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Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-06-29Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Hoodlums again mar protests(ANA-MPA) -- Roughly 1,000 mostly youthful rioters on Wednesday again clashed with riot police outside Parliament, on the second day of a nationwide 48-hour strike called by Greece's two main trade unions against the government's austerity measures -- which were nevertheless passed by majority vote in Parliament hours later.The violent protesters, usually identified as self-styled anarchists and anti-state activists, threw stones and homemade firebombs against police, who responded with the use of teargas. Just before 2 p.m. local time, police barricades in front of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier outside Parliament were overturned by protesters, prompting extensive use of teargas by anti-riot police. In spite of the clashes, hundreds of people from the "indignados movement" remained at Syntagma Square, continuing peaceful demonstrations against the austerity measures, even in the face of provocations by the violent self-styled anarchists. Since early this morning, downtown Athens is off limits for vehicles. Sixteen people were injured in the clashes and taken to a nearby hospital. Only one person remained hospitalised. Earlier, individuals participating in the "indignados movement" engaged in a brief verbal altercation with members of the communist party-affiliated PAME trade union, which had organised a separate protest rally. (ANA-MPA) More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form [02] Mid-term plan passed by majority vote(ANA-MPA) -- Greece's Parliament on Wednesday ratified the Medium-Term Fiscal Strategic Programme, 155 in favour to 138 against -- with five MPs declaring "present" -- the most anticipated vote in the 300-deputy legislature since democracy was restored in the country in 1974.One deputy was absent during the roll call vote and one MP voted via correspondence. Approval of the latest batch of austerity measures, tax hikes, wide-ranging reforms and accelerated privatisations means that the Greek government can expect the unimpeded allocation of the fifth tranche (12 billion euros) of an EC-ECB-IMF bailout in early July and continued deliberations, within the Eurozone, towards a second bailout if necessary. Failure to ratify the mid-term plan would have essentially meant a no-confidence vote for George Papandreou's government. A handful of MPs from the two major parties did not "toe the party line" in the vote, either voting against or in favour. The PASOK deputy that voted against was subsequetly expelled from the ruling party's Parliament group. (ANA-MPA) A vote on Thursday will be held in Parliament on the enabling or implementation law that will accompany the Medium-Term Programme. (ANA-MPA) © ANA-MPA SA. Intellectual rights and copyright belong to the ANA-MPA S.A. Reproduction of ANA-MPA content by visitors of this website is strictly forbidden. More details on the subscriber's page of ANA-MPA | Subscription request form Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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