Violence erupts as Greece tries to tackle economic crisis
Violent protests against planned new spending cuts ripped through Athens today with riot police having to use tear gas against crowds.
Even as the brawls spread outside the country’s parliament, Prime Minister George Papandreou was meeting European leaders looking for support to ease the country’s debt crisis.
The most violent demonstrations since the rioting that gripped Greek cities in 2008 started at the landmark Unknown Soldier’s Tomb – a spot revered as a symbol of national sacrifice.
Masked youths chased ceremonial guardsmen, dressed in 19th century uniform, away from the monument and threw stones at police.
More than 7,000 demonstrators gathered to protest the €4.8bn package, which will raise consumer taxes and slash public sector workers’ pay by up to 8%.
Inside parliament, MPs debated the draft austerity law, which is expected to be passed despite fierce opposition.
Meanwhile outside masked youths attacked the head of Greece’s largest trade union who was addressing the crowd.
GSEE head Yiannis Panagopoulos traded blows with the rioters before being whisked away bloodied and with torn clothes.
GSEE and the ADEDY umbrella civil servant union held strikes s to protest over the austerity measures, closing hospitals, schools and public transport.
Further violence broke out later with masked youths attacking riot police inside the Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court, and trying to break into the Labour Ministry.
An earlier protest ended peacefully, while there were smaller clashes during two protests in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city.
The centre-left government is seeking a total €16bn in savings this year, to reduce a budget deficit.
The cuts are key in convincing bond markets to loan the country money and to win support from the European Union.
In Luxembourg, Mr Papandreou met Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the group of eurozone finance ministers before holding talks in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Ms Merkel and Germany, as the biggest of the 16 countries that use the euro, would play a key role in any financial lifeline the EU plans to offer Greece.
But the German government has said the meeting is not about giving aid and the EU’s promise of support, first issued last month, remains vague.
Despite raising €5bn from a successful 10-year bond issue yesterday, Athens remains under intense pressure from high borrowing rates.
Mr Papandreou has annoyed the EU by warning that Greece could request financial help from the International Monetary Fund unless it details potential emergency support.
Mr Papandreou insists Greece is not seeking bailout money from the European Union but a public commitment to a financial rescue plan that would reassure markets.
Mr Papandreou will also discuss the debt crisis with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Sunday, and meet US President Barack Obama on March 9 in Washington.
French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said that President Sarkozy would back Greece if its debt woes got it into real trouble.
She said she expects Mr Sarkozy will tell him that France would be there if Greece got into real difficulties. She did not explain what form that support would take.
