Artan

[00.07]

-In this neighborhood, can you discern different areas?

- there are many areas. [00.17] Before, there were many old houses, not inhabited. They were occupied by Roma and people coming from Komotini, Xanthi...and... houses were abandoned, in bad condition ...

[00.34] now, slowly, new people are coming in this area... there were small craft industries, they have closed them.. they wanted to throw them out - I do not know...or  it was fobidden...

[00:46]They (the state) were looking for other ideas...or... they have other plans for...

[00:54]- However, there are a lot of clothing shops...

- yes, this area and Peiraeus Street are a center for clothes... some new greek clothing shops have opened, but more so restaurants, cafes and all these galleries and so on...

[01:12]- Can you feel or describe how these galleries influence the area?

[01:21]- different people are coming to the area, people of different status... in my shop, an old  resident may come... he will repair something... there (in the gallery places), you find some other kind of people...

[01:33]- What do you think about the art events taking place here, art exhibitions, etc., do they add or subtract to the neighborhood?

- At night it is full of people... they go out... although it looks like a quiet neighborhood, there are all these young people hanging out...

Christina

[01:57]- So, you are telling us that a financial boom was underway some years before, but it has now stopped. How do you understand this?

- that rents rose, houses were on sale in extremely high prices...

- this was in 2008, before the crisis?

- around 2010. I lived [02:13]opposite from here for 32 years and I used to pay 380 euros, and now he was obliged to reduce it to 330 euros and now maybe less.

[2:21]- what about all these art exhibitions we see happening at empty lots or abandoned houses?

- in old houses; there art happens... Opposite, in this old house, there is an art organization. There were some Turks living in this house for 30 years and they were obliged to move.

Ioulios

[02:37]- How long have you lived here?

- I am here since 1944, the year I was born.

[02:43]- Have people moved away from the neighborhood?

- oh yes, a lot of people, a lot

-where did they come from?

[02:47]- they were Albanians, there are still a few Albanians remaining.. the people from Poland and Rumania have left, many Kurds also...

- were people form Bangladesh living here?

[03:04]- yes, yes, and they still live here, there is an apartment building right here, full of Bangladesh and Pakistan people...

[03:09] you see, new people come here... I get angry... then other things happen.. let’s say, I have the chance and I bought a plot here, and I build it, and I made it a four storey house, but I do not to live in it.  [03:24] And I am annoyed that in the opposite dilapidated building many immigrants have entered and they sleep... [03:31] because, the man says, “look at him, why does he come here to sleep?”... And you, why do you come here? Why don’t you care about him? Why don’t you open the house to enter, at least he will guard your house. Instead, you call the police to throw him out, because he lives opposite to your house.

[03:48]As a shop owner and as a human being, I say, look, who am I? why am I sleeping in my clean sheets and all that, is he not my child? I have such a human approach, you see... And then, I continued it... as for the local people, it was not so good for me. if you are my neighbor, buy something from me,...because, if you walk at the pavement, and you pass in front of my shop, you may fall. Who will give you a hand? Marinopoulos? (greek supermarket chain). Isn’t it like this? Carrefour will give you a hand? I will give you a hand.