EUROZONE-GREECE/ATHENS MORNING-STRIKE Greeks hit by strike as parliament prepares to vote on bailout

Record ID: 147126

  • Title: EUROZONE-GREECE/ATHENS MORNING-STRIKE Greeks hit by strike as parliament prepares to vote on bailout
  • Date: 15th July 2015
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 15, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GREEK PARLIAMENT GREEK FLAG FLYING FLAG FLYING OVER PARLIAMENT PRESIDENTIAL GUARDS STANDING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT SYNTAGMA SQUARE PEOPLE AT ENTRANCE TO METRO VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN SYNTAGMA SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) 83-YEAR-OLD PENSIONER, SPIROS KAREGOS, SAYING: "The European Union is costly so things we wanted, we shoul
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAE6XJDKFDFKGHJ7OJ0PPAYH5WB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Greeks on Wednesday (July 15) woke up to closed pharmacies and train stations as strikes were called in protest at the conditions of a further bailout plan for the country.
    The country's parliament was later set to hold a crucial vote on the conditions of the latest aid deal which were agreed between leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and international lenders at a special eurozone summit in Brussels on Monday (July 13).
    In what was seen as a major U-turn, Tsipras on Monday (July 13) agreed to unpopular cuts in spending in order to receive financial aid to keep the country from falling into a financial abyss.
    Speaking on the streets of the capital Athens, people said they felt it was now time for the country to face the music.
    "The European Union is costly so things we wanted, we should pay for and since Europe is good and worth it, let us pay for it," said 83-year-old pensioner Spiros Karegos.
    "We are Europe's bankrupt child and as a child, Europe has been supporting us for five years and told us what we needed to do to get out of this situation. We did nothing and now we are paying the consequences," civil engineer Yannis Theodosia told Reuters TV in the central Syntagma Square.
    "Above all, I am Greek and my opinion clearly would never go against my prime minister and my country. I'm against other countries and their decisions. It is time for them to remember one word again: democracy," said local resident Spiros Karagiannidis.
    "We will wait. It's not possible for one man to repair a country that's been damaged since forever, in five months. This is not new, it's ongoing, bankruptcy bankruptcy bankruptcy," said local resident Alexandra.
    While one pensioner said it was time for Greece to go its own way:
    "It's going to get worse and worse all the time. I think that there is no solution within the European Union. I would prefer that we leave the European Union," said Katerina, a 59-year-old pensioner.
    The 40-year-old prime minister, who has ruled out resigning, faces strong discontent within his Syriza party over the deal.
    But it was not just members of parliament who were openly voicing their anger at the deal.
    The doors of Athens' main train station remained closed on Wednesday as part of a 24-hour strike by the civil servant union ADEDY.
    Many pharmacies were also shuttered in protest over the government's controls in the pharmaceutical industry.
    On Tuesday the Health Ministry said it had decided to ban the export of 25 types of drugs, following warnings of possible shortages that risked leading to a humanitarian crisis.
    A ministry spokeswoman quoted the Greek drugs regulator as saying there had been a significant increase in some imported medicines being shipped back out of the country.
    The ban was the latest move in a row over the availability of drugs in Greece, with pharmacists, drugmakers, wholesalers and public authorities trading blame while rights group warn of worsening public health conditions during the economic crisis.
    Difficulties over drug supplies in Greece are compounded by the capital controls which prevent companies from sending money abroad which were imposed last month to stop the banking system from collapsing.
    Meanwhile the country's economy minister said on Wednesday that Greek banks, which have been closed since June 29 as part of capital controls, would remain closed through Thursday (July 16).
    A cash withdrawal of 60 euros per day is to remain in place.
    Only pensioners without a cash or credit card have been given access to some 1,000 branches across the country to be able to access their pension funds.
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