Greece suicide attempts are increasing, new figures show

Greece used to have the lowest suicide rate in Europe. But suicides are rising rapidly, coinciding with Greece's poor economy and crushing austerity cuts, according to the Greek Reporter. Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias has now issued a new report on suicide attempts in response to a request from the Coalition of the Radical Left lawmakers. 

The latest figures show that there were 677 suicide attempts in Greece in 2009, 830 in 2010 and 927 in 2011, Press TV reported. Greeks planning suicide now often pick locations near banks, government or tax offices, such as an elderly Greek man in April who shot himself outside parliament. In a suicide note, he said his pensions had been wiped out.  

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Greece is facing a sixth year of recession in 2013, Reuters reported, and the suicide rate is continuing to look worse. In 2012, 690 suicide attempts were recorded by August. One in five of Greeks are out of work, and many citizens continue to blame the austerity cuts imposed by the European Union and the IMF for their financial troubles.