The Mother of All Strikes, the 48-hour general strike of public and private sector where even shops are closed has started already. For 48 hours the country will be paralysed. Greece’ capital is getting ready for a ‘battle’ that would possibly take place in the city’s centre due to an expected wave of protest marches. The 48-hour strike in public and private sector started already and strikers are preparing to raise their voices against the odious measures that will further reduce the living standards of citizens and will circumvent decades-old labour rights.
OYΣT = SHOO! More pictures HERE
Already early in the morning police blocked the roads around the Parliament and even set up the iron-plexiglas fence to keep protesters as away as possible from the parliament. Greek police ordered also the closing of two metro stations – Syntagma and Evangelismos-. The Syntagma metro often turns into a riot field, with protesters seeking shelter from tear gas fired at the Square, rioters demolishing ticket machines and riot police firing tear gas inside the metro turning it into a gas chamber. The closure today is understood as a prevention measure however there is criticism that the measure might scare people and prevent them from joining the protests.
The protest marches start between 10.30-11 am in several areas of the city and they will form a big march towards the parliament. Latest information speaks of “thousands flocking to city centre even without th eumbrella of the unions”.
First video:
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According to police estimations 70,000 protesters are in Athens downtown and many still flocking (Skai TV 12:15 pm).
The strikes and protests extend to many major cities across the country.
On political level, the developments are dramatic as the Prime Minister George Papandreou seeks desperately the support of main opposition party , conservative Nea Dimokratia. Last night, Papandreou’s meeting with ND-leader Antonis Samaras ended in absolute failure. This morning Papandreou called Samaras and asked him to accompany him at the eurozone summit on October 23rd. Samaras solemnly rejected the proposal (Skai TV).
Yesterday Papandreou held a ‘dramatic’ speech at the Parliament and asked the support of all members of the society. At the same time, he lashed out against the strikers and the former government. How can you ask the support of the people while you drive them in impoverishment??
Tomorrow, Thursday, the voting of the multi-bill will take palce at the Parliament. There has been apparently some change in the controversial Article 37 that practically cancels ‘national labour bargain’ and gives priority to the ‘private agreements between employees and employers’. The change refers to the duration of this clause, that is up to three years. It is still unclear whether former PASOK minister Louka Katseli, will vote the multi-bill. Every citizen knows that what is ‘temporary measure’ turns into permanent very quickly and without consent. (see emergency property tax, solidarity tax etc). It is more likely that the bill will pass.
Greek media report that the final countdown for the sixth aid tranche started to run and that the troika will dictate additional measures.
Meanwhile, it is most likely that there won’t be a final solution for the Greek debt at the Eurozone summit, should we believe German Finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. And we have no reason, not to believe him.
The hills of garbage in my neighborhood turn slowly but gradually into small smelly mountains…
Should riots break out, I think I will be ‘forced’ to do a live blogging…
PS Can we support the catastrophe of a nation?
I was in Sparti this morning. And for the first time in my memory, and in the memory of the people we met there, every shop was closed, there was no streetmarket and the taxis were not driving. That was strange. An almost scary feeling. Central plateia was filling slowly with demonstrators and nostalgic ‘revolutionairy’ music was sounding out.
Only the Chinese clothing shops and the Lidl, on the outskirts of town were open.
Let’s hope these two days are impressive and no one will get hurt (or die). Think the slogan ‘OYST!’ with the helicopter is a good one. I can stand ‘Verehlendung’, because that’s probably necessary to rebuild this country. But only if the whole class of politicians, all 300 in parliament and all there cronies are gone…
Sparti shops closed? a sign that the PM united everybody against him. also in my area individual shops were closed. Of course, not the Chinese (lack of democratic consience & people’s right) and super market chains – KKE even said, that employees were threatened in case they join the protests.
looks like you can blog your site in german too.
just as a sign of solidarity to the malakies in germania who still translate and post and fight for a greek revolution
I ‘ve thought many times to blog in German too because of all the mal***** in German blogs – solidatiry and wishful destruction thinking deep in their hearts. Unofrtunately I have no time 🙁
KTG, I do appologize, haven’t kept up lately, but one question I can’t seem to get answered from my Greek friends is this.
What exactly do the protestors request the government to do. Are there any written goals or proclamations by any of the protestors or any groups representing them? Protesting is a right, but to me, without providing a solution for the government, it seems like it’s just hot air.
I’m not a intellectual genius by any means, but to me it seems like that if the Greek government does not vote the austerity measures into law, then Greece won’t get the next tranche and as such will hurt Greece more than the austerity measures.
Is this an accurate analysis? And if so, why do the protestors protest the Greek government doing whatever it can to get the next tranche.
the answer is simple: They want the government to resign or cancel agreements with the Troika. You don’t need to write down the a rights/demands proclamation.
Ok, thanks for that. So, to ask you for the next step. If the Troika agreements are cancelled, the tranche is not received, and then Greece has no money to pay pensions etc. What happens then? Won’t that be worse?
I’m just trying to understand the mentality and hope you won’t get offended by me asking these questions.
I’m not offended but I have no time to naswer these questions right now lol
Dear people of Greece,
get the hell back to work, because we rest of hard working people in EU are pretty pissed of that we will have to pay for your incredible high pensions, public service salaries and for your cheating to get to Eurozone.
m
sounds like your from Austria. Go back in history and explain us how fascists are allowed in EU and if ya from Italy the same shit. But, sorry, PEACE Ngraghetta is greek word and sicilia and calabria is greek too. hahaha
occupy everything
greek revolt
KTG, I spoke to my neighbor who is a financial man and he said maybe the Chinese can loan Greece money for cheaper rate than the Troika, so maybe these protests could suggest that?
ask your neighbor, please. It seems you don’t understand that you cannot squizze protesters into a single movement. It’s really difficult to explain to people with no protest-culture how things work. No offense..