Thousands gather to oppose Greek austerity
Source: Agencies |
November 18, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THOUSANDS of Greeks, bitterly opposed to further austerity measures, rallied in Athens yesterday in the first public test for a new national unity government charged with imposing painful tax rises and spending cuts to avert bankruptcy.
The annual rally, which commemorates a student uprising in 1973, often becomes a focal point for groups protesting against government policies. Unions have said they planned to use the day to warn the new government to reverse policies they say have sent Greece into a "death spiral."
Students, teachers, workers and pensioners laid wreaths at the city's Polytechnic school to honour dozens killed in the 1973 uprising against the military junta that ruled at that time. Leftists, anti-establishment protesters and members of the "I don't pay" movement were later expected to rally outside parliament.
Technocrat Prime Minister Lucas Papademos's three-party coalition won a parliamentary vote of confidence late on Wednesday but the leader of the conservative faction signalled he was already preparing for an election slated for February 19.
Three in four Greeks back Papademos, a former vice president of the European Central Bank, but he faces the arduous task of keeping parties behind the reforms required under a 130 billion euro (US$176 billion) bailout.
"Greek people, and above all the young, can overcome the crisis and achieve national targets if they are united and act decisively," Papademos said.
The size and mood of yesterday's rally, the first big protest in almost a month, showed the level of anger over the austerity measures sought by Greece's creditors, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
A march was scheduled to pass the US embassy, which protesters hold responsible for supporting the military dictatorship.
The annual rally, which commemorates a student uprising in 1973, often becomes a focal point for groups protesting against government policies. Unions have said they planned to use the day to warn the new government to reverse policies they say have sent Greece into a "death spiral."
Students, teachers, workers and pensioners laid wreaths at the city's Polytechnic school to honour dozens killed in the 1973 uprising against the military junta that ruled at that time. Leftists, anti-establishment protesters and members of the "I don't pay" movement were later expected to rally outside parliament.
Technocrat Prime Minister Lucas Papademos's three-party coalition won a parliamentary vote of confidence late on Wednesday but the leader of the conservative faction signalled he was already preparing for an election slated for February 19.
Three in four Greeks back Papademos, a former vice president of the European Central Bank, but he faces the arduous task of keeping parties behind the reforms required under a 130 billion euro (US$176 billion) bailout.
"Greek people, and above all the young, can overcome the crisis and achieve national targets if they are united and act decisively," Papademos said.
The size and mood of yesterday's rally, the first big protest in almost a month, showed the level of anger over the austerity measures sought by Greece's creditors, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
A march was scheduled to pass the US embassy, which protesters hold responsible for supporting the military dictatorship.
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