Keep Talking Greece

Brother of Deputy Defence Minister Commits Suicide

November 12, 2012 Comments Off on Brother of Deputy Defence Minister Commits Suicide

Ilias Karabelas, brother of deputy Defence Minister Panagiotis Karabelas was found in a blood lake in his summer house in Mani, Peloponnese, on Sunday afternoon. According to Greek media, the man apparently shot himself with a rifle in the yard of his home and thus short before he was to meet …

Greek Public Sector, Municipality Workers Launch Protest Actions, Nov 12-14/2012

November 12, 2012 Comments Off on Greek Public Sector, Municipality Workers Launch Protest Actions, Nov 12-14/2012

Greek public sector union ADEDY will launch a work stoppage after 12 o’ clock noon and a protest rally in downtown Athens, on Tuesday, November 13th 2012 . Civil workers protest austerity bill measure that will send public workers home with 60-70% of their salary with the option of early or scheduled retirement or dismissal. Minister …

Greek Parliament Passes Austerity Budget 2013 – ND Expels One MP

November 12, 2012 3

Greek Parliament passed austerity Budget 2013 with 167 YES, 128 NO and 4 Abstentions. right after the voting, Antonis Samaras expelled MP Soldatos (Lefkada) from the parliamentary group of Nea Dimocratia for having opposed the budget cuts in Labour and Development Ministries. the number of seats for conservative ND dropped to 125. …

Athens: Protest Outside Parliament as MPs Debate Budget 2013

November 11, 2012 Comments Off on Athens: Protest Outside Parliament as MPs Debate Budget 2013

Minor tension occurred on Sunday evening when several protesters pushed down the barricades outside the Greek Parliament chanting slogans against the police. The incident ended with some protesters entering the area directly in front of the Parliament. Video: embedded by Embedded VideoYouTube Direkt While protest groups from trade unions and opposition parties …

“Alex” – the Animated Story to Crush Negative Stereotypes About Greece

November 11, 2012 8

As Greece still struggles with an international image crisis, a group of young Greeks created an animation video for one purpose: “to show the world the untold side of the Greek crisis, and crush the negative stereotypes of our country.” According to creators, the symbolic figure of “Alex” is based on …

Greek Budget 2013 Voting: Not Without Mass Protests

November 11, 2012 Comments Off on Greek Budget 2013 Voting: Not Without Mass Protests

There can’t be a any anti-social bill voting without protests. Private sector union GSEE has called for a protest rally, Sunday afternoon to protest the Budget 2013. A budget that contains sharp cuts and will put the seal to Austerity bill voted last Wednesday. Cuts in wages and pensions, a thin social welfare, …

Man Commits Suicide After Being Deprived of Disability Pension

November 9, 2012 12

“Wife, I won’t come back home. I have nothing to offer. I’m nothing. I love you all. Take care of the children … ” With these words Giorgos Chatzis made a last phone call to his family and bade farewell. Then he moved to put an end to his life. Giorgos …

IMF Warns of Political & Social Limits of Austerity Programs in Greece, Portugal

November 9, 2012 5

The International Monetary Fund has warned that austerity programs in Europe’s most troubled economies could have political limits, as resistance grows in Greece and Portugal over their bailout terms. In a briefing made for the November 4-5 meeting of G20 leading economies in Mexico and released Thursday in Washington, the …

Merkel Outraged about Greeks on Strike; She May Consider to Impose Curfew?

November 8, 2012 13

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stunned 200 parliamentarians and journalists in Europe Parliament when she fiercely opposed Greeks launching strikes and protests. “You have to tell them, ‘It is not right, that every time I go on strike when a privatization is due, it is not right that a railway company is not …

‘Day After’ for Greece’s Coalition Government with PASOK Falling Apart

November 8, 2012 Comments Off on ‘Day After’ for Greece’s Coalition Government with PASOK Falling Apart

With a marginal majority of 153 votes Greece’s coalition government under Prime Minister Antonis Samaras managed to pass the austerity package bill through the Greek Parliament. An austerity bill that is hard if not impossible to be implemented when in combination with the Budget 2013 will send millions of people to …

France Sends Lagarde-List Again, Prosecutor Calls Wives of Ex Greek Ministers

November 8, 2012 3

France will send again the so-called Lagarde-list to Greece after a formal request by the Greek Finance Ministry. A source from French Finance Ministry said on Thursday that in fact Paris has already sent the list to Athens via the administrative way. The moment the list contains information about taxpayers …

Greece Will Levy Ship Owners; Golden Dawn Supported Tax Exemption

November 8, 2012 Comments Off on Greece Will Levy Ship Owners; Golden Dawn Supported Tax Exemption

The additional austerity package adopted by the Greek Parliament on Wednesday includes a provision that will force ship owners, long accused of enjoying lavish fiscal privileges, to pony up at least 140 million euros. The provision initially called for a “voluntary” contribution to the state coffers, but Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras withdrew …