"Greek police, firefighters protest; More rallies planned for today" September 10, 2011|By Costas Kantouris and Nicholas Paphitis, Associated Press
THESSALONIKI, Greece - More than 1,000 police officers and firefighters staged an anti-austerity rally in Greece’s second-largest city yesterday, before major union rallies planned over the weekend against cost-cutting policies that have pushed unemployment to record levels.
The demonstrators, angry at pay cuts, attended the rally in uniform in Thessaloniki, chanting “Don’t push us into poverty.’’
“The government has surrendered all sectors of public life to the country’s creditors,’’ Christos Fotopoulos, head of Greece’s National Police officers’ Association, said. “Everything is being demolished by austerity… . All our hopes of recovery have evaporated.’’
The protest was staged before the officers help provide security at major union rallies planned for today, when Prime Minister George Papandreou will deliver an annual keynote speech on the state of the economy.
More than 5,000 police officers are on duty for around 10 weekend rallies.
Earlier yesterday, about 100 protesting municipal workers heckled Papandreou, as he visited Thessaloniki City Hall....
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"Amid recession, Greece promises to meet savings targets" September 11, 2011|By Costas Kantouris, Associated Press
THESSALONIKI, Greece - Greece will meet ambitious savings targets despite a deepening recession this year, the prime minister said yesterday, to secure the continued flow of international rescue loans that are protecting the debt-crippled country from a catastrophic bankruptcy.
As George Papandreou delivered his annual keynote speech on the economy in Greece’s second-largest city of Thessaloniki, police on the streets outside clashed with violent demonstrators as more than 25,000 people - from taxi-drivers to sports fans - joined a wave of anti-austerity protests.
Who inserted the agent provocateurs?
Two people were arrested and nearly 100 people detained, police said, while at least two demonstrators were injured during the clashes in the northern port city.
“We will push through all the major changes our country has needed for years,’’ Papandreou said in a nationally televised address. “And we will take whatever other decisions are needed, we will do whatever is necessary to keep the country on its feet.’’
And will do whatever the banks tell us.
The government has promised to make up for weeks of inactivity by accelerating overdue reforms meant to cut excess from the bloated public sector. It even broke a major taboo by warning that thousands of civil servants - hired with guarantees of lifetime jobs - could be fired.
Isn't this supposed to be a SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT you guys elected?
Papandreou said his main concern was to keep the country solvent.
In other words, the BANKS are MORE IMPORTANT than YOU, Greek citizen!
“We don’t have the right to abandon this effort halfway through,’’ he said. “Because if it remains half-done, [our] sacrifices will have been in vain.’’
What is he sacrificing?
Papandreou’s Socialist government has imposed painful austerity measures over the past 20 months - cutting pensions and salaries while raising taxes and retirement ages - to secure vital international rescue loans worth $302.6 billion. But its efforts to economize while reviving a fast-contracting economy amid record unemployment have faltered, sparking new market distress.
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Related:
A woman begged in the street yesterday in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. Greeces difficulty in fending off a default has investors scrutinizing French banks that hold Greeces debt. (Dimitri Messinis/Associated Press)
Is that a baby in her lap?
Also see:
Gaza Shows Greek Government Works For Israel
Israel turns tables on Turkey
Using Greece as its tool.
Maybe the second-largest defense budget in Europe could be cut rather than civil servants pay and pensions, 'eh?
