Here’s a little envelope for you!  Nudge-nudge, wink-wink!

Greece is a country facing bankruptcy, and Greek citizens find they can no longer afford the expensive and customary cash-filled “fakelaki” (φακελάκι) or “little envelope” (bribe) paid to public sector workers.

Greece, who is dependent on international aid to remain solvent, has always had rampant corruption that has hampered efforts to raise taxes and reform its poor economy.

The health sector and the tax authorities topped the country’s corruption rankings for 2011 public sector bribes.  While the crisis has not reduced corruption itself, it has reduced the price of corruption that Greeks can afford to pay.

Greeks have suffered steep cuts to pensions and wages as part of austerity measures now in place in Greece.

Greece will need to revamp its tax system and improve its public sector and a long list of other reforms to improve it’s solvency.

The struggle (against corruption) is not easy but a long, difficult and painful process which demands persistent political pressure to it, but as the Greeks are reluctant to comply with the EU imposed austerity measures, so too will they be reluctant to go without the fakelaki.