(ANSA) - TRIESTE - Out of 120 million EU citizens who are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, many are living in the New Europe, according to some data released by Eurostat. ''In 2013, more than a third of the population'', according to the EU Statistical Office, ''was at risk of poverty '' in five EU member countries: Bulgaria (48%), followed by Romania (40.4%), Greece (35.7%), Latvia (35.1%) and Hungary (33.5%). Not only shadows, but also a light: the Czech Republic, which was the EU member country that recorded the lowest percentage (14.6%) of people at risk of poverty, followed by the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden.

Eurostat also reported that between 2008 and 2013 the number of the population at risk of poverty/social exclusion has increased in most EU states, with some exceptions. Among these are Finland, France and Poland, where the rate dropped from 30.5% in 2008 to 25.8% in 2013, Romania (from 44.2% to 40.4%), Austria (from 20.6% to 18.8%), Slovakia (from 20.6% to 19.8%), the Czech Republic (from 15.3% to 14.6%). As for the ''severely poor people'' (those who are unable to pay bills or heat their home), the worst performances were recorded in Bulgaria (43%), Romania (28.5%), Hungary (26.8%). At the EU level, the percentage was 9.6% in 2013 (9.9% in 2012), recording an increase compared to 2008 (8.5%). In 2013, Eurostat has underlined, 122.6 million of EU citizens (24.5%) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, that is a slight decrease compared with 2012 (24.8%), but an increase compared with 2008 (23.8%). (ANSA).