- Title: EUROZONE-GREECE/AUSTERITY-PROTEST Thousands of Greeks rally fearing new austerity
- Date: 11th June 2015
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JUNE 11, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNERS AND UNION FLAGS MARCHING AND CHANTING ANTI-AUSTERITY SLOGANS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WITH RED FLAGS MARCHING PROTESTERS FILLING STREETS AROUND SYNTAGMA SQUARE WHERE THE PARLIAMENT AND THE FINANCE MINISTRY ARE LOCATED PROTESTERS GATHERING AT STAGE SET UP BY THE GREEK COMMUNIST PARTY LABOUR UNION P
- Embargoed: 26th June 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA5JFRZXPFD2YJSLTE6MW5W5YTB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Workers, students, pensioners and unemployed Greeks took to the streets of Athens on Thursday (June 11) fearing that the government will backtrack on its pre-election pledge to put an end to years of austerity, and instead succumb to pressures by its European and international creditors in order to clinch a reforms-for-cash deal.
The demonstration, which was organized by the Greek Communist party labour union PAME, was joined by some 10,000 protesters who carried banners, waved union flags and chanted "We cannot live on 400 euros a month" as they marched in the streets of the Greek capital.
Communist party leader, Dimitris Koutsoubas, said the Greek people suffered greatly under the bailout programmes and it was time for the unpopular austerity measures to be reversed.
"The unemployed must be assisted, the minimum wage must be brought back to 751 euros, and all the unpopular measures must be rescinded. Those who have been laid off must be re-hired and substantial aid must be provided for the people who suffer," said Koutsoubas.
"They cut our salaries and pensions in half. With a small pension we are supporting our unemployed children, we are supporting their families. What else must happen so that we take to the streets?," asked 63-year-old protester Costas Maglaras, a pensioner.
Earlier on Thursday supporters of PAME occupied the finance ministry, prevented staff from entering and hung a large banner on the building's facade reading: "We've bled enough, we've paid enough" under a picture of the last three Greek prime ministers and the bailout deals each has signed.
Greece and its EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF) lenders have been locked in tortuous negotiations on a reforms agreement for more than four months without a breakthrough in sight.
The IMF dramatically raised the stakes in the stalled debt talks on Thursday, announcing that its delegation had left negotiations in Brussels and flown home because of major differences with Athens.
The surprise IMF move came as the European Union told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to stop gambling with his cash-strapped country's future and take the crucial decisions needed to avert a devastating default.
To clinch a deal, Tsipras's government needs to offer alternative savings and tax measures to replace proposed pension cuts and tax rises he has rejected as antisocial and to deliver a modest fiscal surplus before interest payments.
Greece needs a deal to unlock aid before the end of the month when it is otherwise set to default on a 1.6 billion euro ($1.80 billion) repayment to the Washington-based IMF.
That could trigger capital controls and possibly send Greece hurtling towards an exit from the euro zone, with unpredictable consequences for financial markets and the European economy. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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