.S. from Greece in 1958. Now she worries about her cousins who can't afford to leave due to economic instability.
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Christian Brown
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Downey's Greek community anxiously awaits referendum in Greece
The country of Greece is preparing to vote on a referendum this Sunday about whether to accept harsh new measures to stabilize its economy. Meanwhile, Greek Americans in Downey are fearing the worst for loved ones overseas.
“I was born there in Greece," said Helen Kotinopoulus, 79. "I came to Chicago in 1958. In 1961 we came to California.”
Kotinopoulus talks to her family in Greece weekly and worries the debt crisis will force them onto the streets.
"Hopefully, something happens tomorrow or a few days from now," said Kotinopoulus, who offered this advice to the Greek government. "Open the banks so people can get some money to live on it because they don’t have nothing to eat some days."
Julie Spathopoulos is a 15-year Downey resident and a career instructor at Downey Adult School. She says following the news abroad has been disheartening.
"There's not much that the Greeks can do at this time," she said. "And having Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras throw it back into this country's hands, saying 'okay, which platter of crap would you like?' This is really splitting up families and the views of the old versus the newer generation."
Spathopoulos is confident the Greek people will eventually come together and make the right choice.
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Anyone who knows Greek Americans knows they’re extremely proud of their heritage. George Ntzouras may be the biggest cheerleader of all.
“Ancient Greece has given the world so much – music, medicine, drama, philosophy, science,” he said. "The world should do all it can to help Greece right now."
Ntzouras is a second generation Greek American who is hoping for a solution to the debt crisis that preserves this cradle of civilization.
Greek Americans in Downey are divided on whether Greece should remain in the European Union, but everyone agrees this crisis will never tarnish their love of country.
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