Greeks fight cuts but expect government to win out - Polidicks

[B][URL="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6242Q020100305"](Reuters)[/URL] - Strikes hit schools and hospitals and brought public transport in Athens to a halt on Friday in protests against austerity measures imposed by the Greek government. [/B]Police fired teargas to disperse a group of youths throwing stones at riot police and scuffling with other protestors. Pressured by financial markets and the European Union, Greece announced on Wednesday 4.8 billion euros ($6.5 billion) in new spending cuts and tax hikes to tackle its huge fiscal deficit and 300 billion euro ($408 billion) debt pile. On Friday, the only buses on the streets belonged to the riot police. At the airport, more than 60 flights were canceled as unions called impromptu work stoppages and protesters shouting "never, never, never" marched on parliament. Pagiaslis Giannis, 57, a private sector employee taking part in one of the marches, said the protests were a healthy response and that while people wanted to express their anger they also understood that belt-tightening was necessary. "It's like the slap that a father gives to his child and the child reacts even though he knows he was in the wrong," he said. The protests escalated as an opinion poll showed strong opposition to some measures such as higher VAT and a freeze on public pensions but support for moves to raise tax on alcohol, cigarettes and luxury goods. The survey also showed that 78 percent of people believed there was a high probability that all of the government's measures would be implemented. Ratings agencies and other EU governments have said delivery will be key in determining whether Greece can re-establish its credibility on the world stage and as a borrower. Figures published on Friday showed that foreign investors bought 77 percent of a 5 billion euro bond sold by the Greek government this week with the biggest demand coming from Britain and Germany. Friday's survey did not ask how the crisis was being handled overall but two polls in late February before the latest round of cuts showed most Greeks thought the government was dealing with it effectively. PAPANDREOU SEEKS GERMAN HELP The latest protests took place as Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou traveled to Germany for a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel in the hope of persuading her to back more concrete EU support measures for Greece. Papandreou has said it is time for the European Union to do its bit although Germany again moved to temper his expectations with Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle saying his government "does not intend to give a cent" to Greece. Opposition to cutbacks has so far been relatively muted for a country with a tradition of street protest. Police officials on Friday estimated about 12,000 demonstrators were on the streets, most behaving peacefully. Those polled in the latest survey did not expect the government to get an easy ride, however, with 62 percent predicting social unrest was highly likely in the next year. "Something must be done to avoid bankruptcy but I believe that strikes will continue for months," said Dimitris Thanos, a kiosk employee in the center of Athens. Meanwhile the main public sector union ADEDY brought forward a planned national strike to March 11 from March 16 and its sister private sector union GSEE said it would join them. The two unions represent half Greece's 5-million workforce. [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70938192&w=700&r=2010-03-05T150101Z_01_BTRE62415PV00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70929742&w=700&r=2010-03-05T144022Z_01_BTRE62414RD00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70938193&w=700&r=2010-03-05T150101Z_01_BTRE62415PW00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70938195&w=700&r=2010-03-05T150101Z_01_BTRE62415PX00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70938194&w=700&r=2010-03-05T150101Z_01_BTRE62415PY00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70922049&w=700&r=2010-03-05T142250Z_01_BTRE62413Y600_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70922051&w=700&r=2010-03-05T142250Z_01_BTRE62413Y700_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70929741&w=700&r=2010-03-05T144022Z_01_BTRE62414RE00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70932292&w=700&r=2010-03-05T144441Z_01_BTRE62414YL00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] Greece is about to default, EU was hesitant of bailing it out but ended up doing something about it. There are plenty of revolutionary groups in Greece and everyone is pretty much pissed at the government and at the European Union.

The first EU country falls, the others will follow en-suit until the EU fails like Soviet Russia.

Makes me proud to be 1/4'th greek.

The goverment does things to lower its 300BILION euro deficit and people rebel ?

[QUOTE=radioactive;20572446]The first EU country falls, the others will follow en-suit until the EU fails like Soviet Russia.[/QUOTE] Okay radioactive :downs:

[QUOTE=radioactive;20572446]The first EU country falls, the others will follow en-suit until the EU fails like Soviet Russia.[/QUOTE] Except Germany

Greece can't last a year without a riot. It's a shame, Greece is a very nice country.

[QUOTE=marcin1337;20572613]The goverment does things to lower its 300BILlION euro deficit and people rebel :)[/QUOTE] The debt is the government's fault, and I would protest too if they were cutting funds for social services.

The previous government in Greece, "New Democracy" group, sent the country to hell (and had their own share of riots and protests) and was preparing to make cuts in public spending. PASOK, the current party, was elected specifically to not do this. Of course the people would be angry if this is happening. Particularly in a country like Greece where public sector and spending forms a pivotal part of their economy. This is unfortunately how "loans" work from western nations, and from the IMF and World Bank. In order to get the money, they will typically stipulate that they do these actions, so in a way they pressure a government in to capitulating and accepting their form of an economy in order to be saved. It is good the Greek show their own discontent. If the government will lose their sovereignty like this, the people must stand up for it. And they know what they are doing, rather than acting like the Tea bagger retards the US has.

[QUOTE=Overpowered;20572983]Greece can't last a year without a riot. It's a shame, Greece is a very nice country.[/QUOTE] A very nice country run by morons.

[QUOTE=radioactive;20572446]The first EU country falls, the others will follow en-suit until the EU fails like Soviet Russia.[/QUOTE] Except the EU isn't a country. Let alone a totalitarian dictatorship based on absolute communism.

[img]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70922049&w=700&r=2010-03-05T142250Z_01_BTRE62413Y600_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/img] Did anyone else think that rioter was a play button? I was like "Cool a video, Oh wait, only a spartan."

[QUOTE=marcin1337;20572613]The goverment does things to lower its 300BILION euro deficit and people rebel :)[/QUOTE] Apparently the government officials are to blame and the proposed cutbacks directly affect the people, I'd be pissed.

Great, another country France/Germany/Britain is going to have to pour money into to stabilize.

Anarchists need to be slowly killed, like painfully too.

The totalitarian peoples republic of Greece. Now a question of time.

I hope they don't put water on that, I hear Greece fires are pretty bad. [img]http://jamesedyrn.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/greeceriotsathensdec122008apphotolefterispitarakis.jpg[/img]

[IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70929741&w=700&r=2010-03-05T144022Z_01_BTRE62414RE00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] What the hell is the guy on the left doing?

[QUOTE=Virtanen;20573590]Except the EU isn't a country. Let alone a totalitarian dictatorship based on absolute communism.[/QUOTE] Learn your English good sir. "The first EU country falls" As in: The first country in the EU falls. [editline]09:26PM[/editline] [QUOTE=hypno-toad;20575641][IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70929741&w=700&r=2010-03-05T144022Z_01_BTRE62414RE00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] What the hell is the guy on the left doing?[/QUOTE] He's arresting him.

[QUOTE=Second-gear-of-mgear;20575111]Anarchists need to be slowly killed, like painfully too.[/QUOTE] Anarchists and dissidents aren't the same thing.

[QUOTE=radioactive;20575667]He's arresting him.[/QUOTE] Ah, I guess I was just a bit thrown off because he appears to be lifting the back of his shirt, and leaning back in a suggestive manner. If they weren't in riot gear, and the setting was a dark alleyway, I think most people would think something else was happening. :tinfoil:

[QUOTE=radioactive;20575667] He's arresting him.[/QUOTE] With his erection? [editline]08:43PM[/editline] I thought that only happened INSIDE prison.

[QUOTE=radioactive;20572446]The first EU country falls, the others will follow en-suit until the EU fails like Soviet Russia.[/QUOTE] I can't tell if you're really serious about that thesis... :raise:

My Greek friend said they can get 50 billion from Germany for WWII, and 65 billion if the taxed the 500 biggest company's other there. My question is why they don't

[QUOTE=teeheeV2;20577512]My Greek friend said they can get 50 billion from Germany for WWII, and 65 billion if the taxed the 500 biggest company's other there. My question is why they don't[/QUOTE] apparently, from an interview by a woman in colbert report, EU countries aren't allowed to bail each other out unless it's in extreme desperation

[QUOTE=Gordon Frohm;20577285]I can't tell if you're really serious about that thesis... :raise:[/QUOTE] If Greece leaves the EU, Britain/Sweden/Spain will think "oo, that's a good idea" and follow suit, then some Ex-Iron Curtain countries will do that too, then every other country will leave the EU. Game over. Then Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania will form some kind of Pact, and then America has a few oil arguements with China, then the USA allies with Russia and annexes Canada. China see this as America preparing to attack them, so they lauch the nukes. Every other country thinks the nukes are going for the them and then M.A.D. occurs. However, Madagascar thought: "Oh shit, we have no reason to shut down everything, lets open the ports" and then they all die from Nuclear fallout.

[QUOTE=marcin1337;20572613]The goverment does things to lower its 300BILION euro deficit and people rebel ?[/QUOTE] Yeah, but most of it is because of the government anyway. Plus they're cutting costs to extremely important things that will cripple the country.

[IMG]http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20100305&t=2&i=70938194&w=700&r=2010-03-05T150101Z_01_BTRE62415PY00_RTROPTP_0_GREECE-PROTESTS[/IMG] Incase anyone is wondering that says "We have war" With the little anarchy symbol next to it.

I see the new socialist president is settling in just fine.

Why don't they just drop the Euro?