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SchNEWS: Crash of the Titans

SchNEWS 720 | 02.05.2010 15:09 | Analysis | Culture | Globalisation | Public sector cuts | Repression | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | South Coast | World

AS PROPOSED IMF SOLUTION SPARKS RESISTANCE...

Greece is further troubled as government officials get ready to announce IMF imposed wage cuts that will resonate across the country’s entire public sector. Emergency demonstrations were held across the country (Thursday 29th April) in protest against the cuts by grass-roots trade unions, leftist and anarchist organisations.

On the Newsire: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

In SchNEWS: 720 | 711 | 662 | 659

Links: IMF on Greece | Greek Indymedia



Demonstrators took to the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki, banging drums and chanting slogans such as “no sacrifice for plutocracy”, and “real jobs, higher pay”. They were joined by uniformed police, coast guard and fire service officer (who were on strike). “The fight must be constant until the stability pact - these unpopular measures passed by the government - is overturned,” said demonstrator Olga Raptou. An unofficial police estimate put the Athens crowd at about 20,000; organisers said the actual number was much higher. Petite scale riot occurred in Exarcheia, Athens’ anarchist hub, between police and protesters where cops cleared the scene with tear gas. There were clashes across most of the capital’s neighbourhoods as reported in Greek Indymedia.

There has been no end to incensed incidents since the general strikes began this year. Wednesday saw solidarity actions for Giannis Dimitrakis, an anarchist that was arrested and heavily wounded by police fire after a robbery at a branch of the National Bank more than 4 years ago. There was an 1000 strong demonstration in Athens with 100’s of cops also in attendance.

Many other cities also participated. Three radio stations were occupied by protesters on the day. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a protest took place outside the Greek Embassy where 50 activists attacked the building with Molotovs. Five were arrested. On the 14th April, during the evening news, 70 anarchists occupied the TV station ‘Creta TV’ in Heraclion, Crete; where they were left to broadcast unhindered (watch video here). Six anarchists were arrested suspected of being members of Revolutionary Struggle, a terrorist group accused of a rocket strike against the U.S. Embassy and the shooting of a riot policeman on April 11th.

The IMF is set to pour further fuel on the fire by demanding that the government steps up the unpopular policies to rein in a public sector deficit of 13.6% and €300bn debt over the next three years. Greece’s debt has come home to haunt the big powers within the EU. The crisis in Greece risks undermining the euro and spreading to the rest of Europe. This situation is posing a huge dilemma for the major financial institutions, in particular for the European Central Bank and all the major capitalist powers within the EU. If they allowed the “market to let rip” and let Greece default that would be the beginning of the end for the euro.

The fact is that the Greek crisis is part of the overall global crisis and because of that should it go into a downward spin there could be no end in sight and this could spread to the rest of Europe and have a major impact on the world economy. Among the measures under consideration is an increase of VAT from 21% to 25%, a further 10% increase in levies on fuel, alcohol and cigarettes and a cut in bonuses. This is the toughest austerity programme the country has seen since the second world war – a mix of wage cuts and tax hikes – the income of the average Greek is down nearly 20%, with low- and middle-income earners especially hard-hit. The inequity of the measures has created a hostile climate as crime has also risen and the mood in city centres has become increasingly edgy.

There is another 24hour general strike planned on May the 5th, watch this space..

Also in SchNEWS 720: MAYDAY MAYDAY The four horseman of the Apocalypse gear up for another march on London | MELTDOWN BRITAIN: DEBTS ALL FOLKS... Coming soon to Broken Britain - IMF austerity meltdown | OFF THE RAILS Climate change activist shut down a train line shunting coal between an open cast mine and a p;ower station in South Wales | DEPORTATION UPDATE Iranian activist Bita Ghaedi faces deportation. Also, migrant involved in Oakington protest set for removal | OBTUSE ANGLES Nationalists and Anti-Fascists in a rather peculiar St George's day stand off | CHINESE BURN Chinese protesters torch a construction site in protest at the demolition of their homes | RADIOACTIVE WASTERS Weekend of action marks the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster | SCHNEWS IN BRIEF RIP Steve T, an old SchNEWS stalwart passes away |

SchNEWS 720

Comments

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MP and ex president of parliament Kaklamanis, locked in the WC ..

04.05.2010 08:35

 http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/wc.html

MP and ex president of parliament Kaklamanis (socialist Pasok party) , locked in the WC ..of a coffe shop in Athens .. as people recognise him and start shout him .. throughing plastik botles and water to him

He stays Locked for 45 minutes in the coffe WC with the people outside laughing at him

Two squads or RIOT police come alone to Free him ..
See.. MP Kaklamanis during his heroic exodus .. from the WC..
 http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/wc.html

gar
- Homepage: http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/wc.html


Teachers union occupy the National Broadcast TV - NET

04.05.2010 08:39

Teachers union occupy the National Broadcast TV - NET , during speach of the education minister Mrs Diamandopoulou >>  http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/teachers-union-occupy-national.html

gr
- Homepage: http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/teachers-union-occupy-national.html


Prime Minister Papandreou . just after the announcement of th IMF measures

04.05.2010 08:57

Papandreou on the move..
Papandreou on the move..

Prime Minister Papandreou . just after the announcement of th IMF measures...

we just love him..

gr


The article 28 of the constitution .. and the Greek bailout

05.05.2010 04:42

The Parliamentary Group of the Greek Communist Party (KKE) raised the issue of Article 28 paragraph 2 of the Greek Constitution that describes that >> "is required a qualified majority of three fifths (ie at least 180 MPs) to ratify for the transfer of sovereign powers and property of the Greek state to third parties" . As per Article 28 , the Greek Constitution requires increased parliamentary majority of three / fifths (ie 180 positive votes) to vote the bill to ratify the new austerity measures. In case this procedure is not followed, and if this case in later stage goes to the Constitutional Court , the money given to Greece as bailout are not secured .. as the agreement maybe declared not valid by the court. and the money never payed back..

gr
- Homepage: http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/28-180.html


Modern Ideas

05.05.2010 05:25


..

gr


Teachers force their way into national TV

05.05.2010 10:19

Last night at 9:45pm a crowd of 40-50 teachers fought their way through lines of riot police INSIDE the Greek national TV station "NET" and unfurled banners on the 10 o'clock news reading "hands of our schools". They protested the proposed sackings of 10s of thousands of teachers nationwide, school funding cuts, pension cuts and VAT rises (it is now 23%). They called the Greek people to rise up to stop the new attacks and austerity measures imposed by the government following its acceptance of loans from the EU and the IMF.

You can see the video here:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI4TkSM3TR4&feature=player_embedded

BACKGROUND

Following the ousting of the post-dictatorship New Democracy leader Konstantinos Karamanlis (uncle of the former ND leader Kostas Karamanlis), Greek public debt rose from 25% in 1981 to 75% in 1989 when the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), the Greek Labour Party led by Andreas Papandreu (father of the current PM Georgios Papandreu) took Greece into the EU. In November 1988, a shortfall of US$132 million was discovered in the Bank of Crete some months after its chairman George Koskotas, a Greek-American millionaire entrepreneur under investigation for large-scale financial crime, had fled the country.

The debt continued to rise from 1989 to 1992 and passed the 110% mark in 1992 under the New Democracy (Nea Dimokratia) government of Mitsotakis recovering slightly to just under 100% between 1993 and 2004 under the reelected PASOK government. In 2004, with the election of the New Democracy goverment led by Kostas Karamanlis and the year of the Athens Olympic games, the debt spiralled out of control reaching 120% this year when Georgios Papandreu came into power. On the back of a wave of massive scandals including Siemens, backhanders to the Orthodox church, and the siphoning off of public funds and the police murder of 15 year old anarchist, Alexis Grigoropoulos last December that provoked a month of riots.

Greece is in turmoil with 3 general strikes already haven taken place in 2010. Protesters are called for the ousting of the IMF, imprisonment of corrupt officials, and the return of stolen public funds.

All public transport and state TV stations have halted operation and the centre of Athens is a flood with protesters.

Athens_Voice


Fotos of the demo in Athens 5/5/ 10

06.05.2010 03:59

gr
- Homepage: http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/athens-syndagma-sqr.html


MARFIN Bank , 3 burned ..

06.05.2010 04:01

outside the just burned Marfin bank of Mr Vgenopoulos. Three employees burned alive , after the bank was set to fire with Molotov . Earlier today the employess had to work although a day of general strike, and although the obvious risks, as the bank was on the main route of the Demo with extensive window glasses in the ground floor and no usable fire exit. For many the workers in the bank were used as human shields for the building. When the demo reached the bank they closed the light s and went hiding to the 1st floor. The bank was like empty ,,, With no fire exit the building was a death trap and there was no law that was no broken, regarding the building fire protection
video >>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RP6E-mUEP0&feature=player_embedded

gr
- Homepage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RP6E-mUEP0&feature=player_embedded


A letter from an employee of the burnt bank

06.05.2010 14:33

Kokalas


accused paramilitary groups and undercover agents that had infiltrated the demo

09.05.2010 15:27


The official news paper "Rizospastis" of the Communist party of Greece ( KKE) has accused paramilitary groups and undercover agents that had infiltrated the demonstration and with premeditated murderous attacks in 2-3 distinctive incidents ( a Super market with customers inside - "Ianos" bookshop where pured gasoline to an employee and finally the tragic Marfin bank employees ) . The purpose of these attacks as per the official statement in the Parliament of the Communist party was to demoralize the growing workers and youth movement against the IMF measures. (Fotos of provos , side by side with the Police and the butom of this post) KKE accuses minister Hrysihoidis that paramilitaries in plane cloths came down from aPolice bus .. near the insidents
 http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/n.html

gar
- Homepage: http://garizo.blogspot.com/2010/05/n.html


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