Greek communist party (KKE) rally in Thessaloniki

Greek communist party (KKE) rally in Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

The leader of the Greek communist party (KKE), Aleka Papariga was in town today to rally the faithful. It seems more and more obvious that Greece is about to enter a pre - election period. The present conservative government's slim one seat majority in parliament was reduced still further when one of the ruling New Democracy's MPs, former Aegean Minister Aristotelis Pavlidis became the subject of a parliamentary enquiry over allegations that he demanded kickbacks for handing out subsidies to ferry companies operating to the Greek islands.

It seems more and more likely that as well as Euro - elections the country will go to the polls in the near future to elect a new government.

Greek government fights for its political life

Latest opinion poll results show that nearly half of Greek voters believe that neither of the country’s two major political parties is capable of governing. The ruling right - wing New Democracy was given an approval rating of just 16% whilst the opposition centre left PASOK party polled just 17%.

The results underline the massive lack of trust in the present political system which has been exacerbated by the recent economic downturn, a series of high profile corruption scandals and the wave of violent confontations which swept Greece In December and January.

This week doctors and other health care officials took industrial action for 48 hours in order to protest the chronic staff and equipment shortages that have plagued the public health care system for years.

A senior doctor at a hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second city, speaking on condition of anonymity said that his department had just a third of the nurses required. In addition lack of staff means that Greek hospitals are regularly demanding doctors work more than the European Union mandated limit of 48 hours a week.

There have also been complaints over shortages of basic supplies such as bandages and medicine in many hospitals caused by cuts in funding by the Ministry of Health and massive delays in paying medical suppliers for previous orders.

The death of a 58 year old man this week in a ambulance taking him to hospital in Thessaloniki sparked off a political row when it came out that the man died as paramedics were unable to revive him following a heart attack as their resuscitator was missing parts. Although a coroner's report said that the death was unrelated to the heart attack, doctors who treated the man are adamant he could have been saved if the ambulance's equipment had been in working order.

The strike action is just one of a series of protests which has seen the government pitched against students, farmers, cleaners and even police officers.


Whilst the riots and street clashes that were sparked off by the killing of a teenager in December have faded from the world’s TV screens violent confrontations have continued albeit on a smaller scale.

Last week Thessaloniki saw riots in which 500 - 1000 demonstrators attacked the city’s central police station and take part in running street battles for hours. In addition there were 17 arson attacks on Friday by a revolutionary organisation calling itself the Conspiracy of the Cores of Fire.

Even more violent have been the armed attacks on police stations in Athens which left one police officer seriously injured after being shot while standing guard outside the Ministry of Culture signalling a rekindling of terrorism in the country.

Political and economic woes have added to calls for national elections by many unhappy with the government’s handling of a wide range of everyday issues such as employment, education and law enforcement.

Currently, Prime minister Kostas Karamanlis has just a slim one seat majority in parliament and is facing a series of clashes within his own cabinet as ministers manouever to position themselves for the possibility of national elections and a subsequent leadership battle.

Greek government walks out of parliament

With a parliamentary majority of just one the ruling New Democracy party of Kostas Karamanlis is fighting for its political life amidst scandal, economic downturn and growing popular dissatisfaction with the Greek government’s track record on a range of issues.

Today at 6pm (local time) the government faces a vote on whether to allow to a parliamentary investigation into the most recent in a string of scandals to hit the country. Despite vigourous denials of any wrong the entire ruling New Democracy parliamentary body has decided to abstain from this evening’s vote.

The latest scandal to rock the present administration claimed its most recent victim yesterday when Minister of State and the government public spokesman, Theodoros Rousopoulos resigned over alleged involvement in the Vatopedi land swap case. Bowing to intense political pressure from opposition parties Rousopoulos stood down from his post. However, he denied any wrongdoing and attributed his fall to baseless and unfair accusations by the left - wing PASOK party.

The Vatopedi case came to lighty earlier this year when the 1000 year old Greek Orthodox monastery attempted to exchange Lake Vastonidi, which was originally designated a wildlife reserve for a 40 million dollar conference facility in Athens, built with tax payer’s money for the 2004 Olympic games.

The high profile deal triggered a series of investigations in the Greek press over the terms of the purchase and the highly irregular way in which the lake had been obtained from the Greek state.

Since then there have been a series of embarrasing revelations in the media over connections between high ranking members of the current conservative government and the Vatopedi monastery bringing to light the shadowy, often tangled web of financial and political interests that link the Greek state and Greek Orthodox church.

The vote and resignation of one of the prime minister’s closest political associates weakens still further the government’s chances of seeing out the rest of its second term in power. Repeated clashes with trade unions over pension reforms, hundreds of high school sit-ins nationwide and plummeting opinion poll results point to the mounting unhappiness many ordinary Greeks feel at the inability of the New Democracy government to fulfil its electoral pledges to improve basic services and deal with the with endemic corruption marks much of public life.

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Tags: Greece | scandal | World | Kostas Karamanlis | vatopedi | greek parliament | theodoros roussopoulos

Monk's monkey business threatens to topple Greek government

For most world leaders the events of the previous weeks have been a source of worry and concern. However, for Kostas Karamanlis, the leader of Greece’s ruling New Democracy conservatives the economic crisis has provided a welcome relief from the constant critical attention by the nation's media.

Despite winning re - election just 13 months ago Greece’s conservatives have struggled to keep to their political agenda amidst a seemingly endless stream of finance and influence peddling scandals. Yet, for Greek voters the latest scandal may be just one too many, especially as it involves allegations of improper dealings at the very highest echelons of government.

The latest controversy revolves around the attempts by the Greek Orthodox monastery of Vatopedi to aquire a 40 million euro conference facility in Athens earlier this year. In exchange for the facility ,which was built as part of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the monastery offered Lake Vistonida, a protected wildlife reserve in northern Greece in exchange.

The high profile sale triggered an investigation by local media into the deal which has produced a series of long list of legal irregularities and a disturbing pattern of corruption in which the monks were given large tracts of land under what can best be described as dubious circumstances. The fact that the church then tried to sell back to the Greek state the land which it had recently been given has served to inflame popular anger against the government.

Even the usually high esteem in which the Greek Orthodox church is held in this deeply religious Balkan nation has been affected. The role of the Abbot Efraim, leader of the Vatopedi monastery and his connection with leading members of parliament, including government spokesman, Theodoros Rousopoulos has drawn the ire of many politicians and commentators across the political spectrum.

In addition the case has, according to many in the Greek media brought to light the complex web of patron-client relationships that link the Greek state and the Orthodox church.

The two public prosecutors, Ilias Koliousis and Eleni Sotiropoulou assigned to investigate the case resigned yesterday due to what they term political intervention by the government. In their letter of resignation they said that their investigation had uncovered evidence that implicated two deputy ministers in the case which is alleged to have cost taxpayers up to 100 million euros.

The dramatic developments in the Vatopedi case have merely added to the growing sense of distrust the many ordinary Greeks feel towards the New Democracy administration. The change in mood has been reflected in the steady drop of the party in recent opinion polls, triggering talk of possible elections.

According to the opposition left-wing PASOK party the current scandal is merely the 45th to come to light during the government’s 54 months in power. It should be noted that despite numerous accusations of corruption, bribery and abuse of power there has not been a single arrest or conviction of a member of the ruling conservative party.

Given the government's narrow one - seat majority and growing unrest over worsening economic conditions the chances that New Democracy will see out its second term seem slim.

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Tags: Greece | World | MONASTERY | Efraim | New Democracy | Kostas Karamanlis | greek politics | vatopedi

Alexis Tsipras at the Helexpo demonstration

Alexis Tsipras at the Helexpo demonstration, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

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.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/greek-pm-under-siege