Will UK voters, like the Greeks, be storming Parliament this time next year?
Scuffles between public sector workers and Greek MAT riot police units broke out in Syntagma Square, outside the Greek parliament, on May 5 2010, the BBC World Service reported from Athens.
As hardcore elements wearing motorcycle helmets and gas masks took over the front lines of the demonstration, the riot escalated. Petrol bombs, tear gas, explosions and plumes of thick black smoke were visible around the square as protesters clashed with authorities.
The demonstration, which was peaceful at the beginning, gradually became more heated as protesters attempted to charge up the stairs toward the parliament building itself.
As a general strike started to paralyse Athens, following the austerity measures, German chancellor Angela Merkel said that the future of the euro zone was at stake if a 110 billion euro bail-out rescue package from the European Union and International Monetary Fund for Greece failed to go through.
Not one of the three major parties in tomorrow’s UK General Election has come clean about exactly how they plan to reduce the UK’s own 167 billion budget deficit, but if UK voters really want to know, they can just look at the austerity plan imposed on Greece.
Understandably those affected – ie not the rich but the average Vassili or Eleni – are not happy:
Angry Greeks ‘carrying the can’ for politicians
Like the sting of police tear gas, popular anger hangs heavy in the air as protesters take to the streets of Athens, for the third time in less than a week.
Some Europeans have been surprised by the extent of Greeks’ anger over government cuts in wages, pensions and increases in VAT – all measures needed to get the Greek economy back from the brink of default.
The measures are a condition for the huge bailout agreed by the IMF and EU, amounting to loans to Greece worth 110bn euros (£95bn; $146bn).
Why are Greek people so angry? From the outside, it looks like a spendthrift country getting what it deserves in painful cuts to public spending.
At street level, however, the anger stems from a sense of injustice. Many feel that the average citizen is now paying the price for corruption and government spending that they did not benefit from.
I’m feeling more and more angry every day, because those who got us into this mess are not held responsible
Thrasyvo Paxinos
Teacher
A civil servant in the finance ministry spoke on condition of anonymity. “Greek people are willing to contribute and make sacrifices. The vast majority of people do want to contribute to ease the economic problems of our country,” he said.
“But first of all they want to stop political corruption. So if we see the people responsible for this being brought to justice, we are really willing to pay and make sacrifices.”
“In the past I’ve seen government offices or committees being set up which don’t actually do anything. They are designed only to give important political supporters a wage. In the ministry we’ve highlighted these and said ‘Really, don’t do this! We can’t afford it!’ But no one listens.”
“Also we knew for years in the ministry about the wrong figures being shown to the world about our GDP and our debt. We protested to our seniors but again no one would listen. We are very unhappy about it – taking to the streets is really our only option.”
At least the Greeks have the courage to fight back against a neoliberal austerity plan meant oonly to protect the integrity of the Euro to the benefit of EU founder members like Germany and France.
I’ve a feeling that when Greek-style austerity hits Britain, (and it will – how else are Labour, the Tories or LibDems to fund their spending plans?) all the British will do is moan about it and turn back to Sky Plus for comfort.
(Note: sorry about the on the hoof editing, my preview function is screwed)
