by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
ATHENS, Greece – Greece’s Parliament passed an austerity measure bill on Wednesday despite rallying outside the building and a Tuesday strike that drew over 16,000 protestors on to the streets of Athens.
After a narrow vote of 153 to 140, the Greek Parliament passed the public sector reform bill which may cause thousands of civil servants to lose their jobs by 2014.
Under the newly-enacted bill, over 4,000 state employees will be dismissed from their posts this upcoming year; including teachers and municipal police officers. Another 25,000 workers will be placed into a “mobility pool” by the end of the year. Workers in the mobility pool will face decreased wages coupled with forced transfers or outright dismissals. In addition, the plan’s goal is to see an additional 15,000 workers cut from public payroll by the end of 2014.
Government employees have been occupying city buildings this week to protest the austerity measures. On Tuesday, thousands of public servants walked off their respective jobs to participate in a 24-hour strike, assembled by Greece’s two main labor unions.
“We will resist all those whose wrongheaded and dead-end choices have led the Greek people into poverty and wretchedness,” stated a spokesman from the labor union, Gsee.
Tuesday’s strike temporarily closed tax offices and governments services. Athens’ hospitals were reduced to emergency staff, and public transportation was suspended. Flights in and out of Athens were suspended from noon to 4:00 PM, as well. A police spokesman has stated that Tuesday’s gathering of over 16,000 protestors in Athens was “entirely peaceful.”
During Parliament’s vote on Wednesday, thousands of additional protestors gathered outside of the Parliament House, only to return home bitter and outraged.
The government, led by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, has stated it has no choice but to adopt the budget cuts and enforce the measure. In order for Greece to secure the first installment of $9 billion in loans, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund mandated a showing that the Greek government is committed to fiscal change.
In response to the protests in Athens this week, Greek police have banned public protests in Athens on Thursday, while German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is visiting the city.
Ban on Demonstrations
As Germany has been one of Greece’s biggest lenders in recent years, Schaeuble is one of the EU’s most outspoken advocates of tougher austerity measures in Greece.
But many feel that the complete city-ban on demonstrations is crossing the line.
“This action is fascist and undemocratic…” a spokesman for a Greek leftwing political party has stated.
The two labor unions responsible for Tuesday’s 16,000 person demonstration have stated they have no plans for an encore on Thursday.
For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Greece to Sack Thousands of Public Workers – 17 July 2013
BBC News – Greek MPs Back Public Sector Cuts Amid Protests – 17 July 2013
Ekathimerini – Greece Approves Scheme to Fire Thousands of Public Workers – 17 July 2013
Yahoo News – Greece Bans Protests During Schaeuble Visit – 17 July 2013
New York Times – Greece Hit by General Strike to Protest Austerity – 16 July 2013
