More than 4,000 students protested outside the Parliament on Thursday as Greek lawmakers voted for “Athena plan” that will merge or even close down more than 300 university and technical college faculties and departments. The mergers are imposed by Greece’s international lenders, the EU-IMF-ECB Troika, in an effort to cut public expenditure.
Students burned a European union flag – more pictures
Tension broke out when a group of students started to attack police buses serving as street barricades.
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Riot police made limited use of tear gas.
The tension was quickly diffused, the protest continued.
The merger plan bill was accepted with 148 votes by Nea Dimocratia and PASOK MPs (some ex PASOK but now indepentent MPs included).
Against the bill voted 128 lawmakers, also those of Samaras’ coalition junior partner Democratic Left.
