Protesters shout slogans in front of the parliament during a rally against a new austerity package at Constitution (Syntagma) square in Athens June 6, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Pascal Rossignol
Posted on 06/06/2011 8:33:44 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou told his cabinet Monday it was crucial to accept years of austerity to secure a new international bailout, a challenge for a nation already seething over corruption.
Unease is growing within Papandreou's ranks about the consequences of waves of budget cuts demanded under successive deals with the European Union and the IMF -- and this could turn into alarm after at least 80,000 Greeks crammed a central Athens square to vent their anger over the dire state of the nation.
As the government struggles to prevent Greece from defaulting on its debt, the Socialist cabinet debated for eight hours a medium-term economic plan which will impose 6.4 billion euros of extra savings in the rest of this year alone.
"Today our decisions and our stance on the way to the (EU) summit will decide the future of our country, as negotiations with our partners have not been completed," Papandreou told his ministers. "The following days and weeks are critical."
This is the first stage of a drive to turn the plan, agreed Friday with the EU and the IMF as the price of a new financial rescue, into law despite signs of dissent in the ruling party.
Papandreou will present the plan to the political council of his PASOK party Tuesday, before the cabinet clears it the following day and sends it to parliament.
Papandreou is likely to reshuffle his cabinet at some stage as part of an effort to overcome resistance, not least in PASOK.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Protesters shout slogans in front of the parliament during a rally against a new austerity package at Constitution (Syntagma) square in Athens June 6, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Pascal Rossignol
whoops.
Thanks robowombat.
Greeks March Against More Spending Cuts
VOA | June 6, 2011
Posted on 06/06/2011 1:08:27 AM PDT by robowombat
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2730466/posts
Hey, you dumb bast*rds voted for the socialists... so deal with it...
“seethes”?
Lulz, that is hilarious....a broke arse nation ‘seething’....incredible amount of moronic idiots in Greece, huh? =.=
80,000 - that’s all they could muster? Heck the lib media claims there were 70,000 pissed-off hippies and schoolteachers banging drums on the Madistan WI capitol square couple of months ago. Socialists must be lazy.
Eat marble jerks.
Seething that the World won’t keep funding their Socialist ponzi scheme? I’d laugh, but we’re not much better.
Don’t know who I have less sympathy for... The ‘Free Shit Army’, or bankers dumb enough to loan them money....
I don’t understand why so many FReepers are laughing at this.
It’s not like we’re in all that much better a position. This will be us within a decade at the rate we’re going.
Protestor's graffiti in Greece. (Translation: "Vote for Ali Baba, he only has 40 thieves.")
LMAO!
They must have wrung their hands bloody.
"Oh woe is us... We are all out of other people's money."
just an observation...they all have their hands out in that picture. Typical.
The Greek masses look like well fed Zombies....the passion of the slaves.
They were probably mugging when they saw the camaras, waving at them, and this was a still shot that was considered usable.
Nicely and succinctly put. :’D
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