- Title: EUROZONE-GREECE/PROTEST Several hundred anti-bailout protesters gather in Athens
- Date: 13th July 2015
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 13, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ANTI-AUSTERITY PROTESTERS GATHERED IN FRONT OF GREEK PARLIAMENT BANNER READING (Greek): "NO" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING FLAGS SCHOOL TEACHERS CARRYING BANNER READING (Spanish): "YOU WILL NOT GET THROUGH" PROTESTERS GATHERED BANNER READING (Greek): "END THE BAILOUT, CUT THE DEBT" VARIOUS OF PLACARD IN FRONT OF PARLIAMEN
- Embargoed: 28th July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA5XL3TVPYC0UYQYW6D5UTS8WJ4
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Several hundred anti-austerity demonstrators gathered in front of the Greek parliament building on Monday (July 13) to reject a bailout deal agreed by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras which many former supporters saw as a betrayal.
The leader of the leftist Syriza party was forced to acquiesce reforms to the pensions system, VAT and labour laws in exchange for negotiations for a 86 billion euro bailout to stave off bankruptcy and keep Greece in the eurozone.
Tsipras also accepted a compromise on German-led demands for the sequestration of Greek state assets worth 50 billion euros in a trust fund beyond government reach, to be sold off primarily to pay down debt.
The disparate group in Syntagma Square on Monday was drawn from the 61 percent of people who had voted 'No' in a referendum held on July 5 to reject a milder set of reforms proposed by creditors.
Many now said they felt Tsipras had turned their back on them under intense pressure to secure a deal during marathon overnight talks in Brussels.
"Tsipras and his government betrayed the Greek people. He asked them a question, the Greek people answered so what we have today is a betrayal. It's bordering on a coup, if not actually a coup and this coup was not brought about solely by Brussels, which said 'We don't care about your referendum, or your mandate against austerity'. The coup was also brought about by the government," teacher Dimitris Mitropoulos said.
"We came here in support of the 'No' vote that the Greek people voted for. A vote that the government erased in the blink of an eye," mathematician Nikos said.
"#ThisIsACoup" was the second top trending hashtag on Twitter worldwide -- and top in Germany and Greece -- as eurozone leaders battled it out through the night, picked up by journalists and economists. It was still the fourth most discussed topic on Greek Twitter late in the evening.
Tsipras will have to fight hard in parliament to keep his government in tact as leftwingers in his party denounce the reforms proposed.
He also faces a tough deadline to get the necessary bills through parliament.
Six sweeping measures including spending cuts, tax hikes and pension reforms must be enacted by Wednesday (July 15) night and the entire package endorsed by parliament before talks can start, eurozone leaders decided at the summit. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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