Greece’s government submits to the Parliament a new austerity programme and comforts the voters with “compensatory social policies”. The people are indignant and strike readily.
Call for a strike in Athens
“The next time is hard, the money is already in short supply,” said kiosk owner Fanis Kalatzis. For over 20 years, he is in the business and today runs a real struggle for existence. Not least because the Savings of the past years has spoiled in Hellas, the generous mood of its customers. In the past, people would not have paid attention to small sums of money, remembers the man from the Peloponnese. Anyone who paid with a 5 Euro bill and 50 Cents got back, he says, gave such a small amount often, and what indulged in Delicious or bought a little something for the children. But today, each Euro is flipped three times. Spontaneous purchases are the exception, Kalatzis complains in an interview with DW. For a kiosk owner the means to fall: Its revenue, while the costs are rising. Not to mention the abolition of its once lush commissions for selling Cigarettes. As all this is not enough, would also be undesirable competition by large companies, which buy in the last few years, all of the kiosks in Athens and then independently continue the threatening.
Comes difficult to make ends meet: kiosk owner Fanis Kalatzis
For a single fighter like Kalatzis, no improvement is in sight. On the contrary, the ongoing Review of its reform efforts by donors to conclude, the government in Athens on Sunday (13.5.) new austerity measures in the amount of over 4.5 billion Euro is introduced to Parliament. Are provided cuts in social spending, a reduction in the annual tax-free amount, and further pension cuts. A thin, but disciplined coalition government to approve on Thursday the new Austerity measures. They are a prerequisite for further financial assistance. Comforted the voters with allegedly compensatory measures to be social. Are meant about grants for tenants and tax cuts from 2020 onwards, which are also to the vote on Thursday.
With this Trick, the government wants to make the Affected know that there is no new burden is in store for them: loss of income would just offset by “compensatory measures”, – stated in Athens. Kiosk owner Kalatzis takes refuge in irony: “don’t believe what they tell us,” complained the father of a family. But he also says: “The people are now caught up with final of the reality. Over the time of the alleged miracle healer in the policy, which promised to make after a victory, everything is different”.
Strike action starting this Tuesday
With such a reality, the insights, the unions are not satisfied and call for a General strike on Wednesday (17.5.) on. Seafarers do not occur on this Tuesday in the walkout, with the result that the ferries in Hellas expiry time of 48 hours. Even the Greek military are in strike mood. Nothing out of the ordinary, believes Colonel Anestis Tsoukarakis: “Now it is enough.
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Since the outbreak of the crisis, we have already suffered wage cuts of an average of 45 to 50 percent, although these cuts were according to the case law of the Supreme administrative court to be unconstitutional,” complains the officer in an interview with DW. As of 2011, the money, the insistence of donors is increasingly on the rationalisation of the salaries for judges, military personnel and other groups of civil servants “with specific tasks”. Therefore, new cuts for the military are provided in the new austerity package.
Five years ago, the 25,000 members of the army had gone in civilian clothes on the streets to demonstrate against the austerity policy. Had not existed until then. A little later active founded officers Association, the Tsoukarakis chairing today. In Polo shirt and Jeans, he receives the call. Friendly in tone, but certainly in the matter: cuts you would not accept this with ‘Yes and Amen’, he urges us. And indicates that officers must always accept more tasks in a context of a shrinking income.
Example, refugee policy: His colleagues would have ensured the timely planning and construction of the Hotspots and even the sanitary cleaning, the officer to consider. Since not too much was demanded that the state comes to the military. What Form to accept the protests of the officers, does not want to betray Tsoukarakis before a specific government decision on the cuts. And as it is with the duty of loyalty of the soldiers? “Of course we are not allowed to strike. However, according to the Constitution, every citizen has the right, in a protest to take part – whether he’s wearing Uniform or not,” said the Colonel.
Anger: Colonel Anestis Tsoukarakis
If everyone owes everyone something
To grab sharp protest means the employees of semi-state bus company OASTH already in the second largest Greek city of Thessaloniki: you lay down since Monday, its work to enforce the payment of unpaid wages. A U-Bahn in the metropolis, now there is no Bus service. Massive traffic chaos is the result. OASTH-head promises to be a rationalization plan that threatens also with legal proceedings. The Minister of transport wants to convey, but has no money.
According to information from the local newspaper Makedonia the politicians have a particularly creative idea, so that the company can pay their liabilities: A Greek Bank granted loans in the amount of 3.5 million euros. As a pledge of the credit institution gets an open claim against the government on repayment of 4.5 million assigned. When this claim will be settled is in the stars.