Greek summer arrived, temperatures rose and revenues fell. Both in the pockets of private individuals and the pockets of the state. If someone adds the onerous austerity measures with tax hikes and income decreases, the blend seems highly explosive and it ends in several incidents with often grotesque dimensions. What is going on in the country shows that the Greeks are not only on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but that they are deep down inside. The incidents between citizens and public officials or politicians are now on a daily basis: Jeering and booing, hurling yogurt and eggs, accompanied by many expressions in perfect … “French”. Not to forget the various posters in many regional areas, where MPs elected there are featured on leaflets with the words: Wanted.
All this is been interspersed with a series of government decisions that reach a kind of absurdity as the government tries to implement the strict austerity measures with the bat and bring the ‘rebellious’ Greeks back to order. A project that is -frankly speaking – difficult to materialize as the “indignant” citizens grow as quick as mushrooms in a fertile soil. Whether organized by ‘certain political parties’ as the government claims, whether ‘isolated incidents’ the truth is one never stops to wonder about the imagination of the angry citizens.
An angry taxpayer locked the manager of the tax office in his office in Kavala this morning. The 42-year-old entrepreneur owed 3,000 euro to the Tax office and so he could not acquire new invoices. The man managed to block the manager’s door with a piece of heavy furniture. Until the police came in and informed him that he may find a compromise solution for his debt and get new invoices to continue his business.
In the Ministry of Transportation in Athens things got even more complicated. Civil engineers apparently occupied the office of Transport Ministry with the effect that the Minister could not meet any of his appointments. But hey! He had an appointment with taxi drivers who protest the opening of their closed profession. Taxi drivers proved more dynamic than the engineers, and stormed free the Ministers’ office…
Video:
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Meanwhile the attacks of citizens against politicians are growing day by day, there are reports of 100 such incidents in the last days. Last night citizens threw eggs and … peaches at the office of Finance Minister Evangelos Benizelos in Thessaloniki. Target of angry protesters were also the offices of two other government ministers.
Video: Venizelos office, Thessaloniki
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Others had a loud dispute with governing party PASOK-MP Christos Protopapas in a tavern in an Athens suburb.
At the same time, Minister of Justice asked the Mayor of Athens to clear Syntagma Square from the tents of the permanent “Indignant” Greeks camping there. “Protests is one thing, tents another” reportedly Minister Miltiadis Papaioannou told Mayor Giorgos Kaminis adding “I can’t see my country dies, the traders in downtown Athens die”.
6η ημέρα Αγανακτισμένων – Σκηνές by News247
Greek media reported that tax officials have created a movement, kind of “I don’t collect taxes” out of protest for the new system of personnel appreciation.
Click here to see more pictures of amazing sculptures made of watermelons. A have a nice weekend – in Greece or elsewhere.
