Newswire from Greece II

[Sentinel]

Continued from here (http://www.revleft.com/vb/newswire-greece-t134552/index25.html). Please post breaking news from the situation in Greece here.

[RedPersonality]

The 2nd day of the nationwide general strike: Organized response to the anti-people plans and the provocateur mechanisms

The “heart” of the 2nd day of the enormous 48 hr strike mobilization was beating in the central square of the Greek capital, Syntagma Square, where the All-workers Militant Front (PAME) organized a huge rally-encirclement of the Greek Parliament . And the second day greatly surpassed the precedents of the previous strikes. The volume and militancy constituted a worthy continuation of the 1st day of the 48 hr strike. At the same time inside the Parliament, after the request of the KKE, a roll call vote was held on the articles of the government’s draft law, through which the new anti-worker measures will be implemented. (http://inter.kke.gr/News/news2011/2011-10-202mera/)

Huge demonstration of PAME!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yToG6Oy9SVw/TqElggUt2fI/AAAAAAAAD-k/4FGdsc3uHGc/s800/sygkentrosi-prin-epithesi.jpg



MURDERERS!!


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M9mavHNgJDo/TqElvW7AA-I/AAAAAAAAD-k/ABeOeQmZ3rI/s912/maxi1.jpg

[jmlima]

From Greece, kindly brought to us by the Guardian:

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/greece-lines-clear-elite (http://www.revleft.com/vb/www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/greece-lines-clear-elite)

Some extracts:


Yet a representative of that "troika" of lenders – the IMF, EU and European Central Bank – told a Greek newspaper that they did not demand the abolition of collective bargaining in the private sector, the one measure that has led to some opposition in the ruling party. Nor did the troika demand the wholesale change in university law. It is as if the Greek elites desired the debt to orchestrate the wholesale destruction of the welfare state and transfer of public assets to private hands.


This government's mission was to replace care for others with indifference, hospitality with exploitation. They failed, and now only a thick blue line separates the elite from the outraged people.


The last vestiges of governmental legitimacy are gone and the government will follow soon. The democratic deficit from which political systems suffer everywhere is irreversible in Greece. The responsibility of the "other" Greece is to devise a constitution of social justice and democracy for the 21st century. This is what Greece can offer to the world.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Communists kicked out of universities, Thessaloniki
Communists of KNE were attacked at the Universities of Thessaloniki in two-three faculties. Posters were ripped, their table was smashed and individuals were chased outside the universities.

Unprecedented episodes took place today also in the University of Ioannina, when a group of students that belong to the anti-authoritarian movement, attacked members of MAS and PAME.


Comrades from the anarchist, autonomous, anti-authoritarian movement attacked on the evening of Thursday 20/10, the offices of the Communist Party of Greece and the PASOK offices in Halandri with paint and spray painting slogans.
This attack is a small answer to what we lived through on todays strike.


Arson attack on the offices of the KKE (Communist Party of Greece) in Thessaloniki 21/10/11

Arson attacks took place at the offices of KKE in Charilaou area, Toumba and Triandria at around 4am.

KKE people, this is not 1998, nothing remains unanswered.

Slaps and kicks to cops of KKE

…for those who do not know, in 1998, in the demo of the Polytechnic university in Athens, a demo in which the movement had decided through collective procedures to not march, nevertheless some youths went down in a block shouting anarchist chants. They were soon surrounded by the ‘KNAT’(play on words, riot cops are called MAT and the Communist youth are KNE) and since they were unarmed and not prepared they did not resist the organized attack. KNAT and MAT in an excellent cooperation surrounded and beat the people together, arresting simultaneously around 100 individuals.
:bored:

http://actforfreedomnow.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/attack-on-the-offices-of-the-communist-party-of-greece-and-offices-of-pasok-communists-kicked-out-of-universities-thessaloniki-arson-attack-on-the-offices-of-the-kke-communist-party-of-greece-in-t/

[RedSide]

Source: kathimerini (neo-liberal newspaper, cba to find another english source:rolleyes:)


Protesters force Thessaloniki parade to be cancelled


The annual military parade in Thessaloniki to mark Greece’s entry into the Second World War in 1940 has been cancelled after hundreds of anti-austerity protesters blocked the route.

Police failed to disperse the large crowd so the parade, which was to be overseen by President Karolos Papoulias, could not take place.

Papoulias left the dignitaries’ platform shortly before 11.30 a.m. The president blasted the protesters, who included soccer fans, nationalists, former municipal employees and others protesting against the government's austerity measures.

“I am very sad that they are blackening the name of this city. It is a historic day that belongs to Greeks, not them,» said Papoulias, who objected to chants of «traitors» being directed at him and other dignitaries.

"I came to honor this city, it is shameful that these demeaning chants are being heard. It’s shameful that they are calling me a traitor when I have been fighting for my country since I was 15.”

Papoulias's departure signalled the first ever cancellation of the October 28 parade, held to mark the day Greece said 'Ohi', or 'No', to Italian dictator Bennito Mussolini's request for Greek armed forces to stand aside.

“It is clear that these are organized groups,» said Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris. «I don’t know if they have been encouraged by political parties. I’m not sure which politician would think there is anything to gain from this."

Boutaris defended authorities against accusations that they had been poorly prepared for the protests.

"We are not a police state. The largest share of responsibility must lie with the protesters.

"I am ashamed of what has happened. I will apologise to the president,» said the mayor.

In Athens, where students were parading before dignitaries, some pupils turned away from the politicians and representatives of the church and military when they passed in front of their platform. The government was represented at the parade by Education Minister Anna Diamantopoulou.

The city's municipal band draped black ribbons from their instruments, apparently prompting Mayor Giorgos Kaminis to threaten them with disciplinary action.

Police clashed with members of the neo-fascist Chrysi Avgi group outside the Grand Bretagne hotel at Syntagma Square. There were reports that some extremists attacked migrants in central Athens.

The parade in Iraklio, Crete, was also cancelled when protestors attacked dignitaries.

Government spokesman Ilias Mosialos said the «vast majority» of parades passed off peacefull.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5b3XU3Y4gw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnx_52LKjRI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvKCOF6uiyU

There were protests like that all over greece. I wasn't there (thessaloniki parade) but it looks like a strange mixture of leftists, nationalists and the average joe living in thessaloniki, which is one the most conservative cities in greece. It's quite clear after watching the third video. Most of the people applauded the special forces reserves, while some leftists tried to stop them.

[PhoenixAsh]

Right now the Troika is settling permanently in Greece in order to make sure Greece can not and will not deviate form the pproposed and required austerity measures.

This means that national independence is basically lifted and Greece is required to sign over their souvereign decision making to a foreign committee. This is the real face of EU imperialism. And this will have deep repercussions for the future. It creates a precedent in which national parliaments can be overruled and policy can be dictated by a bunch of para national civil servants who are not subject to any legislative and democratic controll.

I have no links. But this is what is being reported in several news outlets and was reported by our prime-minister as a result of recent meetings on the subject of Greece.

This means that basically Greece has lost its national independence and democratic nature....and that they are only allowed to push legislation which does not intervere or deviate from any of the required austerity plans...and this is not subject to democratic principples but based on dominion from the EU/IMF and Eurobank.

[RedSide]

Source: BBC


Greece debt crisis: referendum promised on EU deal

Greece will hold a referendum on a new European Union aid package intended to resolve the country's debt crisis, Prime Minister George Papandreou says.

Mr Papandreou said a vote of no-confidence would also be held on the deal - but no dates were set.

The package envisages losses of up to 50% for private holders of Greek debt and a new 100bn euro loan ($140bn).

There have been large-scale protests in Greece against the austerity measures introduced by the government.

Mr Papandreou said his government trusted the judgement of Greek voters.

"The command of the Greek people will bind us", he is quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

An opinion poll published on Saturday by a newspaper, To Vima, suggested that the majority of people in Greece viewed the EU bailout package in a negative light.

[jmlima]

It's revealing of Papandreou & Co characters that they go to the EU, negotiate and agree a package, and then go back home and say that after all they will put it to referendum... what a mess, how can this guys govern anything?...

[Dunk]

I don't understand why he would call for a referendum. I feel as if I'm missing something obvious. Is a Greek default considered inevitable, so they may as well blame it on the Greek people instead of the system with this referendum? Even as I type it I feel as if that's too infantile to be correct. After all the polling they must know this is a slam dunk against the "aid package."

[A Marxist Historian]

I don't understand why he would call for a referendum. I feel as if I'm missing something obvious. Is a Greek default considered inevitable, so they may as well blame it on the Greek people instead of the system with this referendum? Even as I type it I feel as if that's too infantile to be correct. After all the polling they must know this is a slam dunk against the "aid package."

Papandreou is starting to get intimidated by the mass opposition to his policies. Plus the default is obviously inevitable anyway. That's what's happening.

You have a rebellion vs. Papandreou now within PASOK, as most of PASOK thinks who cares what the people think we are a bourgeois party after all, and we can trust in the EU to rescue us somehow. Delusionary, but as some ancient Greek once said, whom the gods would destroy they first drive mad.

There are rumors of a PASOK/KKE coalition government. A snap election with Papandreou's plans being defeated, and him apologizing to the people and adopting whatever alternative the KKE can manage to come up with, would be the perfect background for that.

-M.H.-

[blackandyellow]

I don't understand why he would call for a referendum. I feel as if I'm missing something obvious. Is a Greek default considered inevitable, so they may as well blame it on the Greek people instead of the system with this referendum? Even as I type it I feel as if that's too infantile to be correct. After all the polling they must know this is a slam dunk against the "aid package."

It is completly bizare. Surely he can not expect to win? Maybe he is setting it up so he can resign after the referendum?

[RedSide]

PM faces opposition from some ministers, MPs


Despite support from most of the Cabinet for Prime Minister George Papandreou’s bid to hold a referendum on whether Greece should adopt the latest loan deal it has agreed with the eurozone, some ministers objected to the proposal and the premier still faces a challenge to convince his MPs to back him in the vote of confidence in Parliament on Friday.

Papandreou assured his ministers that the government would win the referendum and that he would receive the backing of his eurozone peers on the idea of holding the vote. The prime minister is due to hold talks at the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Cannes today with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Most of the Cabinet agreed to support the idea of referendum but there was a general acceptance that it would have to take place before January, as had been previously planned.

Several ministers expressed strong objections. Health Minister Andreas Loverdos and Transport Minister Yiannis Ragousis were the most critical.

According to sources, Loverdos suggested that it was unwise to hold a vote on an issue that would bind Greece for years to come. He said he would not give his consent until he sees the final wording of the questions in the referendum.

Ragousis said that the government should avoid creating circumstances where the calling of elections becomes inevitable. He added that the referendum would create unnecessary uncertainty around Greece’s membership of the euro.

Loverdos and Ragousis are two of the three ministers that recently wrote an open letter calling on Papandreou to forge ahead with bolder reforms. Many commentators saw that as a move to establish a reformist bloc within the Cabinet from which a new PASOK leader might emerge.

The other author of the letter, Education Minister Anna Diamantopoulou expressed concern during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting about what questions would be posed in the referendum.

Agricultural Development Minister Costas Skandalidis said he was upset that the Cabinet had not been informed about Papandreou’s intention to call a referendum.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos did not attend the meeting as he was being treated in hospital. Sources close to Venizelos let it be known that he was not aware Papandreou would call a referendum, although the minister defended the decision in Parliament and on TV before being admitted to the hospital with abdominal pains.

The Cabinet’s backing for the plebiscite may prove to be irrelevant as MPs also have to approve the proposal in Parliament. At least four PASOK deputies have already indicated that they would not vote for the motion. This would leave Papandreou relying on votes from the handful of independent lawmakers, as all the opposition parties have said they would vote against it.

However, before Parliament votes on the referendum, it will have to deal a vote of confidence on Friday. At this stage, Papandreou cannot take a positive vote for granted.

Socialist deputy Milena Apostolaki said on Tuesday that she was quitting PASOK’s parliamentary group to become an independent. She referred to the referendum proposal as “wrong and divisive.” Her decision reduced the government’s presence in the 300-seat Parliament to just 152.

Another PASOK MP, Eva Kaili suggested that she would not vote for the government. She called on Papandreou to form a government of national unity. Speaking on Mega TV on Wednesday, Kaili said that she would wait to see what is agreed at the talks in Cannes before taking the final decision on how to cast her ballot. She said that there are another 10 PASOK lawmakers who are undecided about how to vote.

ekathimerini.com , Wednesday November 2, 2011 (11:15)


Changes in armed forces upper ranks


The Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) met on Tuesday so Defense Minister Panos Beglitis could announce changes in the top positions in the armed forces.

As a result, Lieutenant General Michalis Kostarakos is to become chief of the armed forces, Lieutenant General Constantinos Zazias the head of the army, Air Marshal Antonis Tsantirakis is to take over control of the air force and Rear Admiral Kosmas Christidis was put in charge of the navy.

Opposition parties criticized the fact the changes were taking place at a time when it was not clear whether PASOK would remain in power for much longer.

ekathimerini.com , Tuesday November 1, 2011 (21:56)

My opinion is that the government won't get the necessary votes this Friday and elections will be announced. Elsa Papadimitriou (neo-liberal MP, Papandreou's babysitter :laugh:) stated she will support the government, but a great number of PASOK MPs said that they won't if Papandreou insists on a referendum. Everyone is just waiting for Papandreou to return from Cannes at the moment.

@ M.H

There are rumors of a PASOK/KKE coalition government.

What?:rolleyes::lol:

[RedSide]

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15575198


Greek PM Papandreou 'ready to drop' bailout referendum

Mr Papandreou said Greece's participation in the euro was at stake

He said he had started talks to secure opposition support in parliament which would make the vote unnecessary.

His announcement of a referendum angered European leaders and sent shockwaves through its markets.

Facing calls for his resignation, Mr Papandreou called for unity in the party ranks ahead of a confidence vote on Friday. He has a thin majority.

But Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos, addressing the Socialist Party (Pasok) MPs immediately after the prime minister, said Greece must say it was not holding a referendum.

EU leaders say Greece cannot get bailout cash until it agrees the deal.

The opposition New Democracy party has said it will accept taking part in a coalition government if Mr Papandreou agrees to stand down.

The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Athens, says that whatever the outcome, Greece has been thrown into a period of intense political instability.

The EU bailout, agreed last month, would give the heavily indebted Greek government 130bn euros (£111bn; $178bn) and a 50% write-off of its debts, in return for deeply unpopular austerity measures.

'Ready to talk'

Mr Papandreou said the referendum was never an end in itself.

"If we had a consensus we wouldn't have to go to a referendum," he said.

"If the opposition is willing to negotiate then we are ready to ratify this deal and implement it."


Pasok holds a slim majority in parliament, 152 out of 300 seats.

But Mr Papandreou was faced with a parliamentary revolt after several of his MPs withheld their backing. Some called for early elections or a government of national unity instead.

Mr Samaras called for a caretaker government to safeguard the EU deal.

"I ask for the formation of a temporary transition government with the exclusive responsibility to immediately hold elections, and ratify the loan deal under the present parliament," he said, quoted by AFP news agency.

A government spokesman said it was ready to talk to the opposition about the issue.

"We welcome New Democracy's decision to support the 26 October deal," said spokesman Ilias Mossialos, referring to the EU bailout deal.

"As far as the other proposals are concerned, we are ready to seriously discuss them, in the interest of the country."

Keep trolling George :lol::rolleyes:

[Os Cangaceiros]

You say “national unity”, we say “loot”! Robin hoodies strike again in Athens

Translation from Athens IMC (http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1350761)

Today, 3d of November, comrades looted a supermarket chain in the Athenian suburb of Zografou and distributed the looted goods in a nearby open air popular market (laiki).

A translation of the text distributed during the action follows:

Let’s not kid ourselves. Behind the easily digestible rhetoric about the scammers and the golden boys, the bad Germans and the -generally and abstractly- merciless markets, hides our timeless exploitation and looting of the produced wealth by the clique of the bosses. And it is crystal-clear that for as long as they dominate their lives, they will continue devaluing us and they will extinguish us in order to maintain their profits. And the consecutive blows we are receiving, no matter how disparate they present them to be, all serve their own, unified class interests. At the same time, they spread fear to preserve their authority: increased policing, chasing of migrants, lifting of the asylum, fomenting of racism and patriotism.

No more idleness. Let’s take our lives into our own hands.

The prospect of the class of the repressed is neither the struggle for survival, nor the squeezing into a position of surrender and impoverishment. This prospect is compiled here and now, in the small and big moments of denial and of our struggles. In everyday confrontations with bosses and in general strikes; in demonstrations, popular assemblies and structures of mutual aid; in occupations of public buildings, schools and universities; in the rage against the cops and the solidarity against repression; in aggressive acts against capitalists-state targets; in the movements refusing payment, from electricity bills to road tolls; in collective looting of goods from supermarkets, and their public redistribution.

Let’s grasp our collective strength.
Let’s weave the plan for social and individual emancipation.
War to the bosses’ war.
Everyone to the General Strikes!



During the morning of Thursday, October 20, a group of about 50 anarchists carried out a supermarket expropriation in the city of Patras. The group expropriated a large quantity of food and immediately distributed it among people in an open-air market located near the supermarket. As the group explain in a communiqué given out during the action:

We aren’t Robin Hoods or people who have already solved their problems and are thus making the revolution, like the mass media blowhards are going to portray us. We didn’t carry out this action because we are saviors. We don’t want to be anyone’s savior. We are simply people who understand that one gains perspective on life only through struggle. We are people who live right near you, and today we have chosen to demonstrate one way to break away from misery and recover our time and our lives. We consider such gestures as actions that take place in the here and now, with hearts and minds oriented toward a world of equality, solidarity, and mutual aid—a world of individual and collective freedom.

http://actforfreedomnow.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/supermarket-expropriated-in-patras-greece/

that second one had a nice communique.

[FSL]

Papandreou won the confidence vote on Friday only on the premise that he would quit and open the way for a new coalition government.

The latest deal with the EU and the IMF suggests new cuts and a much stricter "surveilance" by the troika who will have constant presence in Athens, cogoverning the country. The situation is especially dire when it comes to pension funds (no one still admits it though) that are hit by unemployment and the haircut in greek bonds which made up a significant part of their "investments". Retirement age was increased in Spain to 67 years old and there is now a huge fuss about the same thing happening in Italy. I'd really doubt that we being the "source" of this crisis will not do so as well. Also all the taxes voted, all the wage reductions voted, all these things need strict implementation etc


Pasok's support is minimal and in no way would it be capable of doing these things without facing strikes and disobedience to, say, tax payments. That is one explanation on Papandreou's decision to call the referendum.

The largest opposition party, New Democracy, is leading the polls (with still pretty low numbers themselves, around 20%). But they have only done so by adopting an "anti-IMF" stance. Its leader, Antonis Samaras, portrays himself as a man of the people -he is in fact of a wealthy background and became an MP at the age of 26- and has only kind words for Hungary's leader, Orban, who supposedly "kicked the IMF out of his country" and "restored national pride".
For those who haven't looked into it, Hungary had an agreement with the IMF that the socialists pretty much saw through, their party being destroyed in the process. They won only 16% support in Hungary's latest elections and Orban was elected with over 50% of the votes. The quasi-fascist Jobbic party also scored pretty high as a result of the general dissatisfaction among the people. Orban then took over with the deficit at about 3% and Hungary's exports surpassing its imports and was able to fund his government through the market, continuing of course the attack on workers. For example, a 9-hour workday is being voted (maybe it has been, not sure) and unemployment benefits only last 3 months now with the unemployment at 11% and the economy pretty much heading for another recession.


So Samaras' plan and I think the whole rulling class' plan was to keep him safe protesting, have him take over after Pasok took all the blame and guarantee stability.
This plan is failing because Pasok's support is eroding and anger is widespread.
Now they need a "national unity government" that will present what is happening as the only way available and attempt to terrorize everyone with the possibility of exiting the EU -or better of the EU kicking us out- and becoming isolated like North Korea or Hoxha's Albania.

So the referendum did succed in forcing the New Democracy party to take a stand and drop its facade.



The coalition was about to happen and then got nearly canceled and now it's almost a done deal, all in a matter of days. It could be canceled again or agreed upon tonight.
Samaras argued for a 6-week government made up by technocrats who would only ratify the loan agreement but no further cuts in an attempt to not ruin his anti-austerity platform.
Then the calls started coming in from Germany and from inside his party telling him to get serious and Oli Ren, the finance minister of the EU in a way, said that the only way the loan will go through is if both major parties agree on the terms and the cuts needed.

So I think that -while trying to save some face- Samaras' agreement is the most likely outcome. His only request now is that Papandreou quits beforehand.

If things do go on that way then in a few days we'll have a government lasting at least a few months (again if things go as planned), consisting of Pasok, New Democracy, the far-right LAOS (the most eager to join), the neoliberal Democratic Alliance, and the pro-Europe, supposedly progressive Democratic Left, all of them having almost 270 MPs combined (out of 300 hundred).



These parties with the help of the media will try to present anything but their government as a sure way to hell. But now all of them will also need to deal with people's anger and will be unable to hide their true colors.
This is almost a "bourgeois government" in that all openly bourgeois parties are in it. This is a first thing here. The only ones outside are the communist party and Syriza, that keeps supporting the EU and better negotiations with what it sees as the "dogmatic neoliberals" leading it (Merkel and co) but engages in "revolutionary" phrase-mongering.

[FSL]

After days of bickering as each party tried to present itself as pro-people and pro-capitalist at the same time, the goverment is nearly formed.

The prime minister will be Loukas Papadimos, the former VP of the European Central Bank and obviously the man of choise to implement the deepest cuts yet. The government is supposed to last a few months but I personally doubt it. I can't see them calling elections.
Pasok will of course be supporting him and so will New Democracy that went into great lengths trying not to lose its "fighting" rhetoric but now seems to have failed in doing so.
The far-right LAOS and the neoliberal Democratic Alliance will also be voting in favour, maybe gaining some government positions. Democratic Left will not have anyone in the government but they are still unsure on whether they will express their confidence by voting in parliament. I think they won't so they can try later on to lure any dissapointed voters as a "respectable" and "reasonable" option.


Papadimos is being portrayed as a Messiah by every news station here and many reporters compare him favourably to politicians who are either "corrupt" or "indecisive". Essentially, they're trying to convince the people it is better to be ruled by the markets themselves then by greedy, self centered politicians, only caring about staying in power.

They might have some success on the short term, people do have some naive views on the role of politicians but I'm sure New Democracy and, more importantly, the whole of the EU will take a huge hit in people's minds along with pasok that has already suffered.
It is a big deal that they felt the need to have all bourgeois parties work together and present the situation as a one-way street. But it also puts them in danger of running out of options soon.

[RedPersonality]

The first people’s response to the new government (http://inter.kke.gr/News/news2011/2011-11-11-pame)



http://www1.rizospastis.gr/getImage.do?size=medium&id=346050&format=.jpg

[Sasha]

From occupy London:

How did we get some this? Some first thoughts on the decision for the social onslaught ahead of us in GreeceNov 13th, 2011 @ 01:07 pm › admin
↓ Leave a comment
The thoughts below are from the Indymedia commentator using the nickname ‘dakrygono’ (‘tear-gas’); their posts tend to be sharp and thought-provoking — a complete list of previous posts is here.
Original post (in Greek)
The sold-out, far-right government of the bankers is a political and historical fact; the “state of emergency” has jumped from the TV screens blasting the messages of propaganda of their ship-owners, straight to this government of dummies.
The System, as complete sovereignty of the parasitic Bourgeois Class, hands authority directly to the para-statists (to begin with, the bankers) — the final refuge for the scum of parliament and Capital.
The manipulations without the people and against it have reached an apogee, all coming from the Unity of the System…
All the parasitical parliamentary powers (PASOK, LAOS -the far-right-, New Democracy, the Communist Party, SYRIZA) of the Bourgeois Class, after criminalising the popular expression-referendum and played it down as a “false dilemma”, moved into an even more reactionary path…
They set up, under the command of bankers and shipowners, a new authoritarian hyper-structure of puppets that will respond to absolutely no [popular] expression, not even the most humble one, as is the electoral result.
A government of “national unity” with plenty of plaster [a reference to an infamous quote by the dictator Papadopoulos, that the country was sick and needed be placed in "plaster" --trans], with a sold-out chief banker as a prime minister, and a top priority of validating the Brussels agreement, which ordered the bankruptcy of the people and the rescue of the bankers and their shares. Puppets from across the parliamentary scum range, PASOK-New Democracy-the Communist Party-SYRIZA-LAOS, decided, either with a bang or with a whimper (scorning their institutions), the execution of the people in Greece, immediately and without the pretense of the humble, and equally scorned democratic intentions of the Constitution…
The takeover of power by para-statists (bankers and other puppets) is a political choice of the unity of the system (political parties, shipowners-mass media, embassies, foreign centres of power-EU, etc) as this has been established in Greece after the war.
Only hours after the reference to a referendum, which should have been a demand of the society in order to halt the hordes of the puppets turning against the people, an unprecedented unity of the system made its appearance. All bourgeois parties became a solid body of power, which even for a few hours was forced to abandon its supposed ideological reference and to turn into a solid, Class body against society… It is within those exact hours that we were brought into the “state of emergency”.
The photo-frame of the coalition would fit the smiles of all the corrupt and corroded parties of the parliament, PASOK-LAOS-ND-KKE-SYRIZA, the bankers, the shipowners… National unity has shrunk into the far-right parts of the system, which are nowadays ready to commit any crime against the people. The choices had been made for a while, and from today political life changes. Authority, by nominating these puppets, shows the path of resistance beyond the prissiness of the morons of the left. Society will respond, even if it is now startled in face of the social onslaught. The massiveness of social counter-violence can overthrow them as a whole, as it threatens them in their entirety and it can send the – so precious for them – social peace and systemic balance to hell.

[Sasha]

The remembrances for the 17th November uprising that led to the end of the Greek junta is approaching, activists are again trying to make this date a historic one:

http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/23.jpg

"Then with tanks, now with banks, uprising now!"

[RedPersonality]

History is written with class struggle (http://inter.kke.gr/News/news2011/2011-11-18-politexneio)



https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7vj1denRYPk/TsY94PlLIRI/AAAAAAAAEeo/K2yYS6zdLzk/s912/athin7.jpg


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4fLlbpJhnhc/TsY99r6SWlI/AAAAAAAAEeo/YjE6P4VstLE/s912/thes3.jpg

[RedPersonality]

400 workers of the “GREEK STEELWORKS” (Helliniki Halivourgia) industry, are on strike for 19 days.They have full support of PAME and of course of Communist Party of Greece.
Here is a resolution from 3 days ago.

http://www.pamehellas.gr/fullstory.php?lang=2&wid=2069

[FSL]

So, a while back, a law was voted allowing companies to bypass collective labor agreements that involve all the workers in the different sectors and make deals straight with their employees. By doing that it obviously becomes easier for each individual capitalist to blackmail his own employees rather than have them all together making demands.
Already, a "massacre" has started in the private sector. A shipping company wanted to impose a 2-day week on their staff along with a 60%(!) reduction in wages. After strikes they withdrew their proposal. But of course things aren't always good. Some of the largest banks are thinking of a 20-30% reduction and talks have started (unions in banks are dominated by the "center-left" and up until now quite a few people there were part of the labor aristocracy). Wage cuts are also imposed everywhere else, industry included.

And here we come to a man called Manesis. He's the in the steel-making business with a few factories in his hands and also a few ships to carry his raw material around. In one of his factories he made the workers sign a 40% reduction in salaries. In his other factory a strike has beein going on for almost 3 weeks.



We, the 400 workers of the “GREEK STEELWORKS” (Helliniki Halivourgia) industry, are on strike, like a fist, for the 16th day. And we continue! We do not move back, we have chosen the path of honor and dignity, to defend the bread and the future of our children.
We do not return to work, in fire and iron, for 500€. We demand, our 34 colleagues, who were laidoff, to return to work. Our struggle concerns the whole working class.
The employer of “GREEK STEELWORKS” is the battering ram of the industrialists.
The “GREEK STEELWORKS” is the first industry that attempts to impose 5hour working day with wage cuts, flexible employment relationships, unpaid overtime and to remove security rights by blackmailing us with losing our jobs.
The layoffs were made to terrorize us, because on our General Assembly we unanimously rejected the employers demand to work part-time, 5 hours a day, with a 40% wage cut. At the same time our hard work, increased the production last year from 196,000 to 266,000 tonnes, hard work with daily labor accidents and a dead worker.
The employer’s profits are immense, and he continues to blackmail that if we do not accept his demands to work as slaves, he will lay off 180 more workers.
The steelworkers gave him the right answer. We overcame fear, blackmails, the threat of hunger. We went on strike!
We are standing up. We are already victorious. No one can bend us!
The industrialists, in the factories around, were waiting for us to have got tired, to have returned to work with our heads bowed, to have signed working for 5hours a day. The employer admitted that he did not expect such a struggle! We have proven that workers have endless power. For 16 days, 24hours a day, we guard our strike. They felt our power and we have been taught a lot more. We can distinguish friends from enemies.
We rely on the power of solidarity. Dozens trade unions supports from day one. PAME stands on our side. Support steelworkers struggle in every way.
For the steelworker there in no way back!
If we lose, the door opens for 5hour working day and labor jungle to the other factories, which is what the industrialists await. The steelworkers’ victory will be a victory of the whole working class. That is why we want you on our side.
Thus far! Terror, blackmails and the attack against workers shall not pass!
Support the strikers steelworkers in all ways possible: resolutions, announcements, press releases by trade unions, neighborhoods, youth and women organizations, everywhere, outside the Factory’s gate, financial aid and gathering food for the strikers’ families.
We denounce to all workers, the leadership of the Federations of Workers in Metal Sector, and of the Regional Trade Union of Elefsina, which during those 16 days, not only they did not call a single meeting, in order to organize a solidarity campaign, but they “advise” us to bow our heads, they slander us, they try to divide us. We call workers to bypass them and to organize in every workplace.
Victory will be hard, but it will be ours!
http://www.wftucentral.org/?p=4307&language=en


This is day 19th I think since the strike started. It's not often we get strikes like these especially in the private sector. Because workers often don't last that long but also because capitalists don't last that long.
But things have changed. It's now imperative for them to increase their profits to fight off the crisis and survive against competition. So now they're really be demanding everything. Just hearing things like 20/30/40% reduction in salaries is terrifying.


One other thing that's special about this strike is the solidarity it's getting. There have been no reports of it in the bourgeois press and media, not one, but still through the CP's paper and word of mouth people learn about it. Workers in the food industry brought boxes filled with cartons of milk for the workers' kids, farmers brought vegetables and many people are gathering as much money as they could. Things are now tough for almost everyone though, few people can spare any money, and one of the nicest things I heard was how a union in another factory, one that is also organising a series of strikes now as there has been no pay in the past 2 months, gathered 140 euros, all in coins. Not by people who were cheap but by people who, in all honesty, are barely making it but still they felt they had to offer something. Students in the area take trips to the factory without their school's approval and generally, this sort of thing brought out the best in lots of people.


There have been visits to their boss' other factory to get the workers there to go on strike as well. That union however has a Paske-Dake majority (affiliated with Pasok and New Democracy) that mostly just helps the boss in terrorizing the workers, saying they need to accept sacrifices to protect their jobs. The Union of Metalworkers (covering the whole sector) also dominated by Paske has not called even a 24hour strike in solidarity and only acknowledged this effort a few days ago.
We'll see if they can keep the workers in the other factories frightened.



PS Hadn't seen the thread had gone into a second page, well a bit more info never hurt anyone.

[Sasha]

All electric power to the people! Electricity trade union occupies office for disconnection orders in Athens (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2011/11/21/the-trade-union-of-greece%e2%80%99s-public-power-corporation-genop-dei-has-occupied-and-holds-the-building-issuing-electricity-disconnection-orders-%e2%80%93-full-statement/)

Monday, November 21, 2011
On Sunday, trade unionists of GENOP-DEI, the union of the Public Power Corporation, occupied the building issuing the electricity disconnection orders for households that have failed to pay their bills. As of a few weeks ago, the latest bills now include the latest property tax imposed by the government, typically including hundreds of euros per property, making payment for thousands a non-option. The statement by GENOP-DEI follows.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/33331-300x199.jpg (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/33331.jpg)
Greek original
(http://www.genop.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1116:2011-11-20-16-06-49&catid=1:2009-08-08-10-27-00&Itemid=2)

Workers,
from the first day when the Papandreou government announced that it would turn DEI [the Public Power Corporation] from a servant of the people into a tax collector, that it would use the public good of Electricity as a blackmailing leverage against the poor and the unemployed, we used the most clear terms to denounce this unacceptable decision. With an emergency press conference on September 16th, 2011 we showed the tragic consequences this measure would have not only upon society but also upon DEI itself.
Because for us, the role of the trade unionist cannot be detached from what happens in society.
Because for us syndicalism is a holy cause, we made clear from the first instance that we will use all our powers and with the greek society as ally and forefront to block this unacceptable and criminal decision.
More specifically, at this press conference we had said that in our struggle we would intervene at three stages in order to cancel out this unacceptable decision.
The first stage: to block the bills with the emergency tax from being posted out.
The second stage: in the case that we did not succeed at the first stage, to block all the disconnection orders from reaching all those who cannot afford to pay the emergency tax.
The third and main stage would be that with our bodies, our physical presence, giving a man-to-man struggle in the streets and in the neighbourhood of the entire country we will prevent the electricity from being disconnected from the households of impoverished co-humans of ours.
Concerning the last point, we can today announce that in tens of cities across the country, patrolling groups [have been set up] in co-ordination with labour centres, unions, the local municipalities, social organisations, citizen unions, and wherever they do not exist yet, this is only a matter of days.
Being consistent with what we had said, on October 13 we attempted to block the posting out of the electricity bills. At that time, the management found alternative solutions.
Today, November 20th and despite the ferocious attack we received from the lackeys of the system, one day before the disconnection orders are mailed out, we are are here, at the only point where disconnection orders are mailed out, to the entire country.
We are here because the role of DEI is not that of the tax-collector.
We are here because the public good of electricity cannot be used as a blackmailing leverage.
We are here because those who voted in this despicable law did not even bother to think “but how will the unemployed possibly pay? Will we also cut off their electricity?”
We are here because we refuse to become inhuman murderers of small children and of the sick
We are here because for us no co-human of ours is in abundance
We are here because there is still blood running through our veins
We are here, because humans and their needs are above the markers
We are here to blockade the disconnection orders for the public good of Electricity, without which lives are endangered and no-one can live.
Finally, we are here because we do not want to be ashamed tomorrow.
We will not throw our pride and dignity down the drain.



:thumbup1:

[FSL]

Earlier today police stopped the occupation and arrested about 15 people (one of them is the head of the union). After that the electricity trade union called for an immediate 2-day strike. People have started gathering again at the place where the occupation was taking place, the police hasn't left.

[IndependentCitizen]

Keep up the work, Comrades. Only a matter of time before the revolution comes.

[mrmikhail]

Greek police make first raid on university since fall of military junta
By Robert Stevens
24 November 2011

Within days of being installed at the behest of the international financial elite, the new Greek coalition government led by top banker and prime minister Lucas Papademos has signalled its intention to impose cuts by authoritarian means.
On November 17 the government utilised the abolition in August of the Academic Asylum law by the previous social democratic PASOK government to authorise the police entry into a public university, at Thessaloniki, for the first time since 1982.
The Academic Asylum' legislation law, barring the police from campuses, was passed in the early 1980s. It required police to seek the permission of a prosecutor before being able to enter the grounds of higher education establishments. Students were guaranteed sanctuary from arrest or state brutality.
The law was enacted in response to the brutal murder of students who took part in an uprising at the Polytechnic in Athens on November 17, 1973, by the US-backed military junta. On that day students launched strike action under the slogan of “bread, education, freedom”, against the Greek military, led by George Papadopoulos, which had taken power in 1967.
Since the fall of the junta in 1974, students, youth and workers throughout Greece have marked November 17 as the end of a three-day period of protests and remembrance of the victims of the Greek colonels’ regime.
This year, in the aftermath of the October 19-20 general strike that saw the largest protests on the streets since the fall of the junta, the Papademos regime quickly moved to crack down on the annual demonstrations.
As of November 15, a first instance prosecuting court was put on standby to “handle possible incidents” according to the Athens News Agency.
The ANA reported, “According to plans, 11 prosecutors will be on round-the-clock standby on Tuesday and Wednesday, one of whom will be at the Operations Centre of the Attica Police Headquarters.” It added, “On Thursday [November 17], three prosecutors will be at the Attica Police Headquarters and another 12 will be on standby. The plans also anticipate, if necessary, the number of prosecuting officials to be increased wherever their presence will be required.”
In the capital, more than 30,000 people participated in the march that, by tradition, departs from the Athens Polytechnic on a route that ends at the US embassy. This was the largest November 17 demonstration seen in years. According to reports the demonstration was policed by 7,000 officers, including 700 heavily armed riot police.
Police attacked the protesters with tear gas and stun grenades. At least 90 people were detained for questioning and 13 arrested. One young protester was hospitalised after injuring both legs when police chased him.
Large protests were also held in the cities of Patras and Thessaloniki, and on the island of Crete. In Patras police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators.
In Thessaloniki 15,000 people protested and were also attacked by the police with tear gas. During the evening riot police officers entered the grounds of Aristotle University. Police chased a group of youth into the grounds of the university and then into one of the faculties. According to eyewitnesses, the police then detained one of the youths for questioning.
The raid took place as members of the university senate and students were attending a classical music concert conducted by the composer Thanos Mikroutsikos in the main auditorium.
The abolition of the right to Academic Asylum was carried out as part of the education reform bill submitted by education minister Anna Diamantopoulou. Under the instruction of the TroikaEuropean Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bankthe Papandreou government laid the basis for the privatisation of higher education. The bill introduced tuition fees and allowed for autonomous administration of universities. Free education is to be guaranteed only for three years, with fees to be imposed for further years of study. Non-academics and individuals external to universities will be permitted to run institutions that will be assessment-based, with funding based on orientation to industry. Existing national pay scales will be abolished and replaced by productivity-related pay scales.
University budgets had already been slashed by 30 percent in 2010 and another 20 percent in 2011.
PASOK has been entrusted with several key ministries in the new Papademos government. As noted, Diamantopoulou, the author of the abolition of Academic Asylum, has taken control of the education ministry. There is clear evidence that the abolition was carried out in collaboration with the US Obama administration. One of the diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks last year documents comments from Daniel V. Speckhard, the former US ambassador in Athens. In December 2009, Speckhard wrote that the law of Academic Asylum was “nothing more than a legal cover for hoodlums to wreak destruction with impunity” and “threatens the academic and student communities.”
Speckhard complained that Greece's universities “have become a war zone where police are afraid to show up” and claimed, “Due in large part to constant disruptions to classes, the average Greek student takes six years to complete a four-year degree.”
Seeking to justify state repression, he wrote, “Campuses have become havens for criminals, most of (whom) are involved in crimes such as drug trafficking, assault, theft, counterfeiting of DVDs and CDs, looting and vandalism.”
Speckhard praised the Athens Law School, which “took a bold step toward restricting access to its campus, proposing introducing a student ID system similar to that used by the Sorbonne and posting guards at its gates.”
Noting that PASOK were amenable to changing the law of Academic Asylum, despite their previous commitment to retaining it, Speckhard enthused, “The fact that changes to the university asylum law are even being discussed is a big step forward for Greek society, an indication that, for many, this formerly sacred legislation may be past its prime and no longer applicable to today's reality.”
The destruction of the social conditions and living standards of the Greek working class cannot be imposed through democratic means. Less then four decades after the fall of the military regime, a new right-wing government, which includes the neo-fascist LAOS party, has been imposed, with no mandate from the population. It has been tasked with carrying out the brutal requirements of the financial aristocracy in Greece and internationally.
Source (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/nov2011/gree-n24.shtml)

The government is looking more and more like the old dictatorship....

[RedPersonality]

The strikers in Helliniki Halivourgia open a bank account for anyone who wants to help financially.

Bank:National Bank of Greece
Account number:200/623301-52
IBAN:GR 40 0110 2000 0000 2006 2330 152
BIC or Swift Code:ETHNGRAA

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Just one hour ago,there has been a little rumour that Greece might get out of the Eurozone. However I do not have evidence to prove that, I heard it thought on the TV tonight.

[FSL]

Probably in relation to this: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/27/us-eurozone-crisis-idUSTRE7AQ0CF20111127

"Germany, France examine radical push for eurozone"


A eurozone with way more strict rules and tougher penalties on those who don't live by them, made by Germany, France and all those who think they can follow.
It's the end of the EU as we know it?

[RedPersonality]

"WORKERS COUNTERATTACK" magazine of PAME.

Issue No 1
http://www.pamehellas.gr/publications/pbl_25112011_131821.pdf

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Tomorrow (6 December 2011) huge demonstrations are likely to happen to remember the 15-year old Alexis Grigoropoulos murdered by a cop back in 2008 the same day.
Parties are not going to take place at such events. The KKE has organised a demonstration about the hard taxes put on the citizens which will happen at the afternoon much later than the Grigoropoulos demonstrations where only schools will possibly take place.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Why isn't the revolutionary process in Greece going anywhere? The country has had mass demonstrations of 100s of thousands, 12 (I think,I've lost count) general strikes, the government and political parties are despised, MPs can't go out in public without risking assault.The population is painfully aware, literally, that they have no future under capitalism.

Why isn't the working class able to take power? The situation isn't just ripe for revolution, its like a banana which has been left out for over a month.

I know the details, the unions have been holding back the working class, the left doesn't appear to have its act together but c,mon, why is Greece still capitalist?

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Why isn't the revolutionary process in Greece going anywhere? The country has had mass demonstrations of 100s of thousands, 12 (I think,I've lost count) general strikes, the government and political parties are despised, MPs can't go out in public without risking assault.The population is painfully aware, literally, that they have no future under capitalism.

Why isn't the working class able to take power? The situation isn't just ripe for revolution, its like a banana which has been left out for over a month.

I know the details, the unions have been holding back the working class, the left doesn't appear to have its act together but c,mon, why is Greece still capitalist?
Look this will sound stereotypical but I do not intend to sound so. Anyways, all of the Greeks have realised that things are difficult and something is need to be done, except a very few percent of people who are shitty PASOK(Goverment) supporters. However and take that into consideration a huge percent of Greeks are expeting that some great leader would come and make their lifes better and get them out of the crisis. If they do not stop thinking that there can be no revolution as a whole. On the other hand there is a small percentage of Greek people who demonstrate to abolish the capitalist state in Greece. But mostly such people only belong to parties or get no active at all after some time has passed.

[RedPersonality]

Resolution - Call to struggle of the General Assembly of the HELLINIKI HALLIVOURGIA workers
http://www.pamehellas.gr/fullstory.php?lang=2&wid=2126

[aty]

Resolution - Call to struggle of the General Assembly of the HELLINIKI HALLIVOURGIA workers
http://www.pamehellas.gr/fullstory.php?lang=2&wid=2126
This is where the revolution will begin. Just look at Russia before the 1917-revolution. They had strikes, riots, bombs and shootings for 20 years before the actual revolution in the workplaces started taking place.

Greece have not even had their 1905-revolution yet. Just because the Greece working class is way way ahead of other european countries dont mean that they actually could have a socialist revolution tomorrow. This is also a sign how bad things are for the working class in Europe at the moment.

[A Marxist Historian]

Why isn't the revolutionary process in Greece going anywhere? The country has had mass demonstrations of 100s of thousands, 12 (I think,I've lost count) general strikes, the government and political parties are despised, MPs can't go out in public without risking assault.The population is painfully aware, literally, that they have no future under capitalism.

Why isn't the working class able to take power? The situation isn't just ripe for revolution, its like a banana which has been left out for over a month.

I know the details, the unions have been holding back the working class, the left doesn't appear to have its act together but c,mon, why is Greece still capitalist?

Because the unions have been holding back the working class and the left most certainly does not have its act together.

Crisis of leadership, same old story. Rosa was wrong, or rather I should say those who have misinterpreted her these days are wrong. Lenin and Trotsky were right. Spontaneous revolutions rarely happen, and when they do (Tunisia and Egypt for example) they don't go anywhere good unless a revolutionary leadership with the necessary revolutionary program evolves.

-M.H.-

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Two days ago, on 23 December, the far-right neonazi fascist party "Golden Dawn" had a demonstration on the Syntagma Square in Athens, against the "Junta of the Mnemonium".Funny, because many of the Golden Dawn members are totally supporting the Junta goverment which took place on 1967-1974!:laugh: However, there were conflicts between them and the riot cops.
VDRtayj-y_U
Merry X-mas!:D

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Also, the Greek channel ALTER TV has been off the air for 3 weeks because the shitty owner of the channel, has hold the payment of the workers since July 2010! Solidarity to the ALTER workers who have resisted not being paid!

[Sasha]

Running against the grain of defeatism, the steelworkers at “Greek Steelworks” (Elliniki Halivourgia) have already achieved what would have seemed*inconceivable*only a few weeks ago. They took on their boss and his threat to cut down their salary cuts dramatically (by 40%) and to fire those who instigated the strike – and it seems like they are winning!
Already striking for 55 days in a row (as of December 26th, 2011; the strike started on November 1st) the steelworkers have already created a formidable record. They have forced their boss to the negotiating table and the first “offer” has already come through – the schedule restructuring (and subsequent pay cuts) to be withdrawn, but the sacking of at least 34 of their co-workers would stay in place. The strikers have rejected the “offer” and the struggle continues. *This is not just their struggle: it is a struggle against the ritualistic, theatrical opposition of single-day General Strikes; it is a struggle against the defeatism and the fatalistic attitude of those unable to see through the haze of the memorandum and the capitalist crisis; it is a struggle that shatters through the delusions of the spectacle at the time of the year when it would have otherwise reached a peak.
Victory to the steelworkers – indefinite, wildcat strikes everywhere, now!


SOURCE: http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2011/12/26/greek-steelworks-wildcat-indefinite-strike-continues-a-struggle-for-the-dignity-of-all-of-us/

[Kornilios Sunshine]

For the time being, things in Greece are relavitely calm but it's only the start of the year. This should be the year of the uprising of the capitalist goverment by the workers.

[Sasha]

Anarchists intervene in commercial Athens radio station to transmit solidarity message for the Revolutionary Struggle case trial; currently surrounded by scores of police

In the morning of January 10th, members of the Solidarity Aseembly for the case of the Revolutionary Struggle (whose trial is currently underway) entered the corporate radio station Flash.gr on Kifisias Ave in Athens and interrupted the station’s program, to transmit a message of solidarity with those on trial.
Despite the fact that neither the station’s management, nor its staff wished any police intervention, scores of police (DIAS, Riot Police, undercovers) arrived on the spot within minutes. At the time of writing (14.05 GMT+2) after hours of being blocked inside the building, it is becoming increasingly evident that all those in solidarity that took part in the intervention will be detained and taken to the police HQ on Alexandras Ave.
More info as it comes.
UPDATE, 15.50 GMT+2 A solidarity gathering has been called for 17.30 pm outside the police HQ on Alexandras Avenue.
UPDATE, 14.35 GMT+2 Two attorneys and scores of riot police stormed the radio station building, detaining all those who had participated in the solidarity action. The charges against them are brought automatically (aytapageltes) meaning that no call from the station’s owners was required for the attorneys/police to intervene. The charges fall under Greece’s most recent (third) anti-terrorist law and include “appraisal of terrorist actions and use of illegal force”.

[Sasha]

At approximately 7pm on Monday evening, 78-year old S.K. set himself alight with petrol at a parking lot in the town of Lefkada, in Western Greece. The man died on the spot.
This follows from a tremendous increase in suicides across Greece, and Crete in particular – where also, two days ago (on Saturday night) a homeless man died of the cold in the streets of the city of Chania.

[Sasha]

At approximately 7pm on Monday evening, 78-year old S.K. set himself alight with petrol at a parking lot in the town of Lefkada, in Western Greece. The man died on the spot.
This follows from a tremendous increase in suicides across Greece, and Crete in particular – where also, two days ago (on Saturday night) a homeless man died of the cold in the streets of the city of Chania.

this is actually the 11th case of self immolation since 2010, with the youngest case being that of a 13 year old girl!
such cases are not given any publicity by the media (in one case, that of an albanian immigrant in Chios, it was just mentioned in the police official internet page) and ofcourse no one knows the names of these martyrs:
4 jan 2010- 27 year old man in Kaisiariani, Athens

2 jun 2010- 50 year old man in a bank in Thessaloniki

14 dec 2010- 50 year old man in front of the Presidential Palace& Megaron Maximou, Athens

22 feb 2011- 49 year old man in a church in Volos

24 jun 2011- 24 year old woman in Patras

7 jun 2011-45 year old man in Karditsa

13 sept 2011- 54 year old man outside of a bank in Thessaloniki

23 sept 2011- 13 year old girl in Kaminia, Athens

20 oct 2011- 43 year old woman in Iracleio, Creta

6 nov 2011- 35 year old man in Chios

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Golden Dawn(Chresee Avgee) fuckers had a demonstration on 29/12 to "honour" the 3 soldiers who died on the Imia rock island on 1996 while battling with Turkish commandos.Their whole fascist demonstration :
oOZfnOf7p40
By the way, they injured two immigrants at the Omonoia Square but fortunatelly the assholes who did it were arrested.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

On a voting gallop that took place yesterday as of February 2012, it predicts that there will be 10 parties in the Greek Parliament including the Golden Dawn assholes who took 2%. PASOK has been reduced to 9,5% and ND(New Democracy) party is first with 19%. Afterwards comes the KKE(Communist Party) which takes 9%, aftewards is SYRIZA(Opportunists) with 8,5%, next is DIM.AR(Democratic Left) which takes 8,5% , next comes LAOS(Conservatives) with 4%, Green Ecologists wih 2,5% and then 2% other parties including Golden Dawn. 19,5% of the people are not voting , 10% have not decided yet and 4% votes other small parties.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F4I0wrTVXPg/TymWZDSyX9I/AAAAAAAAWts/9gMr1grPW4I/s1600/dimoskopisi_Feb12.jpg

[PhoenixAsh]

So after december 2011 the more radical left are losing votes while the right is winning votes? Or do I interpret the picture and results incorrectly?

[Omsk]

Can any comrade answer a question for me: Is this "Golden Dawn" openly fascist [ie. are their leader open about it,or is this common for their rank-and file members]?Do they face a unified opposition?What are their chances to win popularity during the economic crisis?

Thank you in advance.

All i know,is that their members were in the Bosnian War,and that they have certain ties with Russian nationalists.

[Sasha]

Can any comrade answer a question for me: Is this "Golden Dawn" openly fascist [ie. are their leader open about it,or is this common for their rank-and file members]?Do they face a unified opposition?What are their chances to win popularity during the economic crisis?

Thank you in advance.

All i know,is that their members were in the Bosnian War,and that they have certain ties with Russian nationalists.


afaik LAOS is the "secret" fascist/extreme-right party that is offically democratic but in reality wants to go back to the days of the junta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Orthodox_Rally)
goldendawn is openly neo-fascist/neo-nazi:
According to the Party's charter, "only Aryans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryan_race) in blood and Greeks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeks) in descent can be candidate members of Golden Dawn".[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Dawn_%28Greece%29#cite_note-IosHist-6) The charter also puts the leader in total control of the party, and formalizes the use of the Hitlergruss (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitlergruss) for party members.[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Dawn_%28Greece%29#cite_note-IosHist-6) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Dawn_%28Greece%29)
their youth organisation is also a offical sister-organisation to the US based National Alliance.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Can any comrade answer a question for me: Is this "Golden Dawn" openly fascist [ie. are their leader open about it,or is this common for their rank-and file members]?Do they face a unified opposition?What are their chances to win popularity during the economic crisis?

Thank you in advance.

All i know,is that their members were in the Bosnian War,and that they have certain ties with Russian nationalists.
Take into consideration that one of the members said "They call us fascists,racists,nationalists,nazis. If it is to protect the motherland then yes we are what they say". Unfortunatelly,the youth is adopting racist stereotypes and is led to supporting Golden Dawn. Their enemies are of course the communists,anarchist and immigrants, in one word humans, but they are opposed with LAOS the conservative party. Golden Dawn labels it as a psedo-patriotic party and a one who supports the Junta period in Greece. It's really funny because tons of GD members are mad fans of the Colonels of the Junta. In my opinion,there is no chance of them being a goverment. If that comes true well then either I will be killed or I will migrate to Cuba. :P

[Kornilios Sunshine]

So after december 2011 the more radical left are losing votes while the right is winning votes? Or do I interpret the picture and results incorrectly?
Not actually like this. LAOS which is in the goverment of Greece, before it participates in it, it had 7%. But since it got to the goverment, its numbers have been reduced. I would say the KKE has rised their numbers. DIM.AR , The Democratic Left..wait they are not left! They are a true copy of PASOK. They are left only on the name. So no, they do not consist of a party in the left.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Anarchist Yannis Dimitrakis was arrested, heavily wounded by cop bullets, on January 16th, 2006, after the National Bank robbery on Solonos Street, in the centre of Athens.

A storm of misinformation was systematically supplied by the police and readily carried out by the mass media, as his arrest was followed by a delirious state propaganda about the alleged existence of a so-called “robbers’ in black gang”; in the days while he was still being hospitalized in the intensive care unit, the infamous “terror”-prosecutor Diotis attempted to interrogate him; his friends and relatives were targeted; and in the prosecution case against him, the anti-terrorist provision as well as charges for a number of additional robberies were included.

Dimitrakis defended the particular bank robbery in which he was arrested as his political choice, as a choice based on his opposition to the blackmail of work as well as to the role of banks. In addition, from the first moment and during the entire time of his captivity he was actively present in revolts and struggles within prisons and through his writings kept a vivid contact with developments on the outside. The prosecuting mechanisms also accused and proclaimed wanted for the case three more anarchists, Simos and Marios Seisidis and Grigoris Tsironis, actually reaching the point of placing a bounty on their heads in October 2009. Simos Seisidis has been acquitted both in the trial for the outrageous case of “robbers’ in black gang” and the trial for attempted murder (!) against the same cop who shot him in the leg. Nevertheless, Simos is still under pretrial detention in the “hospital” of Koridallos prisons, waiting to stand one last trial, while Marios Seisidis and Grigoris Tsironis are fugitives to this day.

The outcome of Dimitrakis’ trial in the first degree, in July 2007, was an exterminating sentence of 35 years. During his appeal court, in December 2010, his sentence was reduced to 12.5 years. Finally, after being incarcerated six whole years, the comrade was released from prison on parole.
NO FIGHTER A HOSTAGE IN THE HANDS OF THE POWER
AND ECONOMIC ELITES
FREEDOM NOW TO ALL IN PRISON

http://anarchistnews.org/node/21594

good news I suppose

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Anonymous posted a protest against Greece's EU and IMF-inspired austerity policies on the website of the country's justice ministry today.

"You have joined the IMF against your people's acquiescence... democracy was given birth in your country but you have killed it," said a the posted video.


"What is going on in your country is unacceptable. You were chosen by your people to act on behalf of them and express their wishes. But you have derogatorily failed. You have killed the most sacred element your country had, and that is democracy."


You Should have Expected Us!
L196xcu0TLs
Source : http://anonops.blogspot.com/2012/02/anonymous-hack-greek-justice-ministrys.html


However, according to the Greek PCC(Prosecution of Cyber Crime or ΔΗΕ/DHE in Greek) the hacking attacks do not come from the hacktivist group Anonymous but from the Greek Hacking Scene who impersonated Anonymous. Besides, official Anonymous tweeted that they had no idea about the attack on the Greek Ministry of Justice.

[Sasha]

Call for Rally and March in Athens on Saturday 4/2/12 (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/02/03/call-for-rally-and-march-in-athens-on-saturday-4212/)

Friday, February 3, 2012
Several groups are calling for a rally and march in Monastiraki Square in Athens on Saturday 4/2/12 at 12:00. Some of the posters calling for the demonstration.
http://athens.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/poreia_4-2_skaramagka.jpg"Let's put back on our lips the word REVOLUTION"

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P6cp9hrsweo/TxlhZpIzymI/AAAAAAAAAEM/7D3ED53HB4I/s1600/poster.jpeg"No Tolerance - No Consensus To the emergency regime that is enforced by the local and global economic and political bosses - For the social and class counter offensive, for a society of social equality, solidarity and freedom"


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-djeXn5CXO9Y/TyZz8fNXNLI/AAAAAAAABJM/P0d5NSlde-Q/s1600/poreia_04_02_2012_xwris+resalto.jpgthe red letters write: "Consensus or Default" - They have declared a war against us and they are asking as to keep peaceful - General Social Revolt

http://athens.indymedia.org/calendar/uploads/poreia_4-1-12_kathestos_ektaktis_ana.jpg"Against the wild exploitation, misery, fear, racism, social cannibalism and intensive repression promoted by the sweeping attack of the state, the bosses and transnational mechanisms of sovereignty We should respond with social and class solidarity in the workplaces, in the neighbourhoods and on the streets. In front of institutional deployment, the state of emergency and the blackmailing dilemma: “Consensus or Default” we should set the real dilemma from below: “Capitalism or Revolution” Self-organised – Uncontrolled and Radical Struggles -Social and Class Counter Offensive for a society of freedom, equality solidarity for a society without exploitation of human by human being. March 4 February 2012 at 12:00 Monastiraki Square"






Filed in news (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/category/news/) | | Comments (2) (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/02/03/call-for-rally-and-march-in-athens-on-saturday-4212/#comments)

[PhoenixAsh]

That was yesterday...is there any news what came of it?

[Ele'ill]

(Reuters) - Greece's two major labor unions plan a 24-hour strike on Tuesday against austerity measures and reforms demanded by international lenders in exchange for a new bailout package, union officials said on Sunday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/05/us-greece-unions-idUSTRE8140Q920120205

[GoddessCleoLover]

Is there any hope for a general strike?

[Os Cangaceiros]

Hospital occupation in Greece

http://libcom.org/blog/greek-hospital-now-under-workers-control-05022012

[GoddessCleoLover]

A wave of occupations in Greece in support of the hospital occupiers would be a significant step forward for Greek workers in their struggle against the neoliberal monsters who are destroying the Greek social safety net.

[Os Cangaceiros]

On Saturday, February 4th, at 20.00 in the evening, 60 solidaritarians attacked the personal guard, the guard booth and official vehicles outside the residence of the president of democracy Karolos Papoulias. Papoulias’ personal guard fled, and flyers were thrown at the spot in solidarity with the anarchists Stella Antoniou, Kostas Sakkas, Giorgos Karagiannidis and Alexandros Mitroussias.

The solidaritarians withdrew in coordinated pace from the place, which is located at short distance from the police headquarters. A few minutes later, a DELTA police motorcycle unit appeared, that used flash-bang grenades in an effort to reach the solidaritarians, but with no success.

Yesterday’s action was held in solidarity with Stella Antoniou and the other comrades accused for the same case (http://tameio.espivblogs.net/en/2010/12/04/about-the-4th-of-december-%E2%80%9Canti-terrorist%E2%80%9D-operation/), as a first response to the denial (http://actforfree.nostate.net/?p=7643) of her application for release on bail.

These actions will continue until Stella Antoniou is released from prison.

http://actforfree.nostate.net/?p=7685 (originally posted on Athens Indymedia)

If that really happened, it's pretty cool. Moar mob violence pleaz

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Yes
Is there any hope for a general strike?
Yes. There's gonna be one tomorrow.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Yes
Yes. There's gonna be one tomorrow.
So how did it go?

[chegitz guevara]

official Anonymous

That is a contradiction in terms.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Sorry for being late. Well the General Strike on 7 February went okay without any riots. However, yesterday there was another huge 24 hour general strike but even today no buses,metro will be on rail and road. The riots took place on Syntagma square, between riot cops and masked people. SzTmoKkiehEKyzSR8yOL-w

[Kornilios Sunshine]

In addition the Pirates Party of Greece will be having demonstrations today on 3 places in Greece to protest about ACTA.One in Athens at the Syntagma Square, another on Thessaloniki at Aristotelous Square and the last one on Patra at Georgiou Square.All demonstrations will begin on 17:00.
http://www.pirateparty.gr/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/stop-acta-pp-gr.jpg

[PhoenixAsh]

As I understand it the Greek political parties have upped the pressure on their respective members of parliament.

Samaras (New Democracy...conservatives) has already stated that there should be new elections after Greece has reached an agreement which agrees withthe austerity measures in order to secure the next installment of the European and IMF bailout. Any politician voting against the austerity measures would be placed on an unelectabel position.

LAOS (rightwing nationalists) also stated they will be voting against austerity measures because it is a sell out of Greek independence and a humiliation for Greece.

Police unions have called for the immediate arrest of all EU and IMF inspectors in Greece for undermining Greek democracy and violating Greek sovereignty. In how far this is serious I am not aware.


Protests in Greece are downplayed in the media here or not reported at all..

[aty]

Protests in Greece are downplayed in the media here or not reported at all..

Funny, here they put up a picture on a burning cop every time theres been a riot in Greece :) with the headline "Athens in flames" or "Chaos on the streets of Athens".
They even show the riots live on the web.

[RedZero]

A couple of live streams:


http://www.enikos.gr/politics/12812,LIVE_-_Syntagma_apo_tis_kameres_toy_enik.html
http://www.skai.gr/player/tvlive/

Pictures:
https://p.twimg.com/Alekwv8CMAIzJ3a.jpg


http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/full/515752006.jpg?Expires=1329081566&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=IS-g4DwqxmuKyCavWr4p4KkVr7Wf3cHGJL4Q3ePWquBwCZlOywY61 lh9xfnZ91B4VrRkYLcEjUmgi7el6jyYHR0jPq%7Eu8PWfH1kVR m6mM5l%7EgkpiC36A4eHvllWAnStxVhEsttz6nd4Mg5fJixVt4 580duWBW-EbX0xJ7oaR8VI_

http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/515740479.jpg?Expires=1329081572&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=o-oVacQgcgmEwI-zjBgQTu9yRqFYPR8bMfGDeH5D1P2EJK0MBYv57HmTtYyO1ggOE XrFGjG8FS18czS2uyujQ7HHW%7EXNYtSB%7ExqjsNG95jlv65a AMzDIvfOSKUn1ouCteF8ehJnuW1XFQCSs4HiydOwV97ZzJuRDb aDA3SK1uuE_

http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/515718913.jpg?Expires=1329081576&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=N%7EID26%7Ec3YaF12FAv2Dgq%7ECsXmdPxQaWHS-YgiBi7tHCfsic43luS6tAhB9FDZNjltCAEj9ytbxoix6povDBJ I774gW3zeF-HZ%7EmaidtNtuVamAxTPVuOmoW3eAFGflT16WugOXZcWTH5PFV dHspabcIgCahH286hU6rRmc%7EyII_

[artanis17]

Respect for Greeks...

[RedZero]

From today:

6MCsrO6fMJM

[Arlekino]

Tweeter reports that police using tear gas on children any can confirm this?

[PhoenixAsh]

aToAHGIAYvM

[PhoenixAsh]

http://news.yahoo.com/bailout-chaos-pm-papademos-tells-greece-005703038.html

[PhoenixAsh]

Live stream from Global revolution shows parliament and an empty square.

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

[PhoenixAsh]

rjtVXbNUJko
ze11436A6aU

[Rocky Rococo]

Are the police being ably assisted by their loyal adjutants, Golden Dawn and the KKE?

[Krano]

P9FLQxMYiI4

[Susurrus]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/12/us-greece-idUSTRE8120HI20120212

[Os Cangaceiros]

Wow, that Reuters article claims the disorder is the worst since the December 2008 riots. I guess this is more significant than I originally thought.

[X5N]

Shit just got real.

[Per Levy]

Prime Minister Lucas Papademos denounced the worst breakdown of order since 2008 when violence gripped Greece for weeks after police shot a 15-year-old schoolboy."Vandalism, violence and destruction have no place in a democratic country and won't be tolerated," he told parliament


that is rich, since papdemos goverment isnt democratic elected and therefore not even by bourgeoisie democracy standarts legitimized. also his goverment has to aprove of dictate by the troika that also isnt democratic legitimized. bourgeois hypocrazy. anyway, that all makes you wonder, will the greek state usee the army sooner or later to "pacify" the riots?

[Krano]

that is rich, since papdemos goverment isnt democratic elected and therefore not even by bourgeoisie democracy standarts legitimized. also his goverment has to aprove of dictate by the troika that also isnt democratic legitimized. bourgeois hypocrazy. anyway, that all makes you wonder, will the greek state usee the army sooner or later to "pacify" the riots?
It will eventually come to that the state won't give up easily, also some of the money given by other EU states has been used on the military.

[Susurrus]

More articles:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9075868/Democracy-is-ending-in-the-land-where-it-began.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1130076--greek-crisis-athens-buildings-burn-as-lawmakers-debate-austerity-cuts?bn=1
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/12/greece-cant-take-any-more
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17007761
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46358793/ns/world_news-europe/#.Tzhxi7GLMTZ
http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/02/12/146726217/what-greek-austerity-looks-like
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/12/world/europe/greece-debt-crisis/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/12/photos-from-riots-in-greece-over-unpopular-austerity-measures/

[Susurrus]

http://i.imgur.com/cuH8z.jpg

[aty]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6865736161_381ab28245_z.jpg

[Os Cangaceiros]

That's an awesome picture.

[bcbm]

'agent provocateurs' :rolleyes:

[Os Cangaceiros]

According to OL there have been solidarity demos in Berlin, Paris and London. So that's good I suppose.

[Buitraker]

According to OL there have been solidarity demos in Berlin, Paris and London. So that's good I suppose.
Madrid too

[Rusty Shackleford]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6865736161_381ab28245_z.jpg
beautiful.

[bcbm]

Makis Barbarossos, 37, an insurance salesman, said he had lost faith in Greek politicians.

“They’re all sold out in there; they should be punished,” he said, waving a cigarette in the direction of the Parliament building. “We should put them in small, unheated apartments with 300-euro pensions and see can they live like that. Can they live how they’re asking us to live?” Asked what the solution was, his answer was blunt. “Three hundred nooses,” he said, referring to the 300 members of Parliament.

whoa

[Rusty Shackleford]

i just heard a report about kids in greece, in all parts of the country, fainting in school because their parents cant even afford food. and one of every 2 young adults (im assuming under 25) is unemployed. and now with a 22% minimum wage cut?


the greek government in its current form cannot last more than a few more years. it just cant!

[bcbm]

23.05 GMT+2 A gun shop in Omonoia, Athens, has been looted.

http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/02/12/athens-the-long-night-of-february-12-burning-and-looting-tonight/

[bcbm]

i just heard a report about kids in greece, in all parts of the country, fainting in school because their parents cant even afford food. and one of every 2 young adults (im assuming under 25) is unemployed. and now with a 22% minimum wage cut?


the greek government in its current form cannot last more than a few more years. it just cant!

'a few more years' seems optimistic

[Rusty Shackleford]

'a few more years' seems optimistic
i mean, when does all of this go into effect though? regardless, i was being a bit generous.

[Bandito]

ROCK & PORK

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/423196_177759685660834_100002804125008_207917_2981 69203_n.jpg

[ВАЛТЕР]

How bad do you guys see this getting?

Given that Greece is a member of the NATO pact and EU I don't see them allowing the state to be overthrown by the masses. At least not without being replaced with another regime that will collaborate with Brussels and Berlin.

I fear that the situation can result in a military takeover, much like the one seen in Egypt, or even worse some kind of an EU/NATO "peacekeeping" mission, which will undoubtedly result in armed resistance.

Say the Greeks manage to bring down their government. What is the next step? What will stop the military from taking over, or the west from installing a regime that will cooperate? I only see armed insurrection if it comes to one of these scenarios.

What do you guys think?

[aty]

How bad do you guys see this getting?

Given that Greece is a member of the NATO pact and EU I don't see them allowing the state to be overthrown by the masses. At least not without being replaced with another regime that will collaborate with Brussels and Berlin.

I fear that the situation can result in a military takeover, much like the one seen in Egypt, or even worse some kind of an EU/NATO "peacekeeping" mission, which will undoubtedly result in armed resistance.

Say the Greeks manage to bring down their government. What is the next step? What will stop the military from taking over, or the west from installing a regime that will cooperate? I only see armed insurrection if it comes to one of these scenarios.

What do you guys think?
If the leftist parties win the elections and form a government and decides too abolish capitalism and the EU-membership and the military overthrow the elected government I cant see any way out than an armed insurrection. The three leftists parties could form a majority in the elections. Just like it happend in Spain before Franco tried to overthrow the elected government.

Right now they have togheter 42,5 % of the votes:

The poll, carried out on a sample of 1,002 people last week, showed the Communist Party (KKE) and the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) to be holding firm at 12.5 and 12 percent respectively. But the Democratic Left has surged in popularity, garnering 18 percent of the public vote (up 4.5 percent since last month).

[Искра]

If the leftist parties win the elections and form a government and decides too abolish capitalism
Sweet dreams...

[The Douche]

If the leftist parties win the elections and form a government and decides too abolish capitalism

Parties and politicians can't abolish social relationships. Fuck, this is some really elementary stuff.

[PhoenixAsh]

Democratic Left is a pro-European party and denounces anything else than peaceful demonstrations within the parliamentary democratic system. They are not a proponent for the current set of austerity measures though but, as far as I can tell, still propose a capitalist mode of production and recapitalisation of banks through stocks. It wants more European economic governance and a tighter bond with Europe.

On top of that ND leadership has in the past announced that it will not automatically defend workers rights.

The party is at best centrist social democratic in nature and very far removed from any lasting solution for workers and unemployed in Greece. The party in the past distanced itself from Syriza calling more radical leftwing groups "lacking in vision and realistic awarenes"

[Omsk]

I read a report on the news,60 building in flames?[Can you people confirm this?]

And the comment's section on the article i read was so hilarious.

-"Why are they rioting?They are just ruining the city!"

-"If they were actually working and not rioting,things would have been better!"

-"They are barbarians!"

-"i liked Athens,now they are ruining it.."

...

I mean,seriously?

[aty]

Sweet dreams...
I know, but one must dream, must we not if we are too abolish capitalism?

What these polls show is that there are a very strong socialist sentiment among the people in Greece. And on top of that they have a large non-parliamentarian socialist movement.

The conditions in Greece at the moment is going in the right way. But it will take many years of struggle before we can see a real social revolution. But it has begun and the working class are fighting back at the moment.

[PhoenixAsh]

I read a report on the news,60 building in flames?[Can you people confirm this?]


you people?

Anyways....reports indicte 50+ which is pretty much confirmed in Athens alone.



Not only in Athens though were buildings burning or were buildings attacked or occupied. We are talking all over Greece.

[aty]

Parties and politicians can't abolish social relationships. Fuck, this is some really elementary stuff.
Of course but in every place that a socialist revolution have started socialist parties have been popular in the electorate.
Just like in Spain before the revolution where reformist parties won the election but the struggle then turned into revolution.

I see these elections or polls as a sign of what is coming. That the workers will more likely turn to social revolution, especially when they see that just voting wont make everything better. Then I hope that the socialist parties can more easily adapt to the workers struggle.

[thriller]

Of course but in every place that a socialist revolution have started socialist parties have been popular in the electorate.
Just like in Spain before the revolution where reformist parties won the election but the struggle then turned into revolution.

I see these elections or polls as a sign of what is coming. That the workers will more likely turn to social revolution, especially when they see that just voting wont make everything better. Then I hope that the socialist parties can more easily adapt to the workers struggle.

Is that consistent with Greek history? I hope for that in the US too (that workers will realize social revolution is the solution) but Americans relish in supposed democracy that I fear they will be the last to jump on board with revolution.

[Grenzer]

Is that consistent with Greek history? I hope for that in the US too (that workers will realize social revolution is the solution) but Americans relish in supposed democracy that I fear they will be the last to jump on board with revolution.

I think you have the right of it. As great as it would be for revolution, most people still don't think there is an alternative to capitalism. Personally I'd be pretty fucking shocked if a revolution happened in Greece anytime soon. I don't want to sound too pessimistic, but I do believe the crisis in the Eurozone, the rioting we're seeing in Greece, and the rise of the likes of OWS are laying the framework for the end of capitalism; but that doesn't mean it will be an easy or short struggle.

[Sasha]

pictures from yesterday: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/greek-debt-unrest-1309284105-slideshow/

photo 16 is why we will win this in the end...

[Krano]

pictures from yesterday: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/greek-debt-unrest-1309284105-slideshow/

photo 16 is why we will win this in the end...
Picture 11 made my day :lol:

[Krano]

oIVdnKc1BDI

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Despite of the serious riots, the voting on the Parliament about another Mnemonium has been overvoted. Overall, gave the vote 278 Members. Of these, on principle voted "yes" 199, "not" 74 and "present" 5.

In Article 1, which includes labor, "yes" 190 voted "no" and 83 "present" 5.

In Article 2, "yes" 201 voted "no" and 74 "present" 3.

In Article 3, "yes" 199 voted "no" and 74 "present" 5.

In Article 4, "yes" 202 voted "no" and 74 "present" 2.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Also, after the vote of the Mnemonium No 2, shitty Evangelos Venizelos made a speech on the parliament and those bullshit he was saying forced a KKE parliament member Panayotis Mavrikos, to throw the documents about the Mnemonium 2 targeting Venizelos.
http://a.media.newsbomb.gr/items/cache/4ee23ed31ac3bc6d8f8e62d3bba90936_XL.jpg?t=13290819 92

[aty]

also, after the vote of the mnemonium no 2, shitty evangelos venizelos made a speech on the parliament and those bullshit he was saying forced a kke parliament member panayotis mavrikos, to throw the documents about the mnemonium 2 targeting venizelos.
http://a.media.newsbomb.gr/items/cache/4ee23ed31ac3bc6d8f8e62d3bba90936_xl.jpg?t=13290819 92
Agent Provocateur! :d

[The Douche]

Also, after the vote of the Mnemonium No 2, shitty Evangelos Venizelos made a speech on the parliament and those bullshit he was saying forced a KKE parliament member Panayotis Mavrikos, to throw the documents about the Mnemonium 2 targeting Venizelos.
http://a.media.newsbomb.gr/items/cache/4ee23ed31ac3bc6d8f8e62d3bba90936_XL.jpg?t=13290819 92

So, the KKE, who participate in the government which is pushing through austerity, throw papers at their fellow politicians, and then attack the people of Greece when they try to throw molotovs...

[GiantMonkeyMan]

http://s15.postimage.org/8zri8c4pn/armed_police.jpg

Crazy shit.

[Ele'ill]

http://s15.postimage.org/8zri8c4pn/armed_police.jpg

Crazy shit.


Yeah, that was from 2008 I think. Wasn't there another picture taken seconds later that shows the weapon discharging?

[bcbm]

the cops would have to be pretty fucking dumb to shoot anyone with live ammunition in the current situation

[GiantMonkeyMan]

Yeah, that was from 2008 I think. Wasn't there another picture taken seconds later that shows the weapon discharging?

No idea, was linked to me as something that was taken during the struggles yesterday.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

So, the KKE, who participate in the government which is pushing through austerity, throw papers at their fellow politicians, and then attack the people of Greece when they try to throw molotovs...
Nope, KKE has never participated in the goverment and Venizelos iis not their fellow politician. They correctly consider him a capitalist pig. Also, if they were supporting the goverment they would vote the Mnemonium 2,which no KKE MP did.

[The Douche]

Nope, KKE has never participated in the goverment and Venizelos iis not their fellow politician. They correctly consider him a capitalist pig. Also, if they were supporting the goverment they would vote the Mnemonium 2,which no KKE MP did.

How can you claim they don't participate in the government when you just posted a picture of a KKE minister?!

They are part of the government, they sit in parliament!



I don't think KKE support the austerity, but when they call anarchists fascists, cops, and hooligans, it is a lazy and incorrect insult, and it would be like me saying KKE supports austerity because they are members of the government.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

How can you claim they don't participate in the government when you just posted a picture of a KKE minister?!

They are part of the government, they sit in parliament!



I don't think KKE support the austerity, but when they call anarchists fascists, cops, and hooligans, it is a lazy and incorrect insult, and it would be like me saying KKE supports austerity because they are members of the government.
Really? So Green Ecologists are goverment? Mavrikos is not even a fuckin minister. Let me remind you that the parties participating in the goverment are PASOK ND and LAOS.

[Искра]

In liberal democracy (capitalism) we split government on 3 parts: legislature (parliament), executive(prime minister and his cabinet) and judicial (courts). Since in most of liberal democratic regimes parliament makes all the laws that is the most vital and important part of government. Point of this is to prove that KKE is taking part in governing of Greece.

[Ele'ill]

Here's another video that gets pretty good

aWEVNGcwInE

[Ele'ill]

Against New World Order Slavery http://www.new-world-order-plan.org
Greece's government will fall...and so will the European Union.
We will stand by the people of Greece.
We are currently attacking all digital police infrastructures.

lzzechBCJ8A

[Bostana]

The Greek government rushed on Tuesday to wring out another 325 million euros ($428 million) in budget cuts to satisfy euro zone finance ministers mulling whether to sign off on a rescue package to save the country from a chaotic default.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/14/us-greece-idUSTRE8120HI20120214

[PhoenixAsh]

Last week I posted a link to a blog post from Carlo Cottareli (http://www.revleft.com/vb/interesting-imf-position-t167601/index.html) (director of the fiscal affairs department within the IMF).

in his blog Cottarelli writes that austerity measures during the current economic crisis in an attempt to balance the national budget would hamper economic growth and would in fact have an adverse effect on recovery. He excempted Greece, Ireland and Portugal from his warning saying that these countries had no other option left.

However this fiscal quarter the Greek economy has declined with another 7% in comparison with the same quarter last year. 1.5% higher than the 5.5% which was previously expected. This extremely rapid decline is directly attributed austerity measures aimed to raise taxes and decrease income.

As Carlotti warned in his blog the austerity measures in order to decrease costs will have the averse effect that they will also decrease income. That this is true is shown by the projected forecasts for 2012. It is expected that the annual growth for Greece this year will be at a -2,8%. This means there will actually be 2.8% LESS income for the state.

I am not an economist. So keep this in mind when you read on.

Austerity measures are implemented in order to cut cost on government expenditure to lower the national debt. National debt is what occurs when countries spend more than they earn. To cover the gap they need to borrow money on national and international financial markets. The amount of money you need to cover your expenses and the amount of national debt you have acquired will influence your sovereign credit rating.

Sovereign Credit rating is the likelyhood of a nation having to default on their payment of interest on their loans and refelects the ability to pay back those loans. This is a subjective interpretation by the way and is not based on mathematical formula's. As credit rating worsens so do your interests increase because of the risk money lenders take in lending a country money or credit.

Greece's credit rating is currently CC. This means Greece is in default with little chance of recovery.

The interest on your loans represent very real costs for a government. So the more is borrowed; the more you raise your yearly cost. So in order to cover your expenditure transgressions you are actually raising your expenditures.

This is not much of a problem when the economy, and therefore national income, is growing or when a country is seen as solvable (or in other words: they are deemed "good for their money"). Because when income is growing the rise in cost will more or less be covered.

But it does become a very real problem when your economy is stagnating or even declining. In that case the costs are increased by having to pay back loans and interest butyour annual income is also decreasing. This leaves you with more of a budget shortage than you previously had and therefore means you have to borrow more money to cover the gap...against higher and higher interest ratings.

OR

It means you have to cut spending or increasing income through alternative means. Doing either will always mean the mount of money in circulation will decrease and therefore income in some or all sectors of the economy will decrease. This will lower the spendable income of companies and induviduals. Which will means that there will be less services and products bought. This in turn will mean less production. Less jobs....more unemployed, lower wages...and eventually less government income....while the unemployed do increase government costs when a government has social benefits or national medical care (because poverty and unemployment has an adverse effect on health).


So both situations occur now in Greece. When that happens. Eventually a country can no longer pay its debts or is deemed, like Greece, to be beyond redemption....or is considered bankrupt.

Because economies are intertwined the countries and institutions which lend money to Greece will want to see their money back. Because if they do not get it that means they will have to reduce their income estimates and actual income....which I have already stated....will have a negative effect on their own economic growth.

So they are faced with two choices.

1). Take the hit and try and recover....which holds huge risks for their own employment and economic recovery.
2). Pump billions into the country in order to save it from collaps in the hopes the country will eventually rebound.

The EU and IMF definately chose option number 2.

But the money is NOT a gift. As we all know. It is a short term solution. Greece will have to make HUGE budget cuts in order to create a sound new basis for their economy within the capitalist system only in order to eventually be able to pay of their debt. In the meantime overloading the country with more and more debt and having a extremely negative impact on economic recovery.

There is no solution for this within the current economic system.

The question is not when Greece is going to default but when the IMF/EU support no longer out weigh the negative impact of going bankrupt, defaulting and stepping out of the EURO.

There is already considerable debate if that point has not been reached already.

[PhoenixAsh]

Ah well...dissent in the creditors for Greece.

OUr finance minister, De Jager, has announced that there will be no agreement untill an IMF report about the estimated National Debt in Greece in 2020 will apprear. If, as is currently predicted, the national debt is at 130% then The Netherlands will probably not agree to financial aid packages. The target of the EU and IMF loans and pressured austerity measures is to decrease National Debt to 120%

[Os Cangaceiros]

A pretty good synopsis of what happened on the 12th:

http://anarchistnews.org/content/summary-greece-anti-austerity-demonstrations-12022012-some-videos

[Ele'ill]

YOL TOOR SHUL

http://thegatewaypundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/athens-fire1-e1329096795194.jpg

[PhoenixAsh]

Ah well...dissent in the creditors for Greece.

OUr finance minister, De Jager, has announced that there will be no agreement untill an IMF report about the estimated National Debt in Greece in 2020 will apprear. If, as is currently predicted, the national debt is at 130% then The Netherlands will probably not agree to financial aid packages. The target of the EU and IMF loans and pressured austerity measures is to decrease National Debt to 120%

It has now been calculated that the Greek debt will fall to a whopping 129% in 2020....according to government sources in Brussels.

Also today
...announced that there are intensive and confidential (...O_o) talks about options for when Greece turns out to be beyond redemption

Also announced today
...that there will be a meeting of EU ministers on monday about the proposed aid package to Greece. So far three countries are saying that they will not vote in favor in the current situation and with the current agreements. These countries are: The Netherlands, Germany and Finland. And they have concerns about what happens in the country after the new elections.

A Greek request to assist only in the most direct financial needs and put a more extensive aid package on hold have been rejected.

[GoddessCleoLover]

Is this an attempt by the Germans with the support of the Dutch and Finns to push Greece out of the Euro-zone?

[PhoenixAsh]

No. It is an attempt to prevent elections taking place. These three governments want a technocratic government installed. They also want letters of guarantee from all parties involved in the elections which could take place in a new government.

[PhoenixAsh]

Figures:


Country

Greece

GDP 217.83bn
Growth -5,5%
Debt % of GDP 144.9%
unemployment 17.1%
youth unemployed 43,5%
bond yield 33.7% (> 7% is danger zone)

[PhoenixAsh]

To add to the above.


Bond Yield is the return you will get if you buy Greek bonds. Bonds are sold as an investment to borrow short and mid term cash. Bonds usually have a term of 2-5-10 years. It is basically a loan for a specific time...which will return some benefits.

The yield is basically the money the government pays you for your kindness to loan them money. So that resembles future costs. IF the risks are high...then the amount of yeld you get will increase.
Currently the BY of The Netherlands is around 2%....the Irish BY is around 6%....just to give you an idea how bad the situation in Greece is.
IF you buy bonds worth 100 euro...the government pays you back 133 euro after the term has ended. Well..if they are able to that is.
Everything over 7% yield is considered dangerous and shows the high risk your economy is considered to be in.



Now....to add to the unemployment figures.

Minimum wage in Greece is now €751 before taxes a month. This will be reduced by 22% according to the latest austerity package. If you are under 25 this will be reduced by 33%...which basically means € 510 BEFORE tax.


Now...I have some new numbers here...the data above seems to be slightly outdated. The number of overall unemployed stands at 20.9% as per november 2011. Which is an increase of about 18.4% from the October. This percentage means more than 1 million people in Greece are unemployed. Youth unemployment is 48%

Unemployment benefits stand at slightly more than € 500 pre taxes



Anybody see the irony in these numbers? Because as it stands now...why work? Because minimum wage will be the same as benefits.

Therefore the logical conclusion will be that benefits will also be reduced in the future. Otherwise there will be no incentive to work....and incentives to work and get fucked over is what the burgeoise wants. It has tried very long and hard to instill the notion that somebody only is a worthwhile member of society when they are productive....and therefore available work or not....they will have to force you to find it.

[PhoenixAsh]

20 ND parliamentaries voted against the austerity package and were subsequently expelled from parliament group and the party.

LAOS expelled two parliamentaries for voting yes to the austerity package. These two have given up their seats which will revert back to Laos and they have joined ND in exchange for electable positions in the comming elections. One of these still serves as minister of transport. The other one was a minister but withdrew when LAOS quit the government.

*

Police have published the names and pictures of 5 people suspected of riotting. This is the first time they do so.

They also released 23 pictures of people they want identified.

*

THere is a call for a new anti-austerity rally for next sunday by trade unions GSEE and ADEDY.

*

SYRIZA stated that once again Greece seems to be overrun by Germany and under its rule. Stating: "German minister Schaubele is playing the same role as the German tanks in WWII"

*

Debt is now at 145% GDP....will be 129% in 2020 but the goal was 120% GDP in 2020. MOst EU countries have said 125% in 2020 is acceptable however....

In order to secure another 4% drop by 2020 in debt... private lenders will be asked by the EU to write off loans and take the losses. Also possible is an increase of the aid package of 130 bn. Or it could ask the ECB to sell its bonds at the price they bought them and forego its profit margins on them.

*

And offcourse Coca Cola Greese has announced their 27% drop in profits.

[PhoenixAsh]

The IMF mission chief to Greece has stated that Greece can no longer tax it citizens any further and needs to implement long-term budget cuts rather than further increase taxes as way te increase government income. IMF also states Greek national debt is now at 160% GDP btw.

[Krano]

Am i the only one who finds it funny that a Conservative party is called Laos?

[PhoenixAsh]

Here are some numbers, as can be seen above...numbers are not always accurate or up to date and depending on the source. So keep this in mind.


Since 2008 when the crisis hit:

7.7% unemployment soared to more than 20%
Its economic output dropped by 16%

If nothing is done and the current situation is allowed to proceed the GDP is expected the shrink with 33%

[PhoenixAsh]

Neel Kaskhari (The Interim Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability in the United States Department of the Treasury during the Leehman Brothers debacle) stated the EU should not push Greece too hard and take too tough a stance on Greece.

Now...what happens....is the 700 billion man gone weak??

Nooooo

He claims that rather than pushing haard for austerity measures and aid packages the EU should spend their time and energy to strengthen their own economies in order to be able to sustain a hit when Greece defaults so that it would not hurt their own economies. This will also make the threat of letting Greece default more credible....since right now...such a default could harm their own economies.

He also argues that support for Greece is necessary...but only to prevent a chaotic default with unpredictable consequences rather than an orderly default.

Bank for International Settlements data from toward the end of last year suggest French banks alone had a $56.7 billion exposure to Greece as a whole and $15 billion to its government, while the U.S. had ties totaling $7.3 billion and $1.5 billion respectively, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

[Sasha]

Announcement of the Occupied Prefectural Administration of ChaniaFeb 17th, 2012 @ 03:22 pm › admin
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This is the 8th day of the occupation of the building of prefectural administration in Chania, Creta, Greece. We just translated our main text in english and we send it to you, to inform and spread the message of the occupations worlwide. There is also a frech translation available (http://kaxania.tumblr.com/post/17636913606/communique-de-loccupation-du-batiment-de-la-region).
We also have a blog (kaxania.tumblr.com) and internet radio (http://katalipsixania.listen2myradio.com/), live from the occupation. Today at 18:00 (greek time) we have orginized a march in the main streets and the neighbourhoods of Chania. In Creta there are also occupied buildings in Rethimno and Lasithi. Moreover, the students are occupying their schools day by day. There at least 11 schools occupied in Chania today.
Our text follows:
Announcement of the Occupied Prefectural Administration of Chania
We are also part of the struggling people that rushed into the streets for the 48hour strike demonstrations and the massive protest of Sunday 12Feb against the devaluation of our employment and the pauperization of our lives. Since Friday 10Feb, after the march in the city streets, we have occupied the building of Prefecture of Crete in Chania. The occupation serves as a meeting and coordination centre of a collective effort to organize the struggle for a life that is characterized by solidarity, resistance and dignity. By blocking the ordinary function of a central administrational building, we pose political pressure against the implementation of the recent decisions of the foreign and local exploiters. We are referring to the voting by the Greek parliament of the second Memorandum and the new austerity measures according to the commands of Troika (EU, IMF, ECB) and global Capitalism.
We salute the hundreds of thousands demonstrators that during the last few days, and especially on Sunday 12Feb, fight against barbarism and the plundering of the basic social goods such as health, education, electricity and water.
We are a part of dozens of occupied state administrative, educational and labour buildings that spread across the country the last few days. Against a spirit of struggle decline and defeatism after the voting of the new laws by the parliament, we continue to fight against the fake dilemmas they impose, such as “bankruptcy or consent”. We call the grassroots labour unions of Chania to take decisions towards a Long-term General Strike. We call all the citizens of Chania and the countryside, students, workers and unemployed, immigrants and locals, to join our ideas, agonies and creativity.
To defend the dignity in our employment and in our life.
No prosecution to the detainees of the strike demonstrations.
Solidarity – Victory to the long-lasting strike of the Greek Steelworkers and all labour struggles.
All ahead towards a Long-term General Strike.
We call all people daily to participate in the public open assembly at 20:00 in the Occupied Prefectural Administration of Chania and in the actions that are decided. The last few days hundreds of people participate in the decisions of our assemblies.

[GoddessCleoLover]

I believe that occupations are an excellent component part of a strategy to challenge the power of the bourgeois state in Greece, and encourage Greeks to begin to organize more occupations.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Breaking news,comrades! The 2 MPs Adonis Georgiadis and Makis Voridis who belonged to LAOS conservative party are now on ND! This happened because the both voted the Mnemonium 2 on 12/2 which was against the lines of LAOS and therefore they were removed from the party

[The Douche]

Breaking news,comrades! The 2 MPs Adonis Georgiadis and Makis Voridis who belonged to LAOS conservative party are now on ND! This happened because the both voted the Mnemonium 2 on 12/2 which was against the lines of LAOS and therefore they were removed from the party

Why is this breaking news? I'm not trying to be rude, but is there something important about this that I'm missing? LAOS is a center-right party, right, and ND is a moderate party right, and its 2 MPs switching parties? So what?

[GoddessCleoLover]

Does Syriza advocate occupations and other forms of direct action? Can we hope for more from Syriza than we can from KKE?

[PhoenixAsh]

Breaking news,comrades! The 2 MPs Adonis Georgiadis and Makis Voridis who belonged to LAOS conservative party are now on ND! This happened because the both voted the Mnemonium 2 on 12/2 which was against the lines of LAOS and therefore they were removed from the party

Already reported ;) THree or four posts above you :P :P

But.,..how is ND doing in the polls? Is there any news about what positions they would be getting? Because I believe Voridis or the ther guy pressently serves as a minister of transport or something in the cabinet.

[PhoenixAsh]

Does Syriza advocate occupations and other forms of direct action? Can we hope for more from Syriza than we can from KKE?

As far as I can tell they do not.

[A Marxist Historian]

Why is this breaking news? I'm not trying to be rude, but is there something important about this that I'm missing? LAOS is a center-right party, right, and ND is a moderate party right, and its 2 MPs switching parties? So what?

LAOS ain't center-right, they are right right, bordering on fascism.

-M.H.-

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Why is this breaking news? I'm not trying to be rude, but is there something important about this that I'm missing? LAOS is a center-right party, right, and ND is a moderate party right, and its 2 MPs switching parties? So what?
It can be considered breaking because MPs changing parties rarely happens on Greece.

[The Douche]

So a semi-fascist party lost two MPs to a moderate party? How does that even happen?

[Os Cangaceiros]

W8Ayb8P1LbU

Hahaha I love how this guy basically advocates that the Greeks continue rioting. :lol:

[Sasha]

So a semi-fascist party lost two MPs to a moderate party? How does that even happen?

LAOS out of electoral opportunism stepped out of the "national unity" government because they didnt want to support further imf/eu austerity anymore, the two MP's voted in favor of the austerity against party line and where thus expelled and switched over to the ND.
I pressume the same happend in reverse with the PASOK mp's who voted against this austerity package... anyone know to who they crossed over? SYRZA?

[GiantMonkeyMan]

W8Ayb8P1LbU

Hahaha I love how this guy basically advocates that the Greeks continue rioting. :lol:

Farage is a right-wing nationalist dick. He wants Greece and the EU to fail just so Britain can become 'glorious' again. He doesn't give a shit about the Greek workers.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Yeah I kind of figured based on the name of his group that he was a hard "euroskeptic".

[PhoenixAsh]

Mikis Theordorakis calls for popular uprising:

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/4194/53430

He wrote this interesting piece which is linked in the above article:

http://en.mikis-theodorakis.net/index.php/article/articleview/559/1/76/

[PhoenixAsh]

Well....here is encouraging news:


* The German minister Scheubele is actively pushing an agenda in which Greece will default and delcares itself bankrupt.

He stated that the austerity measures and budget cuts are so severe that no government will be able to implement them. And even IF a government manages to implement them he no longer believes it will get Greece back on its feet.

.....well...it is not like nobody could have seen this comming a mile away. :rolleyes:

* In november last year...in one month time...160.000 Greek workers lost their jobs.
They will get social security for 30 weeks...which is about €500 PT gross per month....and after that they are on their own.

[PhoenixAsh]

An opinion poll prepared by MARC for the newspaper Ethnos tis Kyriakis shows an eight-party Parliament with the New Democracy party still coming first in respondents' preferences but a good 6% unter the previous poll results.

ND polls 24 percent, the Democratic Left 15.2, Pasok 13.9, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) 11.9, the Radical Left Coalition 10.7, the Popular Orthodox Rally (Laos) 6.9, the Ecologists/Greens 3.3, the Democratic Alliance 3.2, Far right party of Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) 2.8 and the Citizens Panhellenic Charriot 1.7%.

Another poll conducted by ALCO and published in the newspaper Proto Thema shows a nine-party Parliament.

ND polls 24 percent, the Democratic Left 11.5%, Pasok 11%, KKE 11%, SYRIZA 8%, Laos 5%, Ecologists/Greens and Chryssi Avghi 3.5% and the Democratic Alliance 3%.

Previous polls showed New Democracy at a 30-31%. Experts say that the fall was due to the pro- memorandum parliamentary vote of the Greek center right party.

Lastly a poll carried out by MRB and published in the newspaper Real News shows ND getting 19 percent and Pasok 8.2%. (AMNA, aw)

[PhoenixAsh]

LAOS out of electoral opportunism stepped out of the "national unity" government because they didnt want to support further imf/eu austerity anymore, the two MP's voted in favor of the austerity against party line and where thus expelled and switched over to the ND.
I pressume the same happend in reverse with the PASOK mp's who voted against this austerity package... anyone know to who they crossed over? SYRZA?

I know ND expelled 21 members of its 85 parliamentary faction. 20 for voting against the measures and 1 for abstaining. THe have met in a hotel but to this day they have not made a collective statement. 3 of them have made a public statement saying they will remain in ND and hope minds will be changed and they will get a new chance in the comming elections.

PASOK lost 23 members. 22 were expelled and one resigned if I am not mistaken. I have found no news if and to where they crossed over. But currently Louka Katseli and Haris Kastanidis are discussing the formation of a new party (requires ten of the expelled MPs to join). But so far they have not joined forces and disagree over who would lead the party. Again....all of the expelled PASOK members voted yes to previous bailout packages and austerity measures. So they are viewed within PASOK as opportunists. Both the aforementioned MPs were already openly stating before their expulsion that they would run in the party elections for new leadership in March.
Also...PASOK seems to purge dissident members for over a year now. Everybody who voted against austerity measures or aid packages were expulsed no matter their political standing within the party. And there is some speculation that this is part of an attempt to make for a more moderate (really?...more moderate?? :D ) ideologically uniform party in an attempt to move further to the political center (O_o) by purging its more leftr wing members.

What I also found was that the two LAOS members earlier were considered to be the most controversial LAOS members in parliament and where considered to the right of the latready extremist right party. Their cross over to ND becomes even more of a poignant detail.

[Krano]

http://news.yahoo.com/greece-cuts-minimum-wage-austerity-drive-begins-180158654.html

[Sasha]

Little Stories from IMF-run Greece: An armed man holds hostages in the factory where he used to work until he was made redundant a few months ago

Mar 1st, 2012 @ 04:23 pm

A desperate 62-year-old man holds hostage an unknown number of people in a factory in the industrial zone of Komotini, a city in North-East Greece. Earlier he shot and injured the owner of the factory who was there, a driver and a police officer. The man until last September was working in the factory, but the management made him redundant. According to corporate media, he holds hostages at least 2 managers and unknown number of other people.
Today was announced that the unemployment benefit will see a 22% decrease reaching €359 per month.



Siemens in collaboration with the police and an attorney general attempts to break the strike of shipyward workers in ElefsinaMar 2nd, 2012 @ 10:40 am › admin
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Since last Wednesday the workers of the shipyards of Elefsina, outside Athens, are on strike demanding from the companies to sign an agreement that are not going to decrease any wages. All companies signed the agreement with the exception of Siemnes and DECO. Yesterday people from Siemens called individually workers in their homes telling them that it is going to be a bus in the square of Elefsina to pick them up and bring them to work, breaking the strike and workers’ blockade of the shipyard. Eventually, out of more than 100 workers hardly 10 turned up in the square and the bus did not cross the blockade. But in front of the shipyards at the moment there are a Siemens manager, 4 patrol cars with police and an attorney general threatening the workers to open the blockade and go to work. The workers decide that the strike will not end until Siemenes signs the agreement.



Police via the newspaper TO VIMA is trying to accuse the open people’s assembly of Holargos Papagou for a bomb found in Athens Metro

Mar 2nd, 2012 @ 11:02 am

A few days ago a bomb was found in a train of Athens Metro. The apparatus did not explode. But yesterday the police correspondent of the newspaper TO VIMA, named Vassilis Lambropoulos, wrote in the paper an article quoting a communiqué of the open people’s assembly of Holargos, Papagou, suggesting that according to the police this is an evident linked wit the bomb case(!) The open people’s assembly of Holargos and Papagou, is one of the many people’s assemblies that are growing in Athens the last years. It is an open public assembly that takes place weekly dealing with local political issues and anti-austerity politics, it is run according to the principles of direct democracy,it has horizontial structure, and is open to everyone. Immediately the assembly issued a condemn against the paper for trying to target them and later in the evening 50 members of the assembly paid a visit to the newspapers HQ to protest, Lambropoulos pretended that is not there, but the chief editor of the paper came to the reception of the building where people had a word with him. Lambropoulos is well known for doing the work of police, he always refers to first-hand information by anonymous high rank officers and whatever police cannot state formally, they are getting Lampropoulos to write it for them.



March in solidarity to squats and self-organised spaces in Athens

Mar 4th, 2012 @ 07:30 am

On Saturday 3.3.2012, over a 1,000 people marched in Kypselli neighbourhood of Athens in solidarity to squats and self-organised urban spaces in a demo called by squats of central Athens.
Patision 61 & Skaramanga squat wrote on their call:
“In mid-November, a new partnership of Athens Municipality and the police was launched. Together they start a new cycle of Athens city centre management. Initially, they target the occupied “Municipal Market of Kypselli” which addresses housing needs of local residents, which is followed by the ex officio prosecution against the squat “Lela Karayiannis 37″, giving the green light for possible interventions.
The poverty and misery in the neighbourhoods of central Athens is growing. At the same time, increasingly take place attacks by cops and para-state against migrants and small street vendors, against homeless and drug addicts. After all, the promotion of social cannibalism, and the overall ideological war are the tested tactics of “divide and conquer.” In this effort of the state and capital, the city of Athens assumes enhanced institutional role as the guarantor of the development and proper functioning of the city …
Today, when the crisis is more evident than ever before, while the society impoverishes more and more and when the revolts no longer have need of sparks… most people begin to trace the path of struggle.
Thus, squats and self-organised projects, meeting points and the intersections of struggles, are again under fire.
And because the accusations against us keep well, we declare boldly that …
We are the arsenal of mutual respect and solidarity between the oppressed and we are cells of unmediated resistance.

We are centres of circulation for instruments and practices hostile to the established system

We are laboratories of social fermentation of needs and desires away from ethnic, religious and gendered divisions
Resistance to the plans of “sterilization” of central Athens.

Hands off the occupation Lela Karayiannis 37 and the occupied Municipal Market Kypselli!”


All from occupied London...

[PhoenixAsh]

More than 52% of Greek youth are currently unemployed.

The avarage unemployment percentage for the entire population is now far over 21%. This number represents the unemployemnt as of December 2011. December 2010 the unemployment percentage was at 14.4%. The 7% increase represents more than 1 million people who lost their jobs in 2011.

[dodger]

W8Ayb8P1LbU

Hahaha I love how this guy basically advocates that the Greeks continue rioting. :lol:

good post....Explosive Situation....Farage is consistently fighting against these unelected EU over fed bureaucrats. .More power to him. Farage is what it says on the packet UKIP....UK INDEPENDENCE party, so his foray into the Greek debate is genuine and heartfelt. There is no contradiction between Greek and British working class interests. Remove the EU yoke.

[PhoenixAsh]

good post....Explosive Situation....Farage is consistently fighting against these unelected EU over fed bureaucrats. .More power to him. Farage is what it says on the packet UKIP....UK INDEPENDENCE party, so his foray into the Greek debate is genuine and heartfelt. There is no contradiction between Greek and British working class interests. Remove the EU yoke.

Though I like some of Farage's criticism....and I do think he is a wonderful aurator....don't forget he is an anti-communist, pro free market capitalist and nationalist. He supports the most reactionary elements like Vaclav Claus. So this is burgeoisie infighting. He is opposed to bonapartism. But that is about it....he is opposed to it because his interest lies with preserving the free market.

Not to mention that his interests have nothing to do with genuine concern for the Greeks but is a method to serve his own goal: to keep Brittain out of the EU and a souvereign and uninfluenced.

He has a lot of good points. But they do not serve our goal. They serve a neo-liberal conservative goal. He is not our ally...merely walking down the same arguments. I love to see him at work. I love seeing him expose the EU for what it is: bonapartism. But his politics are abhorrent.

[dodger]

Though I like some of Farage's criticism....and I do think he is a wonderful aurator....don't forget he is an anti-communist, pro free market capitalist and nationalist. He supports the most reactionary elements like Vaclav Claus. So this is burgeoisie infighting. He is opposed to bonapartism. But that is about it....he is opposed to it because his interest lies with preserving the free market.

Not to mention that his interests have nothing to do with genuine concern for the Greeks but is a method to serve his own goal: to keep Brittain out of the EU and a souvereign and uninfluenced.

He has a lot of good points. But they do not serve our goal. They serve a neo-liberal conservative goal. He is not our ally...merely walking down the same arguments. I love to see him at work. I love seeing him expose the EU for what it is: bonapartism. But his politics are abhorrent.

indeed

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Great news comrades! Yesterday in Patra,Peloponissos the quarters of the fascist organization Golden Dawn were attacked by antifascists!Golden Dawn on its annoucement referers that the attacks were ordered by Chrisochoidis,minister of public order. Here are pictures of the damage done to the nazi palace of Patra.

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be2.jpg

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be3.jpg

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be4.jpg

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be5.jpg

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be6.jpg

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be7.jpg

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be8.jpg
Dumb fascists.
http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be9.jpg
Hate and rage for every racist
http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be91.jpg

http://www.newsbeast.gr/files/1/2012/03/15/be92.jpg
Hope that teached a lesson to the fascist thugs.:thumbup1:

[Kornilios Sunshine]

In addition, an antifascist protest and concert is planned to take place in Athens on Saturday 17 March. The purpose of this is to get rid of Neonazis in schools and everywhere in Athens. The protest will take place in Propylaia of Athens at 14:00 and a concert in Ag.Panteleimonas at 16:00. There is a Greek proclamation but since it's in Greek here it is in Google Translation.

Everyone in the Antinazi Rally, Saturday, March 17

The neo-Nazis OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS

CONCENTRATION 2pm Propylaea
CONCERT 4pm St. Panteleimon

All of us students who are fighting against the Memorandum, not let our schools to pass laws of Diamantopoulou - who want to dismantle the public and free education-we are determined to smash the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn.
The strikes and protests in Greece have aroused enormous sympathy around the world. The workers and youth from New York to London and from Paris to Sydney, Australia organize demonstrations of solidarity in the struggles in Greece reminiscent of May '68. Within schools, we organize the battle not to pass the Troika and the Memoranda. We will not let our schools be dissolved by the cuts.
At the same time we must protect our struggles against the attacks of neo-Nazi Golden Dawn. The government remains Voridis Minister Makis, who chased the 80 competitors with axes pupils and students. The Voridis fasistoomada to his successor was Nikos Michaloliakos, the current arch-thugs of the Golden Dawn
The Michaloliakos was convicted because they put bombs in the movies but never did jail. The reason: At the same time he was a paid informer of the Security. The fascists of the Golden Dawn are the minions of the system. They want to break our unity and sow hatred. Blame immigrants to put us to fight over each other and leave the rich alone, the government and the state.
Papademos The government has provided more audacity than ever. It is a government that has xamolisei police to terrorize and cause the streets. At the same time has given green light to the fascists of the Golden Dawn to beat fighters to kill immigrants, terrorizing neighborhoods.
So on March 17 to protest from the Propylaea to the St. Panteleimon, will break the "ghetto" who wants to set up the Golden Dawn. Together with their friends from the police station, closed the playground, have burned mosques successive times where immigrants prayers, daily beat anyone not like him and sow terror among the people - natives and immigrants.

So marching together on March 17 against the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn, because:

- It's a cutthroat and murderous gang.
- It's nostalgic Hitler and the Holocaust. They want to repeat the darkest pages of history, those of the Nazis that led to millions of deaths.
- They are descendants of Nazis and minions of the government of the Memorandum. They are descendants of mafragoriton and collaborators who 70 years ago hymned the Nazi flag and murdered resistance fighters.
- They are the ones who had the audacity to organize provocations against the heroic struggle of the Chalivourgous. Those who dream dissolve any collective.
- Trying to break our unity in the struggle against the system, so pour racist venom against immigrants.

We will not let them. Together with our teachers, will drive the neo-Nazis of our schools and our neighborhoods. Until March 17, organize in all schools, along with our teachers briefings, discussions and events. Stick stickers and posters for everyone to learn the importance of this rally. Will clog the way the enemies of freedom and we will win!

Erase ALL ALONG THE NAZIhttp://athens.indymedia.org/calendar/uploads/antinazi.jpg

[PhoenixAsh]

UNHCR released a statement today indicating a rise in racially motivated violence in Greece in the last 5 months.

The police doesn't seem interested to do anything about it and have even participated directly or assisted in the attacks. In some area's in Greece there are dog patrols of racist groups which go unopposed by law enforcement.



Naturally this doesn't come as a surprise. The police don't intervene because it is in the burgeose politicians interest to keep the nation devided.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

UNHCR released a statement today indicating a rise in racially motivated violence in Greece in the last 5 months.

The police doesn't seem interested to do anything about it and have even participated directly or assisted in the attacks. In some area's in Greece there are dog patrols of racist groups which go unopposed by law enforcement.



Naturally this doesn't come as a surprise. The police don't intervene because it is in the burgeose politicians interest to keep the nation devided.

Meh, smells like civil war when the left is forced to counter-organise political Capital-Faschist violence. Keep us updated as much as possible please, i will come to Greece in winter, do you think there will beginning of confrotations? Anyway, if it were to start, i would defend the revolution.

[NoPasaran1936]

Meh, smells like civil war when the left is forced to counter-organise political Capital-Faschist violence. Keep us updated as much as possible please, i will come to Greece in winter, do you think there will beginning of confrotations? Anyway, if it were to start, i would defend the revolution.

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/16941084.jpg

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/16941084.jpg

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/15868944.jpg

[The Douche]

Please refrain from posting images as replies outside of chit chat.

Consider this a general verbal warning. Thanks.

[Rocky Rococo]

Interview - Greece: the struggle radicalises (http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?id=793&issue=134)

Excerpts:


Last summer when it became clear that George Papandreou’s Pasok government was not in a position to impose the tough austerity that was part of the original bailout, they started moves to rally together all the political forces that could support the new round of austerity. That meant that in the autumn they put together a coalition of Pasok, the Greek equivalent of Labour, with the Tories of New Democracy and with the support of the far-right Laos party. When that happened about four months ago, they claimed that that would stabilise the situation. The truth is that within four months the coalition government is in exactly the same position as Papandreou was. The scale of popular reaction in February, when the agreement for the new package was voted on in parliament, was larger than anything seen in Greece before. In the week before the vote there were three days of general strikes. On the Sunday of that week we had the biggest ever demonstration outside parliament. Nobody has been able to put a figure on the number of people who were in the centre of Athens on that day.
At this moment the opinion polls show the combined vote to the left of Pasok approaching 40 percent. You have to go back decades in Greece, back to 1958, to see the left get even 25 percent—that was the high point and created a huge crisis that culminated in the junta of 1967. So 40 percent support for the left is something that the Greek political system has not seen before.
It’s not very clear what will happen to Laos or the Golden Dawn in the election, because the breakaway from the Tories is taking a position of opposition to the agreement, and the latest opinion polls show that it is undercutting both the fascist groups. This is certainly bringing up the question of building an anti-Nazi movement in Greece. This is already starting to happen. The Golden Dawn group uses attacks on the streets. There was an attack in Piraeus last week and this has caused the whole of the left to rally and call an anti-fascist demonstration in the city this Saturday and the following Saturday in central Athens. So one aspect of the political scene will be the fight by the left to keep the Nazis off the streets and out of parliament.

A number of militants have decided that they want to fight with the anti-capitalist left. That was the result of two things. One is that Antarsya has been active in supporting rank and file organisation. So the upsurge in radicalisation means that more people are coming closer to Antarsya. The second aspect was the question of the way out of the crisis, the anti-capitalist programme. Antarsya was the group on the left that raised the debate over cancelling the debt, nationalising the banks, and breaking with the discipline of the European Central Bank by leaving the euro and the European Union. Now these positions were very controversial on the left, because traditionally Syriza is pro European Union, and the Communist Party, which is opposed to the European Union, had taken the position that this issue would be dealt with at a later stage. So the intervention of Antarsya has been instrumental in shifting the whole of the left to better positions.
One more thing about this question of raising an anti-capitalist programme and the effect it is having on radicalisation of people is that part of the programme is that any nationalisations of the banks or of large enterprises that are failing should be under workers’ control. Now this again is an advance, and Antarsya is happy to see that this is not just a position taken by the anti-capitalist left but by more and more people in the real struggle. The media workers of Eleftherotypia are effectively exercising workers’ control over the paper. The same is happening with TV workers at the Alter channel, where they have been occupying for three months now.
There are hospital workers who are moving in that direction, and not just in Athens. In Kilkis, that’s a small place outside Salonica in the north of Greece, the doctors, nurses and hospital staff have taken a position that if the government presses on with the cuts and the closures, they will run the hospital themselves. Now these are fantastic steps that show that the demand for workers’ control is no daydream of revolutionaries; they are steps that the workers in Greece are taking

[marl]

http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1389435

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Athens plans up to 30 camps on disused military sites across country to house immigrants blamed for 'crime epidemic'.Greece will open the first of up to 30 camps for immigrants within weeks, in what some describe as a "desperate bid" to contain the social chaos prompted by the economic crisis. In Athens officials have approved the construction of three of the 30 detention centres that the government has vowed to build on disused military sites.The goverment also refers that this is done because immigrants have so many health disorders that they may "transmit" any disease to the Greek citizens. Bullshit, if it was that way, half of the Athens would suffer from AIDS. And instead of giving the immigrants health care, they prison them like animals.

[GiantMonkeyMan]

http://rt.com/news/greece-suicide-218/


'Pensioner shoots himself at Greek Parliament, refuses to 'search for food in garbage'

A 77-year-old Greek man has committed suicide in central Athens by the nation’s parliament, shooting himself with a handgun in apparent financial desperation.

This makes me sad. Austerity measures always make the most vulnerable suffer; hopefully some communities start taking measures into their own hands and start helping these people regardless of the policies of the ruling class government. :(

[Stalin Ate My Homework]

Athens plans up to 30 camps on disused military sites across country to house immigrants blamed for 'crime epidemic'.Greece will open the first of up to 30 camps for immigrants within weeks, in what some describe as a "desperate bid" to contain the social chaos prompted by the economic crisis. In Athens officials have approved the construction of three of the 30 detention centres that the government has vowed to build on disused military sites.The goverment also refers that this is done because immigrants have so many health disorders that they may "transmit" any disease to the Greek citizens. Bullshit, if it was that way, half of the Athens would suffer from AIDS. And instead of giving the immigrants health care, they prison them like animals.

Do you think its likely that they might use these camps to imprison revolutionaries?

[Sasha]

Solidarity demo to Stella Antoniou, Syntagma Square, Friday 6/4, 18:00 (GMT+2) (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/04/05/solidarity-demo-to-stella-antoniou-syntagma-square-friday-64-1800-gmt2/)

Thursday, April 5, 2012
Stella Antoniou was arrested and charged together with 5 other anarchists 15 months ago, initially the police charged them for membership to an “unknown armed group with unknown activities.” Eventually police, without any evidence charged Stella and 3 more of her comrades as members of the Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire, based on their politics and friendship relationships. Stella Antoniou is in Korydallos Women’s Prison for 15 months now remaining active in the mobilisations against prison system and without ever underplaying her political identity as anarchist. But Stella Antoniou encounters severe health problems, in prison there are not the necessary medical means to treat her condition, moreover she is getting worse, precisely due to her imprisonment. Stella has submitted 4 applications to be released on medical ground, but Greek Justice taking revenge for her politics has not accepted any of them. At the moment Stella’s 5th application is under consideration.
Several groups are calling for a solidarity demonstration on Syntagma Square, on Friday 6/4 at 18:00. On Syntagma where last night police attacked to the 2,000 people who gathered there to protest after the public suicide of a pensioner in the middle of the square.
One of the posters calling for Friday’s demo by the Anarchist Collective from Ano Glyfada, Elliniko & Argyroupoli (http://namous.squat.gr/):
http://athens.indymedia.org/calendar/uploads/stella.jpg

[Os Cangaceiros]

Two years ago, on April 22nd, 2010, the 19-year-old Konstantina Karakatsani (http://actforfreedomnow.wordpress.com/?s=Karakatsani) — fugitive at the time — was arrested, interrogated and remanded in custody, accused of involvement in the CCF case. Although Nina denied all charges and participation in the organization from the start, she was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment by the Greek ‘justice’ in July 2011, when the first trial of the so-called ‘Halandri case’ ended with utmost severe sentences against comrades. Since then, she was held in Eleonas–Thebes prisons, in Viotia.

Yesterday, April 4th, 2012, Konstantina Karakatsani stepped out of the dungeons. The judicial authorities finally accepted her motion to be released and to serve suspended sentence (until the beginning of the first appeal trial of the ‘Halandri case’).

However, on Monday, April 9th, Nina is called to appear in the Court of Appeals in Athens (by 9am in Loukareos Street, on the 7th floor) due to the new attempted prosecution of the 250 CCF attacks.

http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/2012/04/05/greece-anarchist-nina-karakatsani-released-from-prison/

[Sasha]

On hunger strike from today 4 imprisoned anarchists – New rally on Syntagma at 18:00 tonight, injuries and arrests from last night’s rally (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/04/06/4-imprisoned-anarchist-are-on-hunger-strike-from-today-new-rally-on-syntagma-at-1800-tonight-injuries-and-arrests-from-last-nights-rally/)

Friday, April 6, 2012
Today, the anarchists S. Antoniou, G. Karagianidis, A. Mitrousias and K. Sakkas announced that are going on huger strike, starting today (Stella Antoniou will start one week later due to her health problems). The 4 wrote a communiqué explaining that in mid-March they were invited to give testimonies about several arsons and bombs attributed to the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire. But from the very first moment of their arrest, 16 months ago, police and the system of justice have not provided any explicit evidence and the 4 have refused their participation to this or any other armed group. Initially they were arrested charged for participation to “an unknown group with unknown actions” based on their politics and their relationships with people. In a couple of months K. Sakkas and S. Antoniou would have the right to apply for release until their trial, so while no new evidence was added, suddenly there is a new series of actions that were not attributed to them back 16 months ago, when they were arrested, but since mid-March they are suddenly questioned about them, so now they do not have the right to apply for release.
Today at 18:00 several groups are calling for a rally and march on Syntagma Square in solidarity to Stella Antoniou, who is eligible for release on health grounds but her 4 applications for release were turned down.
Simultaneously other calls for anti-austerity rally at Syntagma at 18:00 are circulated. Yesterday, the rally at Syntagma -protesting for the public, political suicide of Dimitris Christoulas and against austerity- was attacked without any reason by the police, who beat up dozens of people and detained 20 (including a 13-year-old who was charged for “resistance against the authorities”). Police targeted demonstrators but also photo-journalists who covered police brutality. The president of the photojournalists union Marios Lolos was attacked by riot police and got sever injuries yesterday on Syntagma, he is undertaking brain surgery at the moment.

[Sasha]

Two days ago an 18-year-old man was transferred urgently with a C-130 aircraft from Crete to Athens, Tzaneio hospital to be operated for severe injuries in his lug and pancreas. The young man was detained by the police in Irakleio of Crete together with his friends after a night out, police stopped and searched the company and transferred them to the HQ of Police station to “confirm their ID information”. In the HQ of Police in Crete, police officers beat the company of young people up. However, the 18-year old was isolated in another room where two police officers in balaclavas, beat him up for several minutes then they release him. The 18-year old had a broken ribs and injuries in his intestines.


Its only a matter of time until the cops/fash, clearly let of the chain, kill someone again to obviously and the shit hits the fan in unprecendted scale....

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Thank you Psycho for the news, we hear not a single fucking peep from our capitalist press except racist demagoguery. I have been to Crete as well, so thank you for these updates. Could you tell me how class conscious are the Greek workers and are revolutionary parties talking about, agitating expropriation and revolution?

[Krano]

O1Jl-ud2KFU

[ВАЛТЕР]

O1Jl-ud2KFU

:laugh::D

Shame they didn't toss some hand grenades in there too.

[Sasha]

O1Jl-ud2KFU

some background:

Anti-fascists pelt TV presenter with eggs and yogurt live on air after he promoted Neo-Nazi groups in local TV station of NW Greece (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/04/07/anti-fascists-pelt-eggs-yogurt/)

Saturday, April 7, 2012
The footage below shows an anarchist intervention at a local TV station in the city of Ioannena, NW Greece.
Some necessary background: the TV show producers had invited a member of Golden Dawn, the neo-nazi group, to ‘inform’ the public about the fascist attack at the Zografou campus of the university of Athens (http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/03/29/neo-nazis-storm-the-university-of-athens-injuring-students-while-mainstream-media-speak-of-anarchist-attack/), a few days earlier.
In response, local anarchists and anti-fascists stormed the studio while the news broadcast was on air; they pelted the news presenter with eggs and yogurt, while chanting ‘cops, TV and neonazis, all scum work together’.

[ВАЛТЕР]

What disappoints me most are the comments on the video. They all seem to be supporting the Fascists/Nazis.

[Sasha]

What disappoints me most are the comments on the video. They all seem to be supporting the Fascists/Nazis.


do you ever comment on youtube video's? i dont and 99.9% of the leftist or decent centrist/rightists people i know do neither.
this in contrast to 99.9% of the racists and fash who do it compulsively.
internet comments are not, and will never be in any way a accurate reflection of prevailing sentiment in society

[ВАЛТЕР]

do you ever comment on youtube video's? i dont and 99.9% of the leftist or decent centrist/rightists people i know do neither.
this in contrast to 99.9% of the racists and fash who do it compulsively.
internet comments are not, and will never be in any way a accurate reflection of prevailing sentiment in society


Yeah, this is true. I really don't comment unless I am asking a question about something.

I actually commented on this one just to troll, and sure enough I got a response within seconds calling me a"useful idiot who fights for bankers and Jews." :laugh:

[marl]

RT has an odd fanbase.

[marl]

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16205316

CCOF?

[marl]

http://vimeo.com/40474574

[Os Cangaceiros]

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16205316

CCOF?

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2012/Apr/Week2/16205352.jpg

whoa that one actually looks like it caused some damage.

Don't think it's CCOF though. Unless it's CCOF Second Generation lol

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

RT has an odd fanbase.

Yeah, NWO freaks, AlexJones followers and HUGE Anti-Semites there.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Yeah, this is true. I really don't comment unless I am asking a question about something.

I actually commented on this one just to troll, and sure enough I got a response within seconds calling me a"useful idiot who fights for bankers and Jews." :laugh:

I love posting comments on youtube. Often i just go to the most conservative videos and play with the people there, shock them with my revolutionary mindedness. Here, i just posted a commented on people posting a video of themselves talking about how the "immigration situation on the border" of USA to Mexico is "out of control". For the lulz! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvEM9bHEros&feature=g-all-c&context=G26afc93FAAAAAAAABAA
I am noprofitmaximierung btw

[Kornilios Sunshine]

I think I am late for this but anyway.Elections on Greece will take place on Sunday 6 May 2012. Parties taking place are already preparing their papers wit the candidate members of each party.

[cyu]

Some necessary background: the TV show producers had invited a member of Golden Dawn, the neo-nazi group, to ‘inform’ the public about the fascist attack at the Zografou campus (http://www.anonym.to/?http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/2012/03/29/neo-nazis-storm-the-university-of-athens-injuring-students-while-mainstream-media-speak-of-anarchist-attack/)

In response, local anarchists and anti-fascists stormed the studio while the news broadcast was on air; they pelted the news presenter with eggs and yogurt, while chanting ‘cops, TV and neonazis, all scum work together’.


Occupied London has some of the best stuff =]

[Rusty Shackleford]

whats the possibility of far left and far right parties making massive gains and making a coalition gov't impossible? something like a late 20's germany?

[The Douche]

whats the possibility of far left and far right parties making massive gains and making a coalition gov't impossible? something like a late 20's germany?

Pretty sure radical parties (left and right) are only polling at around 10%-20% each...

[Rusty Shackleford]

Pretty sure radical parties (left and right) are only polling at around 10%-20% each...
that could mean 30-60% of the vote goes to polar parties.

[seventeethdecember2016]

Pretty sure radical parties (left and right) are only polling at around 10%-20% each...
I've read that New Democracy and PASOK are only expected to get 40% of the vote combined in the next election. Someone has to make up the difference.

[Rusty Shackleford]

which of the wingnut parties would possibly fold to form a coalition government with the austere parties? i mean, the rise of the radical parties was mostly predicated on the crisis and opposition to austerity.

[Cheung Mo]

There better be riots after the election. Pro-austerity parties are going to lose the popular vote badly, and yet retain control of Parliament. New Democracy will gain 50 bonus seats for winning a plurality of the popular vote, thus ensuring a government that subverts the will of the Greek people.

In other news, 5 - 7% of the Greek population should be tortured to the brink of insanity and thrown into a mass grave. Opinion polls show Nazi party Golden Dawn as high as 7.5%!

[Ravachol]

In other news, 5 - 7% of the Greek population should be tortured to the brink of insanity and thrown into a mass grave. Opinion polls show Nazi party Golden Dawn as high as 7.5%!

Yes, because that would teach 'em not to support those who support genocide and tyranical dictatorships! Oh wait... :rolleyes:

I'm all for the use of strategic non-verbal 'communication' with organized fascist groups, but people voting one way or the other is just stupidity and silent consent, not organized genocide. I don't see much of a qualitative difference between an ND, Pasok, LAOS or Golden Dawn vote. It's all different faction of the bourgeoisie anyway, fuck them all.

[Mass Grave Aesthetics]

There better be riots after the election. Pro-austerity parties are going to lose the popular vote badly, and yet retain control of Parliament. New Democracy will gain 50 bonus seats for winning a plurality of the popular vote, thus ensuring a government that subverts the will of the Greek people.

In other news, 5 - 7% of the Greek population should be tortured to the brink of insanity and thrown into a mass grave. Opinion polls show Nazi party Golden Dawn as high as 7.5%!

The fact that a far- right party like Golden Dawn gains electoral support in times of dire economic and political crisis shouldn´t shock or surprise anyone. How do you expect members of the small and middle bourgeoisie to react to a situation like that in Greece?

[PhoenixAsh]

I predicted this rise for the GD in previous debates. KKE is polling at 10% (which is a significant drop from last months polls which put it at 12.5 or 13.5%) Syriza polls at 10% as well. GD is still avaraging a 5% (and indeed with some polls going as high as 7.8% ) which is up significantly from the 2.5-3.5% a few months ago.

[Delenda Carthago]

I predicted this rise for the GD in previous debates. KKE is polling at 10% (which is a significant drop from last months polls which put it at 12.5 or 13.5%) Syriza polls at 10% as well. GD is still avaraging a 5% (and indeed with some polls going as high as 7.8% ) which is up significantly from the 2.5-3.5% a few months ago.

Seriously, fuck the polls. I dont know how they work where you come from, but around here they are more of a control than a analysing tool. Dont even bother.

[Alaz]

Polls are just another tool for political manipulation in the hands of the government and the state, though as being a tool to inject their class oriented filth into people's consciousness,; they all reflect an aspect of the truth: polarization and crisis within the "mono-block" ruling class.

And within the limitations of bending the truth, they are considered as well-functioned for the sovereign class. Thus, in order to foresee the elections or where the people's political choices are heading towards, the elections and polls are misleading for both the revolutionaries and people.

At least, I believe that this is the point where bourgeois democracy has come to in collapsing European economies.

And as for the elections, rather than consideration of polls, both the results and holding of it will end catastrophically, as in Russia.

[Sasha]

Nazis rooted out of villages in Crete; anti-fascist gathering in Heraklion today
The nazis of Golden Dawn attempted to enter a number of villages in Crete, including Amira Viannou. The village saw the execution of 114 of its male members in September 1943, by the nazi occupation force. The local holocaust survivors’ association, along with anarchists and anti-fascists from Heraklion, set up a block preventing the nazis from entering the village. Similarly, the nazis were blocked off the village of Viannos and were eventually forced to cancel their propaganda tour.
Today (Apr 29) the nazis have planned a gathering at the town of Alikarnasos, near the city of Heraklion, at noon. Local anarchists and antifascists have already gathered at the spot.
More information as it comes.

[Sasha]

Little stories from IMF-run Greece: migrant concentration camp opens in Athens; racist Greek assassinates Albanian worker near the camp in cold blood; FRONTEX border force causes the death of yet another three migrants
Monday, April 30, 2012
“When I hear of order, it smells of*human flesh”*(Odysseas Elytis)
Today, the Ministry of so-called Citizen Protection announced the inaugural transfer of 56 undocumented migrants to the first so-called*”closed hospitality centre”, in the settlement of Amygdaleza, NW Athens. How many*euphemisms*can fit in a single sentence? The centre is the first concentration camp in the Greek territory. Ahead of the elections of May 6th, Greek Democracy strikes against the weakest, in a tough (and therefore desperate) bid to infuse a sense of common purpose and vision to its rapidly disgruntled subjects — or, when there is little left to feed to the populace, fear comes to order’s (momentary) rescue.
On the same day, only a few hundred meters from the location of the first concentration camp, a Greek male ran over a 53-year old Albanian day laborer who was waiting, with others, to be picked up. The driver, according to witnesses (GR), ran into the crowd of workers while driving with his partner in the car, shouting “I’ll fuck you all”. He drove away and one of the workers ran off to the local police station to report the incident; the police refused to intervene. A little while later the driver returned, this time shooting at the workers. He injured one Pakistani worker at his feet and another Albanian worker at his hip. As the 53-year old worker paused, the driver exited his car, shot him in the head in cold blood, and drove away.
As is by now customary in such murders, no mainstream media have reported the names of any of the victims involved, and it has been so far impossible to identify them from other sources.
Also on the same day, a vehicle of the international border patrol force, FRONTEX, was involved in yet another deadly incident at the Evros border: a car carrying undocumented migrants caught fire under following a car chase (it is still unclear how). The driver and another two of its passengers were burnt in the fire and died.
More info will most probably never come.
*
(occupiedlondon)

[Manic Impressive]

From our blog, I will check the sources, not because I doubt my own party but just because this is too unbelievable.

QUESTION: Who is the third biggest arms importer in the world, behind India and China?

ANSWER: Greece

QUESTION: If Greece had spent the EU average on defence over the past 10 years (1.7%) of GDP rather than spending 4% of GDP, how much money would it have saved?

ANSWER: 52% of GDP or Euro150 billion.

QUESTION: In the period 2006-2010 which country was Germany’s largest market for munitions?

ANSWER: Greece, which accounted for 15% of total German arms sales.

QUESTION: In the same period, what country was France’s largest arms export market in Europe (third largest overall)?

ANSWER: Greece

QUESTION: In 2010 (last year data is available) social spending in Greece was cut by 1.8bn Euros, how much did military spending change?

a) Decreased by Euro 900 million
b) No change
c) Increased by Euro 900million

ANSWER: C

http://socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/greek-quiz.html

[Sasha]

From our blog, I will check the sources, not because I doubt my own party but just because this is too unbelievable.

QUESTION: Who is the third biggest arms importer in the world, behind India and China?

ANSWER: Greece

QUESTION: If Greece had spent the EU average on defence over the past 10 years (1.7%) of GDP rather than spending 4% of GDP, how much money would it have saved?

ANSWER: 52% of GDP or Euro150 billion.

QUESTION: In the period 2006-2010 which country was Germany’s largest market for munitions?

ANSWER: Greece, which accounted for 15% of total German arms sales.

QUESTION: In the same period, what country was France’s largest arms export market in Europe (third largest overall)?

ANSWER: Greece

QUESTION: In 2010 (last year data is available) social spending in Greece was cut by 1.8bn Euros, how much did military spending change?

a) Decreased by Euro 900 million
b) No change
c) Increased by Euro 900million

ANSWER: C

http://socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/greek-quiz.html

Sounds very plausible, I know Greece spends insane amounts on the military and they are exempt from all austerity, they are really scared for a new coup/junta as the military guards its position zealously as paranoid as they are about a Turkish invasion (which is extremely improbable as long as turkey very much wants to get in the e.u. and remain in nato.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Elections day today, as of 18:30 Athens hour ballot boxes are going to close at 19:00. TV Channels such as MEGA TV, ANT1, ALPHA are going to be covering all the updates for the elections and have results about votes gradually and frequently in analytical diagrams. At 19:00 there is also gonna be an approximate first result of the elections. However, on the last gallop which was done right before the ballot boxes opened, some results are http://www.zougla.gr/Image.ashx?fid=568411&w=400&h=300&q=80
quite unexpected.New Democracy as expected is the first party with 15,8% and therefore becomes the governing party.

SYRIZA, disguised as "leftists" but are opportunists which are perceived same with the PASOK twats, by the left get a 15,5% that gets them a second party which is quite unexpected.
Independent Greeks the party found by an ex-ND MP Panos Kammenos gets a 11,1% but WTF he's a fuckin nationalist and same with ND. Sometimes I think that Greek voters are a bunch of assholes!
PASOK gets a 9,3% and becomes the fourth party.
KKE the Communist Party gets 6,7% .
Then comes DIMAR (Democratic Left,PASOK idiots) that gets 5,8% and enters the parliament.
Golden Fart(Dawn)*****es also enter the parliament with a 5,7%! I just want to believe that this is only true for a gallop!Golden Dawn MUST NOT enter the parliament.
Ecologists get a 4,3% and enter the parliament.
Then comes LAOS which gets a 2,5% and according to the gallop it gets out of the parliament.
Finally, Dimokratiki Simachia gets 1,8% and Social Symphony 0,8%.
Neutrals are 2,4% , undecided 8,4% , other parties 6,5% , "I don't answer" 3,4%

REMEMBER THIS IS A GALLOP, AND NOT THE ACTUAL RESULTS OF GREECE ELECTIONS 2012!

I will post the first approximate result on a seperate thread at about 19:00, the programmed time that the first approximate result will be available.

[Omsk]

Greece is not the only place where elections are taking place,what is worse,Greece is not the only place where a Fascist party has an opportunity to get into the parliament. I hope the voters in Greece will understand what the Golden Dawn stands for,and how dangerous they are.

[Sasha]

Sadly polls tend to grossly underestimate the support of extreme right parties because of the stigma, so I won't be surprised if goldenshower will actually pull 8% or even more in the end... let's hope I'm shown wrong...

[Sasha]

Guess I wasn't...

[Omsk]

How much did they get? How did the KKE pass?

[Sasha]

Goldenshower 8%, KKE only 1.5% more...

[Kornilios Sunshine]

You can view all of the result on the thread I created here. (http://www.revleft.com/vb/elections-greece-2012-t171241/index.html)

[Kornilios Sunshine]

OK, this is just funny. Golden Dawn members,right before the interview of Michaloliakos,their leader, required the journalists in the room to stand up to honor Michaloliakos.:laugh:
UHY0tPTRadM
FUCK YOU GOLDEN FART!:thumbdown:

[Sasha]

Unnamed group claims responsibility for arson attacks against right/extreme right parties, as greek elections get underway

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Against electoral illusions, against the assigning of our lives to professional politicians-employees of the domestic and international financial elites, against the call for generalised social consensus toward some national unity and social canibalism, against everything destroying our lives we attacked, on May 3d, the local office of DI.SI [neoliberal right-wing party --trans.] in the [Athens neighbourhood of] Kesariani, the local office of Nea Dimokratia [New Democracy, the main right-wing party] in the neighbourhoods of Nikea-Rentis, and the office of the nationalist cypriot student organisation that supports the [Neo-Nazis of] Golden Dawn in the neighbourhood of Ampelokipi.
Against the false dilemmas of a bourgeois democracy that is crumbling, the only question is: are we going to sustain a system of subjection, repression and*degradation, or are we going to fight with all our strength for freedom.
The attack is dedicated to all those who have been fighting in the streets for the past 2,5 year and to those arrested on February 12th.

[PhoenixAsh]

Greece is not the only place where elections are taking place,what is worse,Greece is not the only place where a Fascist party has an opportunity to get into the parliament. I hope the voters in Greece will understand what the Golden Dawn stands for,and how dangerous they are.

That is definately true...sad to say.

The reason why European revolutionaries are focussing on Greece is because Greece has become pivotal in the EU question. The results in Greece may very well determine the economic and political future of the EU more so than anything else.

Greece leaving the EU or defaulting on its "obligtions" to the EU will create a huge economic and political crisis. One which will hold deep reprecussions for the Euro zone. Nobody knows yet how that will play out but it would be a huge "fuck you" to the established political system and a huge failure of a whole lot of current political governments in the eyes of the European electorat.

[Tabarnack]

Leading Greek party fails to form government

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/05/201257144649316327.html

[moulinrouge]

Leading Greek party fails to form government

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/05/201257144649316327.html

Will syriza now try to form a leftist front?

[Sasha]

Will syriza now try to form a leftist front?


they will, and they will fail. PASOK do not want to repeal the austerity, KKE do not want to negotiate it seems at all. its just going to the motions of ellections after ellections until there is either a pro- or against-austerity coalition (excluding KKE & Goldendawn) majority or a new military coup

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Οn the 13 Trolley Line of Athens, a fascist Golden Dawn ticket checker enters spots two immigrants who entered the trolley illegally without having a boarding ticket,and tells them "Stand up! This is Greece", forcefully pushing them at the trolley's door. A witness also said that the checker not only threatened the immigrants but also the people who tried to stand up for them. When the people in the trolley told him that he should not treat immigrants in this way he answered " I am a fascist and a Golden Dawn member and I will talk however I want and will do whatever I want". When he was told that he would be reported to the police, he answered " You can do nothing". After 10 minutes, the GD checker left the trolley without charging any stoaway.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Gallop for repeatable elections states the following results :
SYRIZA first party with 27,7%
New Democracy 20,3%
PASOK 12,6%
Independent Greeks 10,2%
KKE 7%
Golden Dawn 5,7%
Democratic Left 4,9%
Ecologists 2,5%
LAOS 2,3%
Democratic Alliance 2,3%
Creation Again 1,8%

[Rusty Shackleford]

Gallop for repeatable elections states the following results :
SYRIZA first party with 27,7%
New Democracy 20,3%
PASOK 12,6%
Independent Greeks 10,2%
KKE 7%
Golden Dawn 5,7%
Democratic Left 4,9%
Ecologists 2,5%
LAOS 2,3%
Democratic Alliance 2,3%
Creation Again 1,8%
is this the final tally?

if this is the case, SYRIZA gets that 50 MP bump dont they?

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Gallop for repeatable elections states the following results :
SYRIZA first party with 27,7%
New Democracy 20,3%
PASOK 12,6%
Independent Greeks 10,2%
KKE 7%
Golden Dawn 5,7%
Democratic Left 4,9%
Ecologists 2,5%
LAOS 2,3%
Democratic Alliance 2,3%
Creation Again 1,8%

Comrade, this is though not bad news, this shows that the majority of Greek People want a Left solution to this situation and not a Right solution. And were it to come to a revolutionary situation, a lot of the people that don't vote and the ignorant workers will be inspired by the revolutionary fervor, so the thing for left parties to do is agitate, educate, organise to revolutionary actions.

[Vninect]

Gallop for repeatable elections states the following results :
SYRIZA first party with 27,7%
New Democracy 20,3%
PASOK 12,6%
Independent Greeks 10,2%
KKE 7%
Golden Dawn 5,7%
Democratic Left 4,9%
Ecologists 2,5%
LAOS 2,3%
Democratic Alliance 2,3%
Creation Again 1,8%

That translates to:



Party % poll % valid *2.5 round over bonus total
SYR 27.7 31.33 78.34 78 0.34 50 128
ND 20.3 22.96 57.41 57 0.41 0 57
PAS 12.6 14.25 35.63 35 0.63 1 36
IG 10.2 11.54 28.85 28 0.85 1 29
KKE 7 7.92 19.80 19 0.80 1 20
NAZ 5.7 6.45 16.12 16 0.12 0 16
DIM 4.9 5.54 13.86 13 0.86 1 14
ECO (2.5) =246 =4 300
LAO (2.3)
DA (2.3)
CRE (1.8)
=88.4
valid

[Sasha]

Beat the fash back with the rocks they crawled out under:


This morning around 40 Nazis tried to attack to African street vendors on the Square of Nea Smyrni. The migrants together with people who joined them from the surrounding coffee-shops pushed away the Nazis. The two groups at the moment are on two sides of the square.
In the neighboring district of Kalithea last night one more migrant was attacked and stabbed, two days before in Kalithea Nazis attacked to Egyptian migrants. Yesterday the offices of Golden Dawn in the city of Patras were attacked by antifascists.

[Sasha]

Little stories from IMF-run Greece: 25-year old woman fired from work on the eve of her birthday to avoid age-based minimum wage rise (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/16/little-stories-from-imf-run-greece-25-year-old-woman-fired-from-work-on-the-eve-of-her-birthday-to-avoid-age-based-minimum-wage-rise/)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Greek original (Rizospastis, the KKE -Stalinist- daily) (http://www2.rizospastis.gr/wwwengine/story.do?id=6850533)
At the age of 25… she is fired because she costs too much!
On Saturday she’ll turn 25, on Friday she’s… fired! It is no science fiction, but the reality as shaped up by the monopolies and governments in our country, for workers and the youth. A typical example is that of a young female worker in a big company of the Food sector,which has already started hiring young workers (younger than 25) with 511 euros per month before taxes. This particular worker has been working in the production line for the past 1,5 months, under the new labor relations of slavery, for 511 euros per month. The young woman has her birthday on Saturday and she was notified that on Friday she would be… fired because she turns 25. “They are laying me off on Friday, not earlier, in order for me not to lose on those days’ work. They are supposed to be making me a favor” she said yesterday to people outside the factory, and went on: “From Saturday on, I’ll be looking for work again, because I turned 25″. This is their new barmarism, the contemporary Middle Ages. The Middle Ages shaped up for the younger generation, for the worker who even though all conditions exist for her to live a life with a permanent job, free Health and Welfare, with a high-level Education, she is nevertheless turned into a beggar of the monopoly-corporations and businessmen, because she turned… 25 years old!



Athens – Responsibility Claim for the arson of the vehicle of Themis Skordeli (Golden Dawn candidate) (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/16/athens-%e2%80%93-responsibility-claim-for-the-arson-of-the-vehicle-of-themis-skordeli-golden-dawn-candidate/)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Via Act for Freedom Now (http://actforfree.nostate.net/?p=9401)
Responsibility Claim for the arson of the vehicle of Themis Skordeli (Golden Dawn candidate)
It’s been 3,5 years since the infamous war against the immigrants of Ag.Panteleimonas broke out. And you made sure from the start to be a frontline soldier in its everyday raids.
You were in the front line of the cleansing of the square in your area and you even sealed its playground. You roamed through the tv channels and proudly vomited your racist poison transforming it into a media spectacle.
And when you thought that fear had possessed everyone of a different religion and every foreign neighbour of yours, you organized new racist patrols in another square, this time a bit further away.
Then, you starred again in the days of racist pogroms in May 2011. And a few months later, you even made your friends the cops drag you to court, along with another two shitheads with the same beliefs as you, accused of stabbing immigrants.
Finally, you managed to get on the candidate list of your beloved Golden Dawn, as a reward for all the shit work you have been doing all these years. And till then you thought everything is going well.
But the memory you see is not easy to fool. Just when you think you stuffed it once and for all in the bin of History, it pops up in front of you all of a sudden without asking.
Themis, you were an important symbolic chapter for these reactionary formations called “resident committees”. But your actions, first of all had serious, bloody results. And we do not forget them. That’s why we decided on 2/5/2012 to burn your motorbike, in broad day light on Aharnon street, in the heart of your infamous neighbourhood. Just so you can’t feel safe never and nowhere. We know that a few burnt ccs is nothing compared to the traumas you have caused. But the hostilities continue.
Till we meet again therefore…
metropolitan antifascist patrol
source (http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1399746)




Fascist attacks against migrants and refugees in Greece – video by docupraxi.net (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/15/fascist-attacks-against-migrants-and-refugees-in-greece-video-by-docupraxi-net/)

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Fascist attacks against migrants and refugees in Greece.
from www.docupraxi.net (http://www.docupraxi.net/)
fascist attacks – www.docupraxi.net (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpnk9q_fascist-attacks-www-docupraxi-net_news) by docupraxi (http://www.dailymotion.com/docupraxi)


May 15th – bookshop and publishing house workers are on strike (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/15/strike-of-bookshop-and-publishing-house-workers/)

Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Bookshop and publishing house workers went on strike in Athens on May 15th, demanding a collective labour agreement rather than individual (personal) ones; an end to redundancies and increase in salaries according to the workers’ needs.
The strikers’ march just ended in Athens.

http://bookworker.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/apergia_syvxa_15_5_12_afisa.jpg

Collective agreement continuance expires today; hundreds of thousands of private sector workers face 15-40% wage decrease (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/14/collective-agreement-continuance-expires-today-hundreds-of-thousands-of-private-sector-workers-face-wage-decrease/)

Monday, May 14, 2012
As mainstream national and international media occupy themselves with the forming of a coalition government, an extremely significant story has received little coverage in Greece: today marks the expiration of the collective agreement continuance (metenergeia ) for 80 out of a total 0f 220 branch collective agreements in the private sector in the country.
Effectively, this means that every single worker previously covered by these agreements is now left facing their bosses alone; it is expected that hundreds of thousands will see their salary reduced to the national minimum wage, while a number of allowances would also be cut. According to the official timeframe, the remaining 140 branch collective agreements will also expire by May 2013.

all from occupiedlondon blog

[Sasha]

Voices from Golden Dawn – new video by Ross Domoney (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/18/voices-from-golden-dawn-new-video-by-ross-domoney/)

Friday, May 18, 2012
Voices from Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi) (http://vimeo.com/42410975) from Ross Domoney (http://vimeo.com/user1026518) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/).
As the Greek military marches in celebration of a victory against the Turkish, many supporters of the far right Golden Dawn come out to show their support. The most recent election in Greece saw Golden Dawn gain 21 seats in parliament and many of their votes came from the Mat riot police as well as the Delta motorbike police squad. As the economic and social crisis goes on in Greece, different parts of society are both going to the far right as well as the far left, and many now have complete distrust in the old political system.




Hospital doctors announce decision to ignore the Ministry of Health directive and to continue treating undocumented migrants (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/17/hospital-doctors-announce-decision-to-ignore-the-ministry-of-health-directive-and-to-continue-treating-undocumented-migrants/)

Thursday, May 17, 2012
Prior to the May 6th elections, the minister of health, Loverdos, announced undocumented migrants were to no longer receive any treatment in public hospitals in Greece. In response, hospital doctors issued, through their union body, the following statement
source in greek (http://www.iatropedia.gr/articles/read/1832)
Doctors: “We will treat undocumented migrants. No to Loverdos’ credentials to the [Nazis of the] Golden Dawn!”
The decision of the Minister of Health [at the time] Andreas Loverdos to ban the treatment of those who are illegally in the country, with the exception of emergencies, has caused havoc in the medical community.
Hospital doctors decided to ignore the order by Loverdos, accusing him in turn that with this order he tries to give his …credentials to the supporters of the [Nazi] Golden Dawn.
After the decision of their union (OENGE), doctors will continue to treat undocumented migrants as normal. In an issued statement, OENGE says: “hospital doctors declare, for an n-th time, to the impenitent minister of health, that they shall not renounce their medical profession and turn themselves to guards of humans instead, that they shall not concern themselves with the skin color, the gender, the origin and legalising documents of any human requiring examination and treatment”.
The head of the OENGE, Dimitris Varnavas, clarifies in some stark words: “If Mr Loverdos wishes to satisfy his political obsessions or give his credentials to the supporters of the Golden Dawn, he has the capacity do so in any ways -not, however, by exploiting the professional responsibility and dignity of hospital doctors.
We announce, therefore, that we shall completely ignore the recent, pre-electoral instructions by Mr. Loverdos and that we shall continue practicing the medical profession as commandeered by our oath and medical conduct”.




DELTA and DIAS police forces storm the Athens School of Economics, before being pushed out by students in the building (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/05/16/delta-and-dias-police-forces-storm-the-athens-school-of-economics-before-being-pushed-out-by-students-in-the-building/)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Source (greek) (http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=1400440)
On the night of May 16th, DELTA and DIAS motorcycle police forces that were on Patision Avenue in Athens stormed the courtyard of the Athens School of Economics (ASOEE) and minutes later, the building through its main entrance as well. Both the courtyard and the building were full with people despite the storming happening late in the night, as many students had amassed there for the student elections that took place on the day. The DELTA and DIAS forces that stormed the building chased all the students (regardless of their political affinities), hitting them with their fold-able clubs; the students reacted, eventually holding the gates of the university and keeping the police at bay.



....

[Sasha]

Racist incidents escalate, migrant stabbed in Athens, nazis attack refugee squat in patras: http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/

[ВАЛТЕР]

Seems like things are escalating pretty quickly. Does anyone know if there are there any actions being taken against the GD?

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Seems like things are escalating pretty quickly. Does anyone know if there are there any actions being taken against the GD?

Don't know, but i agree with you that things are escelating very quickly, everywhere. A comrade of mine sent me a link to a video of a demo he was at, and all of a sudden the demonstrators in Frankfurt in front of the European Central Bank, were chanting 'Communism, Communism, allez!' which if you know germany and the type of demonstration this was (25,000 demonstrators of an Occupy offshoot) that is quite a thing to say publicly, in front of the head bank of europe no less. He also said that he also thinks people are turning more radical today, things have to change.

[PhoenixAsh]

and that is why we have social democrats....whenever this happens they step in and quell the anger.

Loyal tools of capitalism.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Athens Indymedia, a leftist newsfeed from Greece.

http://athens.indymedia.org/?lang=en

[Sasha]

Seems like things are escalating pretty quickly. Does anyone know if there are there any actions being taken against the GD?

almost daily a GD office gets burned or trashed in greece, mostly from out the anarchists/anti-authoritarians. (http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/?s=golden+dawn&searchsubmit=Find) Also you see the formation of self-defence groups of migrants (esp from the streetvendors). this morning a ex-LAOS MP now switched to "respectable right" new democracy had the audacity to show up at the courtcase of an goldendawn candidate charged with stabbing migrants, some swift streetjustice was dished out apperently...
but the parlaimentairy left stick to strictly verbal condemnations.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

Yesterday at about 23:15 an immigrant was knife-attacked at the ISAP Omonoia Train station probably by a fascist GD member who managed to escape and leave no traces, insomuch the police arrived 15 minutes later the whole thing happened. Fortunatelly, the immigrant is not heavily injured however this doesn't mean we don't have revenge for this antihumanist event.
DOWN WITH THE FASCISTS,
SOLIDARITY TO ALL THE IMMIGRANTS!

[marl]

The soup kitchen opens at noon but long before then the queues start to form in the hot Athens sun. A couple of streets away from where sardines, red mullet and squid are piled high in the fish market, those down on their luck line up. While elsewhere life goes on seemingly as normal, students, jobless people, single parents and pensioners swallow their pride and wait patiently. They get two meals a day, at midday and 5pm. This is what a depression looks like.
At first blush, Greece (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/greece) seems no different from any other developed country. People sit in the city centre cafes sipping their iced coffees; yellow taxis cruise the streets; the shops are open for business. But different it is, and it is not hard to spot the signs that this is an economy that has contracted by 20% since the downturn began three years ago and that it is still falling.
You don't need to know that spending in the shops is down by a sixth over the past year; it is obvious from the empty cabs and those shops open but with no customers. You don't need to know that the official unemployment rate is well above 20% and youth unemployment is nudging 50%: it's obvious from the young men idling on street corners and openly dealing drugs.
Greece is broke and close to being broken. It is a country where children are fainting in school because they are hungry, where 20,000 Athenians are scavenging through waste tips for food, and where the lifeblood of a modern economy – credit – is fast drying up.
It is a country where the fascists and the anarchists battle for control of the streets, where immigrants fear to go out at night and where a woman whispers "it's like the Weimar republic" as a motorcycle cavalcade from the Golden Dawn party, devotees of Adolf Hitler, cruises past the parliament building. Graffiti says: "Foreigners get out of Greece. Greece is for the Greeks. I will vote for Golden Dawn to remove the filth from the country."
As ever, it is economic collapse that is pushing politics to the extremes. Businesses that have not already gone bust are clinging on by their fingertips hoping the country's second election in two months will be a turning point. Not the moment when the economy starts to recover, because Greeks have seen enough and suffered enough to know that the slump will grind on through 2012 and 2013; instead, they are banking on the rest of Europe (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/europe-news) cutting Greece some slack for fear that a nation accounting for less than 3% of the eurozone's output could be the catalyst for a terminal crisis that will destroy the single currency.
"Things are getting worse," said John Milios, economics professor at the National Technical University in Athens, and a candidate for the leftwing coalition, Syriza, in the election. "The economy is in a devastating state mainly due to the austerity programme. Practically all the banks are bankrupt and there has been a very large redistribution of wealth in favour of the rich."
It is too late now to say that Greece should never have been admitted as a founder member of the euro (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/euro), although there are those in Brussels, Frankfurt and Berlin who rue the day when European solidarity was deemed more important than economic common sense.
There are many cultural reference points for what has happened to the birthplace of democracy over the past decade: some call it a Greek tragedy, others say the austerity programme is akin to the torture of Sisyphus, the king condemned to push a giant stone to the top of the Hades hill only to find it slipping and rolling to the bottom each time he neared the summit.
But the best metaphor is Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun. The government in Athens used the cheap interest rates that came with euro membership to spend too much and borrow too much, all the time oblivious to the fact that the country was becoming less and less competitive in comparison with the rich countries of north Europe.
Crony capitalism, economic incompetence, and downright corruption left Greece vulnerable when the crash came. At the end of 2009 it emerged that the government had been telling lies about the size of Greece's budget deficit, and the financial markets no longer considered Greek debt to be all but the same as German debt. Athens got its first bailout in May 2010, a second in February this year. But on both occasions strings were attached: cut wages, cut pensions, cut public spending, privatise the economy, embark on structural reforms.
Austerity has been a failure, for Greece and for the rest of the single currency. The idea was to end the recession quickly and prevent the contagion spreading to the other 16 members of the club. Neither has happened.
"There is precisely zero chance of austerity working," said Yanis Varoufakis, once a speechwriter for the former socialist prime minister George Papandreou, now an economics professor in the US. "It is the same as thinking you can escape from gravity by waving your arms up and down."
Varoufakis is scathing about how the crisis has been handled. "Europe's made a mess of Greece for the past three years. Those responsible will go down as the biggest idiots in the history of economics."
There have been domestic and political ramifications of the failure to tackle Greece's problems effectively. Internally, there has been a loss of support for the mainstream parties thought responsible for the economic collapse. Externally, the belief that Greece will be merely the first eurozone domino to fall has led to pressure on Ireland, Portugal and, recently, Spain.
The strength of support for Syriza's anti-austerity message in the inconclusive election held shocked the Greek and the European political establishments. Despite attempts to portray Syriza as the party that will propel Greece towards an exit from the eurozone – something 80% of the population oppose – polls suggest that support for the charismatic Alexis Tsipras, leader of Syriza, has held up.
"After the elections of 6 May we can see that a large fraction of the population has hope for the first time," Milios said.
Tsipras is adamant that he doesn't want to return to the drachma. He wants instead to renegotiate the terms of Greece's bailout, with the country's creditors agreeing to lower interest rates on debt repayments, more time to hit deficit reduction targets and money from Europe's structural funds to back growth. In the game of political chicken being played between Athens and Berlin, Tsipras believes Angela Merkel, for all her tough talk, will blink first.
Alex Jacovides, chairman of Genesis Pharma, a company that imports drugs for the Greek healthcare market, said: "We need a compromise for the benefit of Europe, an extension of the memorandum [the bailout agreement] because people are feeling the pressure and cohesion is at stake.
"People are not all like the Germans. There is a limit to what Mediterranean people can accommodate. Greece was living beyond its means for a number of years – this has to stop. But it can't happen overnight. It has to be a step by step approach. Who's going to invest in Greece when it's going down so rapidly?"
The company has been hit by a triple whammy: a 50% drop in demand from a contracting economy, a 14-month delay in being paid by the government, and the €170m loss it took on the bonds that it accepted as payment from the state but which were subject to a 70% write down as part of February's bail-out. "We can survive a few more months" said Jacovides, "but not much more than that."
He added, however, that he wanted the next government to be pro-Europe and pro-euro, but insisted that this was not just a crisis for Greece. "This is an inflexion point for Europe. We have to decide whether we take the federal road or go back to single nations. We need time, support and the realisation that if Greece fails it will be the end of Europe as we know it."
Thus far, there has been precious little sign that Germany's chancellor is prepared to soften her line. And sympathy from other quarters has been in limited supply too.
Christine Lagarde (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/christine-lagarde), the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, provoked fury when she said in a Guardian interview that she had more sympathy for poor children deprived of a proper education in Niger than she had for those guilty of not paying their taxes in Greece.
No one in Greece would deny that tax-dodging is a serious problem. What they objected to was the failure of Lagarde to make a distinction between those who pay their full whack – the less well-off wage earners – and the middle class, self-employed, professionals and super rich who can find ways, legal and illegal, to minimise their tax liabilities. There are those, too, who think that the austerity imposed by the troika — the IMF (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/imf), European Central Bank and the EU — has made matters in Greece worse, not better.
"The government and the troika took a Greek recession and turned it into a Greek depression," said Thanasis Maniatisan, an economics professor at Athens University. "It is a great humanitarian crisis, similar to that suffered in advanced economies during the 1930s. There is no light at the end of the tunnel."
Not everybody agrees with this bleak assessment. One senior banker, speaking anonymously, said that the restoration of political stability could lead to the return of the €80bn removed from bank deposits since the start of the crisis. Some of the money has fled overseas, some has been used by the newly impoverished to maintain living standards, some is being kept under the mattress in case the banks go bust.
A return of even a fraction of this capital would provide the banks with scope to lend more money and so finance a slow recovery, the banker said.
Dimitris Tsigos, founding president of the Hellenic Start-up Association and founder of a software company, says that Greece has plenty of things going for it: a well-educated workforce, plenty of sun that attracts tourists and can be a source of solar power, and a thriving biotechnology sector. But he believes the country needs a clean break with its bad old ways.
For many years, Tsigos said, graduates aspired to working in a public sector that was expanded to cater for them. "This vision has collapsed with the crisis and now people have to make up their minds what they will do. Emigrating is one option. To stay here and fight is another. Doing that in a zero liquidity environment is challenging but that's what we are trying to do."
The crisis, he says, has hit the poor, the wage earners and parts of the middle class but not Greece's oligarchs, ship owners and bankers who control the media and have had close links with the parties of the centre-right and centre-left that have dominated Greek politics since the mid-1970s. "Greece is a country governed by a group of gangsters. Either the Greek people will kick the gangsters out or they will have the fate they deserve."
Defence spending, where corruption has been endemic, said Tsigos, has so far escaped the swingeing spending cuts imposed on health and education. "Corruption is everywhere. You must think of a Latin American or African model to understand Greece."
This, then, is Greece as it faces its second recent election: a country with dysfunctional politics, a crippled economy and creditors rapidly running out of patience. There are no good options, only bad ones.
One posited solution is to leave the euro and return to the drachma. This would intensify the slump in the short term. The National Bank of Greece, a commercial bank, estimates that output could fall by a fifth and unemployment could rise to 34% of the workforce. But there are those who believe that there is a chance that a cheaper currency and a debt default would, as was the case with Argentina a decade ago, offer the chance of recovery.
Leonidas Vatikiotis, a leftwing academic, says leaving the euro is a prerequisite for recovery. It would, he said, have to be accompanied by nationalisation of the banks, capital controls and debt default. "There is meltdown in the economy. Nobody pays anything. Businesses don't pay their suppliers. Suppliers don't pay their taxes. The solution is the overthrow of austerity policies. Greece has been an ideal laboratory for the most brutal neo-liberalism."
This, though, is still a minority position. Stefanos Manos, leader of the small Action party, says Greece must remain in the euro and favours even more radical structural reform than proposed by the troika. "In terms of shrinking the state, the memorandum is very timid. I would do more."
Varoufakis says the comparison with Argentina does not stack up, because Argentina had retained its own currency while pegged to the US dollar, and there was strong global demand for its commodities after it devalued the peso. He says Greece should default within the euro.
As the debates rage over whether Greece should be in or out and whether it should stick to its austerity plan or not, one thing is clear: the country is perilously close to the edge of economic and social catastrophe.
Sofia Argyropoulou owns a printing house that has specialised in upmarket books since it was founded by her father in 1956. There have been bad times before, she says, especially the period of the military dictatorship in the late sixties and early 1970s when her father ran the printing machines without paper "just to hear them".
"What I want is work," she said. "I don't care whether we have the drachma or the euro. What matters is to have work." Like many other Greeks she knew that the boom years were just too good to be true. "But I couldn't believe we were going to be in this position. People are sitting on their money because they are afraid."
Argyropoulou cut her workforce from 14 to seven and moved into smaller premises, but she said she was still losing money. "We can survive for another six months. After that I will use my savings to close. I will give everybody what I have to give and say goodbye."
Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/31/greece-austerity-failure-syriza-bailout?newsfeed=true)

Liberal article, but it's good

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

The Guardian is idiotic. Simple answer to why Spain, Greece, Italy, Ireland and Portugal are falling: German Capitalists were stronger and could lower wages and stagnate them sine the 90's while southern workers are very aggressive and organized; this dispairing wage and fiscal policy within. Currency union leads and lead to lower inflation in Germany than in southern countries tht gave workers a little more. Lower inflation means lower prices and within a currency union germany had a cheap currency to be export queen after china. Euro and EU is about to devastatingly fall apart if not centralized; nationalism will plunge the relations between the current EU market once nationalized and given back to national bourgeosisies=war.

[Sasha]

Anti-fascist and anti-nazi demonstrations taking place across Greece

Athens School of Economics: In response to recent attacks on migrants by members of the nazi party Golden Dawn in open collaboration with police, students of the Athens School of Economics (ASOEE) and anarchists called for an anti-fascist demonstration on May 29th, in Athens. The demonstration was attended by approximately 1,000.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2.jpgNo tolerance to the attacks of police and neonazi; we are together with the migrants. Hands off the Academic Asylum. Students Union of the Athens School of Economics

In the working class Athenian suburb of Egaleo, an impromptu anti-fascist demonstration crossed through the neighbourhood following the intervention by migrants to the local neighbourhood assembly, to explain to those present about a recent neonazi attack against them.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3.jpg"Fascists, out of our neighbourhood"

An anti-fascist demonstration is called in the Athens neighbourhood of Kallithea for June 2nd, following a neonazi attack on a group of local Egyptian migrants, in a clear collaboration with the police.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/5.jpg"Workers United will never be Defeated"

In the island of Corfu, an anti-fascist demonstration has been called for June 1st, at 6pm: “Against the fascist turn of society”.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/4.gif






:thumbup1:

[Geiseric]

Is there any conflict within the KKE or their union against the simply awful centrist politics the party is taking?

[Kornilios Sunshine]

After voting, Aleka Papariga Generaly Secretaty of the KKE, states that she denounces the fake twitter account which claims to be the official Central Commitee account of the KKE, because on it, the following message in Greek was tweeted : " Today we vote the party of the people. SYRIZA!" She has reported this to the cyber cops, denouncing Google as well. Finally, Aleka Papariga said that the KKE does not and will never have any Facebook Twitter or other social media accounts.
Link of the Twitter which still exists!
http://twitter.com/kkegr

[The Douche]

After voting, Aleka Papariga Generaly Secretaty of the KKE, states that she denounces the fake twitter account which claims to be the official Central Commitee account of the KKE, because on it, the following message in Greek was tweeted : " Today we vote the party of the people. SYRIZA!" She has reported this to the cyber cops, denouncing Google as well. Finally, Aleka Papariga said that the KKE does not and will never have any Facebook Twitter or other social media accounts.
Link of the Twitter which still exists!
http://twitter.com/kkegr

If the KKE did have Facebook or Twitter though, that probably wouldn't have happened.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

After voting, Aleka Papariga Generaly Secretaty of the KKE, states that she denounces the fake twitter account which claims to be the official Central Commitee account of the KKE, because on it, the following message in Greek was tweeted : " Today we vote the party of the people. SYRIZA!" She has reported this to the cyber cops, denouncing Google as well. Finally, Aleka Papariga said that the KKE does not and will never have any Facebook Twitter or other social media accounts.
Link of the Twitter which still exists!
http://twitter.com/kkegr

The KKE supporters and members should vote for Syriza.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

The KKE supporters and members should vote for Syriza.
Why vote PASOK again? Who would be such an idiot to do so?

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

Why to vote PASOK again? Who would be such an idiot to do so?
What good would voting for the KKE do? They wont win with their nationalist agenda. Syriza, despite its flaws, represents the mainstream anti-austerity voice in these elections. Surely it is better to vote for a vocal contender to austerity than to waste your vote and let the neo-liberals win out-right?

Not that I have any faith in the idea that austerity can be negotiated inside the EU, its just that it is less likely that the KKE will get a majority, leave the EU and establish some kind of harmonious, isolated, socialist Greece.

If you, as a Greek can convince me otherwise, please do.

[Workers-Control-Over-Prod]

Well, ND won. SYRIZA really is not a revolutionary party and would have possibly been blamed by the capitalist press for the looming default. Too bad.

The further demonstration of working class blindness at voting for their near to most reactionary oppressors, shows that western society will need quite a lot of time, education and effort to gain class consciousness and overthrow the capitalist system in a revolution.

Overall this is not good sign, the left simply needs to gain influence leverage, and that means taking power and controlling the means of production to fund leftist propaganda to awaken class consciousness. Like said, not a very good sign...

[A Marxist Historian]

What good would voting for the KKE do? They wont win with their nationalist agenda. Syriza, despite its flaws, represents the mainstream anti-austerity voice in these elections. Surely it is better to vote for a vocal contender to austerity than to waste your vote and let the neo-liberals win out-right?

Not that I have any faith in the idea that austerity can be negotiated inside the EU, its just that it is less likely that the KKE will get a majority, leave the EU and establish some kind of harmonious, isolated, socialist Greece.

If you, as a Greek can convince me otherwise, please do.

The workers can't win at the ballot box. That's the lesson of history. Leftists used to know that, after Chile and Pinochet. Now they have forgotten again.

It doesn't matter who wins the majority. The only way that the horrific assaults on the Greek working class can be stopped is through a workers revolutution. Even a KKE ballot box victory, or for that matter an ANTARSYA ballot box victory, wouldn't matter. The state is made up of armed bodies of men (sometimes women lately), for the workers to defeat the capitalists requires smashing the capitalist state and the workers creating their own brand new state.

The KKE, which is a mass party of the working class, is calling in its election campaign for socialism, revolution, and leaving the EU. It has a zillion flaws, not least its Greek nationalism, but those who voted for the KKE were voting for revolution, or at least thought they were. Those who voted for SYRIZA voted for, well, renegotiating the austerity package.

Quite likely some people voted for ND on the grounds that if you want to negotiate with the EU bankers rather than repudiating the debts and withdrawing from the EU, best to elect somebody the bankers would be willing to talk to.

-M.H.-

[Geiseric]

M.H. you're ignoring the entire history of social democracy, and you seem to be predicting beforehand that a reaction will overtake a SYRIZA government. Are the final results in, or is this speculation?

[Geiseric]

Also calling for a revolution wouldn't work either, there aren't any organs of working class rule that are being set up. The only significant political arena is the bourgeois one, so social democratic demands which benefits the petit bourgeois and the proletariat which are joined by Anti Austerity issues are the only thing that can be really fought for at this moment. Why hasn't KKE been setting up soviets this entire time if they're calling for a revolution? the eu is definately needed for greece's economy not to collapse.

[A Marxist Historian]

M.H. you're ignoring the entire history of social democracy, and you seem to be predicting beforehand that a reaction will overtake a SYRIZA government. Are the final results in, or is this speculation?

I am puzzled by this posting. The entire history of Social Democracy since 1914 has been to sell out the workers. SYRIZA is part of this history. It is you ignoring the lesons of history not me.

The final results of course are in, and SYRIZA lost. Or are you hypothesizing about what would happen if SYRIZA had won? I wasn't in that posting.

What would happen if they had won? Tsipras would have fulfilled his campaign promises and gone to Brussels to renegotiate the austerity measures. He'd get a few concessions, maybe a little more than ND will get when they do the same thing, or maybe a little less.

Then he'd go back to Greece, say that was the best he can do, and set about getting the workers to accept what ever deal he can get. Probably with more success than an ND government would.

And Golden Dawn would benefit.

-M.H.-