Many people in Greece are watching events in Brussels where European financial leaders held talks about the country's debt crisis, recapitalising banks and bolstering the continent's bailout fund.

Unemployment in Greece, now at almost 17 per cent, has been one of the toughest consequences of the country's crisis.

EU leaders have agreed to another $11bn installment for the cash-strapped country, but only after the Greek parliament agreed to a package of new public sector cuts.

Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons travelled to Chalkida, a city that used to thrive off the Greek industrial heartland.