Greek-Australian Businessman Helps Greek Pensioner in Need

A photograph picturing an elderly Greek man crying because he was not able to withdraw his pension after the imposition of capital controls has made news headlines last week, showing the world the situation that exists in the country. The photograph reached a Greek-Australia businessman who decided to act in order to help the elderly man.

Greek pensioner Giorgos Chatzifotiadis collapsed outside a bank in Thessaloniki, northern Greece. He had waited for hours to receive 120 euros from his account, the weekly limit set after the capital controls were imposed, but in the end he was turned away.

Greek-Australian James Koufos, CEO of a Sydney-based financial services company, was moved by the old man’s situation and decided to help him when he found out he was an old family friend. Koufos’ late father had gone to school with Chatzifotiadis when they used to live in the same village in Greece.

“I urge all my Facebook friends to please help us track this man”, Koufos wrote on his Facebook page and promised to pay for Chatzifotiadis’ pension for as long as it takes.

In an interview to The Daily Mail, the Greek-Australian businessman stated that he was able to track down his father’s old friend and is preparing for a trip to Greece in order to help him. “It’s an amazing and rare chance to really help someone,” he said.