What austerity looks like in Greece

"Austerity" can take many forms; sometimes, it's a note slipped under the door.

Just ask BBC News reporter Gavin Lee, who tweeted a photo of the letter he received from his hotel in Greece announcing that the sales tax on food and drinks were going up 10 percent -- that day.

Under the 85 billion euro ($93.4 billion) bailout proposal approved by Greek lawmakers on Wednesday, the tax on restaurants meals rose this week from 13 percent to 23 percent. The levy on hotel rooms is doubling to to 13 percent.

The tax hikes are part of a wider package of government spending cuts and other measures that Greece's creditors are demanding in exchange for opening talks on a third round of emergency funding for the country. Greece's gross domestic product has shrunk roughly 25 percent since it began implementing the austerity program in 2010.

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.