With the presence of 2000 extra police officers on the streets, snipers stationed on rooftops and helicopters circling overhead, downtown Thessaloniki resembles less a city celebrating the opening of a major trade fair than a town under siege.
The arrival of the Greek prime minister Kostas Karamalis in Greece’s second city has triggered massive street protests by those unhappy with his government’s handling of the economy and upset at a seemingly endless stream of financial scandals involving senior ministers.
In a keynote speech at the opening of the trade fair the prime minster tried to put a brave face on what has been a disasterous summer for the New Democracy administration by emphasising the need for reform of Greece’s ailing economy and by promoting public works such as the Thessaloniki underground which he says are proof that the present government has been able to improve the lives of ordinary Greeks.
However, critics have pointed out that despite five years of conservative rule the country, unlike neighbouring Turkey and Bulgaria has failed to attract increased foreign investment and that direct investment is now lower than in countries such as Uzbekistan.
Similarly, all except one of the major public works in Greece’s second city have ground to a halt due to lack of funding from Athens and that the much hyped underground is behind schedule and over budget.
Karamanlis and party officials have been keen to point out that Greece is suffering from the effects of worldwide problems caused by rising oil prices and a global credit crunch. However, many of the ruling New Democracy party’s problems appear to be strictly home made.
Their standing in the opinion polls has fallen dramatically over the 12 months since re-election as scandal after scandal has come to public light, many connected with dubious land deals involving ruling party MPs and ministers. As if to add to the government’s woes last week the party even faced accusations of tampering in a parliamentary vote.
In addition the rises in the cost of basic goods and services, which have long outstripped those in other European countries, stagnant wages and most recently swingeing tax increases for lower income groups have combined to undermine public confidence in the Greek government.
Opposition to government attempts to push through an unpopular political agenda has seen groups as disparate as cleaners and anarchists, police officers and communist trade unionists joined forces on the streets of Thessaloniki. Yesterday. Between ten and twenty thousand protesters marched to express their unhappiness with government policies and the state of the country’s political scene in general.
Whilst the march passed off peacefully, local media sources reported that small anarchist groups attacked shops and a bank afterwards and the police had made 15 arrests.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Alexis Tsipras at the Helexpo demonstration
Monday, September 8, 2008
Saturday's demo in colour
Actually, these events are full of striking images and often remind me of Kurosawa's Ran in that each group is colour coded. The trade unionists wear something orange or yellow, the anarchists with their red and black, the anarcho-ecologist, green and black, the communists decked out with their traditional red flags.
In addition to the more traditional groups the Greens were there to raise public awareness about the problems of carbon footprint created by the use of lignite by the Greece's publicly owned power company, DEH.
Employees from Olympic Airways were protesting against government attempts to sell off Greece's national airline.
The riot police were employed not just to keep protester from approaching the Trade Fair, but also to separate various groups within the march who spent as much time battling each other as they did the authorities.
"Dear Mom,Just arrived in the city and it's very hot, Still, the people are very friendly and the police have been very helpful. I think they are all here to watch a soccer match. Hope everyone back there in Arkansas is doing well.
Yours
Bob
Alexis Tsipras, the chairman of the Synaspismos party.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Greek politician faces one million euro law suit for criticising
In a move that sent shock waves through the Greek political world, Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the left-wing Synaspismos party has been sued for over 1 million euros for defamation by the Marfin Investment Group (MIG) over his criticism of the company's role in the sale of its 2.5 billion euro stake in the Greek state run telecommunication OTE to Deutsche Telekom. In addition the Greek TV channel, Star is being sued for 150 million euros over claims that MIG's funds had come via the Albanian mafia.
Tsipras, who was recently elected the president of Synapismos, has repeatedly called the controversial OTE deal a "fraud" and along with other opposition leaders has tried to block the sell of OTE to the German telecoms giant. In statement posted on the party's website Tsipras called the suit an "unprecedented attempt at penalising political life."
The other major Greek parties have been swift to condemn the action by Marfin. Government spokesman, Evangelos Antonaros, stated that the government disagreed with any attempt to sue any political leader for exercising their right to criticise. In addition PASOK party secretary, Giannis Ragousis, speaking to Alpha Radio said that the legal action was "unthinkable and unprecedented", adding that is was the duty and not just the right of political partys and leaders to engage in criticism and debate on public matters.
Andreas Vgenopoulos, vice-president of the Marfin Investment Group, claimed in a press conference that that the company had been the victim of a slur campaign organised by politicians, trade unionists and elements of the media. The lawsuit, he added, was needed to restore the honour and dignity of the MIG Group's 52,000 employees.
Tags: Greece | Alexis Tsipras | Andreas Vgenopoulos | Deutsche Telekom | Marfin Investment Group | OTE | Politics | Synaspismos | World
