ATHENS—Pressure on the Greek government has intensified as a general strike and mass protests focused on a parliamentary vote for deeper spending cuts to prevent the country from defaulting on its massive debt load...Message: Please give us more of your money.
More than 100,000 Greek workers, students and business owners marched through the streets of the Greek capital Wednesday, gathering in front of the Parliament in protests met by riot police. The protesters were chanting: "Burn. Burn. Burn down the bordello Parliament." ...
The protests marked the first day of a 48-hour strike by civil servants and private-sector workers in opposition to the new cutbacks. It follows weeks of almost daily strikes, demonstrations and sit-ins, as well as a two-week-long protest by municipal workers that has left uncollected garbage festering on the streets of Athens and other cities.
"We have reached the limits of our endurance and, what is worse is that there is no ray of hope," said Stathis Anestis, spokesman for the big Gsee private-sector union. "We want to send a message that these austerity policies have been a catastrophe for Greece."
The video below, from the recent protests, is worth watching. It's the creation of new Greek ruins.
I wonder if they understand that default also means years of depression as no one would lend to them. But then again, maybe not. There is a reason for bankruptcy, it allows a fresh start. Unfortunately, for these Greeks, it would also mean unsustainable socialist/peronist governance, dooming them to third world status.
ReplyDeleteActually, Greece pretty much is a third-world country right now. I don't know when you were there last, but, excepting the luxury digs for tourists, Greece is almost as ramshackle as Bulgaria. And Bulgaria has an excuse.
ReplyDeleteWait. They haven't undergrounded there electrical and phone lines? Hells bells, I'd be rioting, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm just waiting for it to hit that level here.
ReplyDeleteI suspect a short whiff of live ammunition, fired from assault rifles, would solve this sort of problem in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteReal protestors have a message.
Scumbag vandals are only a target. 1 million EUR spent in live ammo prevents 1 billion in damages, at least.