What’s Up in Greece on Sept 30? tagged: , , , , ,

What’s Up in Greece on Sept 30?

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Very Mix

Protests in downtown Athens are up in Greece today, as health care personnel, municipality workers, students and teacher will gather after 11 pm to express their opposition for wages cuts, ‘labour reserve’ shortage sin schools and education reforms. Retired army officers will also protest outside the Ministry of Defense against pension cuts. There are also several protests in Thessaloniki or Athens suburbs, where citizens burn the tax bills asking the ‘solidarity contribution’.

Health care personnel (nurses) in state hospitals have a 24-hour strike. The personnel of “Aid at Home“, social programme for needy, too. They haven’t be paid for quite some time…

Prime Minister George Papandreou will meet French president Nicholas Sarkozy in the afternoon in Paris. On the agenta will be the Greek debt-crisis and the situation of the Greek economy. Earlier on Friday, Papandreou will meet with Herman van Rompuy, president of the European Council.

The meeting between Finance Minister E. Venizelos and the Troikaon Thursday was ‘positive and constructive’ said a relevant statement. As civil servants had blocked the ministry entrance, the  meeting had to take place… somewhere else. The protesters spent the night outside the ministry and are expected to continue their operation “Block the Troika”. This morning protesters hiindered the Troika guys to enter the Ministry of Transport.

IMPORTANT FOR EMERGENCY PROPERTY TAX

“e-Greece” is expanding to jobless and disabled… Those social groups exempted from the emergency property tax or those to pay reduced prices will have to send SMS to the Ministry and declare they belong to these groups. You have to send SMS to Mobile number <54160>  The SMS must include: the letters ETA- space- private Taxation number- number of  supply on DEH electricity bill (it is the second number next to the number of electricity counter, it reads ΑΡΙΘΜΟΣ ΠΑΡΟΧΗΣ and is a 12-digit number).

The SMS must be sent until Sunday, October 2nd 2011. If you miss this deadline, you will have to pay the first installment of tax, but then have the possibility to correct it until November 30th, 2011. The cost of SMS is €0.11.

The Ministry of Health announced major cuts in health care even for chronic ills like those suffering from kidney disease. It looks as patients will have to grab deep in their pockets to cope with their daily needs. Child labour allowance will be cut at 50%.

According to new payroll for civil servants the highest wage will be €2,200, the lowest €780. With the benefits for ‘responsible position’ and ‘productivity’ the highest monthly wage can go up to 2,700 euro. It is estimated that high rank civil servants will lose €1,500 per month. The lowest wage for those with essential education is still higher than in the private sector. In free market people get hired with 400-500 euro, often without insurance. HA!

Touched by the plight of deputy prime minister  Theodoros Pangalos who claimed he can’t pay the emergency property tax for his 58 properties, the residents of Rhodes have launched a donation-campaign. LOL

The good news of the day: no public transport and taxi strike :)

PS KTG has to rush to fix some issues, so more news will come after 12 o’clock.