Greece: Euro crisis

[Fedayn]

A Dutch Finance Minsiter was just on Channel 4 News indicating they want a more permanent existence of the troika in Greece ebven after all this is done. An absolute dismissal of even formal bourgeois democracy openly and quite blatantly.

 

[frogwoman]

holland the land of liberalism.

 

[frogwoman]

except if you're practicing muslim, obviously. or greek.

 

[Corax]

Was interesting talking to a few people about the whole situation when I was in Crete recently. Most memorable was a lad in his 20s that my other half has known since he was about 3. He predicts major riots and (attempts at) revolution on the mainland this Winter, saying:

"Last Winter people were angry. This Winter they will be hungry".

 

[elbows]

Slowly the ugly detail oozes out.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/04/eurozone-six-day-week-greece

"Measure: increase flexibility of work schedules: increase the number of maximum workdays to six days per week for all sectors.

"Increase flexibility of work schedules; set the minimum daily rest to 11 hours; delink the working hours of employees from the opening hours of the establishment; eliminate restrictions on minimum/maximum time between morning and afternoon shifts; allow the consecutive two-week leave to be taken anytime during the year in seasonal sectors."

 

[elbows]

The BBC have picked up on the longer working week and other details:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19491266

 

[magneze]

Minimum daily rest set to 11 hours. So that's 13 hours a day, for 6 days then. 72 hour working week.

 

[magneze]

How does longer working hours square with trying to reduce the 30% unemployment?

 

[youngian]

How does longer working hours square with trying to reduce the 30% unemployment?

I can only assume they want them to work six days for five days pay in order to become more 'competitive' through wage cuts. Or as it is otherwise known 'an internal devaluation'.

 

[magneze]

I can only assume they want them to work six days for five days pay in order to become more 'competitive' through wage cuts. Or as it is otherwise known 'an internal devaluation'.

That still doesn't make sense really does it? If the employed are doing more work then isn't that only going to mean that companies can need less people?

 

[where to]

Golden Dawn (vague equivalent of the BNP before Griffin's facelift; one of the only far right parties with a significant street presence) are now up to 10.5%-12% in the latest opinion polls this week. in 2009 elections they received 0.29% of the vote. whilst around half of that vote has come from the now annihilated other far right party LAOS, who discgraced themselves even in the eyes of their own by supporting austerity, the rest of their support has come from elsewhere.

their support seems to be growing more rapidly than the Nazi's in the 20s and 30s.

 

[Delroy Booth]

Golden Dawn (vague equivalent of the BNP before Griffin's facelift; one of the only far right parties with a significant street presence) are now up to 10.5%-12% in the latest opinion polls this week. in 2009 elections they received 0.29% of the vote. whilst around half of that vote has come from the now annihilated other far right party LAOS, who discgraced themselves even in the eyes of their own by supporting austerity, the rest of their support has come from elsewhere.

their support seems to be growing more rapidly than the Nazi's in the 20s and 30s.

just saw this via hope not hate, speaks for itself

 

[Lo Siento.]

That still doesn't make sense really does it? If the employed are doing more work then isn't that only going to mean that companies can need less people?

In neoliberal theory, if they can exploit their labour force more (a) they will generate bigger profits and invest them in more capital, then hire more people (b) a easily exploitable workforce is more attractive to investors, both foreign and domestic, who will invest more money and (c) will make exports cheaper.

 

[where to]

@ Delroy Booth: it should also be noted that they stuck video footage of this incident (probably the video you have posted in fact) on their website after the event - it says a lot imo.

 

[where to]

12% is one in nine.

if we lived in Greece, people we know and would normally think are okay are telling opinion pollsters they would vote neo-Nazi in an election tomorrow.

 

[Lo Siento.]

12% is one in nine.

if we lived in Greece, people we know and would normally think are okay are telling opinion pollsters they would vote neo-Nazi in an election tomorrow.

They got 7% in the last election, I wonder who they've taken that 5% off. Presumably conservative voters turned against austerity and worried about the hard left?

 

[love detective]

they've overtaken pasok for the first time, although in these latest polls Golden Dawn is the only party who has increased their support, so general decrease across the board

 

[Riklet]

Greece scraps far-right protection

Greece scrapped police protection for lawmakers from the far-right Golden Dawn party today after the bodyguards did nothing while the deputies went on a rampage destroying street stands run by migrant vendors.

Led by three lawmakers, Golden Dawn supporters in black glasses and black T-shirts overturned and broke tables manned by migrants at open-air markets held on Saturday at the central Greek towns of Messolongi and Rafina.

Reacting to public criticism for police inaction, Greek minister for public order Nikos Dendias said today he suspended the Rafina police chief.

His ministry also said it removed the state-appointed bodyguards protecting all Golden Dawn lawmakers, saying it wanted to spare policemen the conflict of having to either protect the deputies or stopping them from illegal behaviour.

It was the first time police protection had been revoked for lawmakers, police officials said. Armed bodyguards are among privileges enjoyed by all Greek lawmakers.

"The police force has decided to remove police protection for Golden Dawn members of parliament after the party announced that it will continue with violent actions and abuse of authority," the ministry said in a statement.

"The decision is aimed at protecting police guards from unintentional conflict of duty in guarding lawmakers, since their duty is to pursue and arrest violators."

Golden Dawn emerged from obscurity to win parliamentary seats in a June election, capitalising on rising anti-immigrant sentiment in austerity-torn Greece by campaigning to rid the country of all foreigners.

The party said it had checked vendors' permits and chased out foreigners who had none. "Golden Dawn members did today what the absent state should have done a long time ago," it said in a statement.

Apart cracking down on illegal immigrants, the party offers for-Greeks-only food aid and tried to set up a blood bank only for Greeks.

The party denies it is neo-Nazi but its symbol is reminiscent of the Nazi swastika and its members have been seen giving Nazi salutes.

Golden Dawn's popularity has grown even though its leader Nikos Mihaloliakos has denied the Holocaust and its spokesman hit a female lawmaker during a television debate.

A poll published last week showed its popularity has surged to 10.5 per cent, a rating that would make it Greece's third-most popular party if elections were held now.
The Association of Small Greek Vendors, which has long complained about unfair competition from street vendors without documents, hailed the party's action and urged it to do more.

"We absolutely agree (with the action), it should be widened throughout the country," the group said, according to the semi-official Athens News Agency (ANA).

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0910/breaking38.html

What don't you have there?

Easy targets chosen for a good kicking
Increasing fascist confidence allowing them to focus upon taking the street
State protection and of such actions
Unwillingness and apathy of the State to confront growing inroads of fascism in the police etc
Increasing support amongst petit-bourgeois stall holders etc in getting rid off the "immigrent" competition
Criticism and reaction towards golden dawn being shaped and driven around state-based solutions
KKE talking about how the liberals are the real threat, forget fascism comrades! (ok maybe i'm guessing on this one)

Where's PapaG when you really need him?

 

[elbows]

State protection and of such actions
Unwillingness and apathy of the State to confront growing inroads of fascism in the police etc
Criticism and reaction towards golden dawn being shaped and driven around state-based solutions

Certainly disturbing, but Im not sure I'd go too far with the above things. Its a bit early to judge fully but so far the state don't look to keen on enabling such stuff via indifference or pretending it isnt happening. How far they go in confronting it needs to be watched closely, as do various words and deeds of different elements of the police. Golden Dawn have decided to take things to the next level or at least test the waters, and I'm not overconfident that the response will be appropriate, but need to wait and see.

As for your point about the story being angled around state-based solutions, I'm not entirely sure what you mean beyond a more general philosophical discussion about the standard mainstream response to fascist parties in many countries. But in Greece the country is in so much shit that those reporting on the story have gone well beyond the point where they try to downplay quite how much the rise of the unwanted extremist group is a sign of massive disaffection with the mainstream parties etc, or what the implications of this are. They dont have to pretend that neo-liberal bandages will heal this wound, if only the liberal agendas were pursued with more gusto, its gone past that point now. And although the state is seen as the problem and the solution when it comes to Greeces largest woes, they are thinner than usual on pretence that the state has the answers, indeed the solutions to a raft of problems seem more elusive than ever.

What Golden Dawns apparent momentum at this moment does enable is the ability to tell a rather simple tale that focusses on fascism at the expense of other players. Its more than fair enough that particular attention should be paid to fascists for obvious reasons, but not at the expense of the full picture and other forces that may yet have some momentum. Sometimes a fickle observation of poll numbers, who has momentum this month and ugly events will end up accurately foreseeing what direction things are going in, but this cannot be relied upon, especially in turbulent times.

I mean 10% support is certainly enough to get me to pay attention. If such a group also has the right luck, tactics, timing, highly energised support, other support that is usually not picked up by polls, sympathisers within some important bits of the established order, and the potential to increase support further, then 10% is probably enough to shake a nation and send it in a different direction. But obviously the strength and moves of their opponents are also rather important, and at least when it comes to Greece there is no lack of left to fight the fascists on every level. Lets hope the opponents of fascism make the right moves.

 

[Dimitris]

General strike today, all public and private sector on strike. Demos start at 11:00.

 

[Dimitris]

More and more people gather in Athens in order to protest. Police blocked people from Gardenias sq and prosecuted 30 people, without reason in Dafni. From Propilaia to Omonoia there are plenty undercover cops.... It seems that there will be a massive protest in Athens today...

 

[Treacle Toes]

#26Sgr

 

[Treacle Toes]

From twitter...London demo

Stand in solidarity with the workers of Greece on General Strike, at 5.30, outside the Greek Embassy, 1A Holland Park, Notting Hill, London W11 3TP

 

[treelover]

They got 7% in the last election, I wonder who they've taken that 5% off. Presumably conservative voters turned against austerity and worried about the hard left?

Crazy when you think what the Nazi's did to Greece..

 

[treelover]

12% is one in nine.

if we lived in Greece, people we know and would normally think are okay are telling opinion pollsters they would vote neo-Nazi in an election tomorrow.

i have a Greek friend, educated, Left as they come, she is saying the ''level of immigration is so great they are in despair''

btw, the Greek anarchists are known for their bravado, use of violence, etc, where are they in all this?

just read the above, it was the G/D M.P's themselves that attacked the stalls, my god..

 

[treelover]

The Association of Small Greek Vendors, which has long complained about unfair competition from street vendors without documents, hailed the party's action and urged it to do more.

"We absolutely agree (with the action), it should be widened throughout the country," the group said, according to the semi-official Athens News Agency (ANA).

The Deutsche Association of Small Vendors hailed the action against the giant Jewish Department stores,

'end of history' indeed....

 

[Treacle Toes]

Great pics from yesterday in Greece here:

http://realdemocracygr.wordpress.com/

 

[ska invita]

Supposedly Golden Dawn are now turning into a defacto civilian police force, with the cops referring people to GD
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/28/greek-police-victims-neo-nazi
also "One survey last week showed a near doubling in the number of people voicing "positive opinions" about Golden Dawn, up from 12% in May to 22%. The popularity of Nikos Michaloliakos, the party's rabble-rousing leader had shot up by 8 points, much more than any other party leader."

 

[Treacle Toes]

Oct 082012

Posted by greydogg, 99GetSmart
My friend received the following letter from a friend in Greece:

Friends,
I am sending links to an article about important developments in Greece below (it’s in Greek!) I am also sending a quick summary/comment about the developments.

Potentially explosive proposals from (municipal electrical workers) GENOP/DEH leader Nikos Fotopoulos to the union federations in Greece calling for mass occupations (including ministries, airports, ports, public sector offices, transportation, banks and tax offices) and a political general strike by the workers and to bring down the government is gaining traction among broad sections of the union movement!

The proposals are light-years ahead of SYRIZA & KKE political leaderships, who have not called for anything other than 24-hour “protests” and ineffective parliamentary denunciations of the Samaras government (Nea Democratia, PASOK, DHMAR) against the most savage attack on living standards against working people since the Nazi occupation in the ’40s.

There is real pressure from below for the workers’ movement to defeat the government, which seems to be coming apart with PASOK’s further sinking and splitting and the huge scandals about the billions deposited by MPs in Switzerland. This is on the heels of the successes of the Portuguese workers forcing the Coelho government to retreat and the explosive movements and general strikes in Spain!

Fotopoulos is quoted in the media as having said that what is needed now is “audacity and more audacity” (τόλμη [“tolmi”] in Greek) and for the country to be brought to a standstill starting Monday, October 8th. Large sections of transport workers, university workers, healthcare and public-sector unions had already complained against the pointless “protest general strikes” and have called for more effective action.

The new mood of militancy (which – if successful – will spread across Europe, and especially in Spain and Portugal, as well as Italy and France where there is a deepening radicalization) was brought to a head in the last two days by the militant protest of shipyard workers (Skaramaga) who, having been unpaid for six months and facing complete devastation, attempted to occupy the steps of the Ministry of Defense before clashing with riot police, leading to injuries and hundreds of arrests.

I sent clips of the protest yesterday where hand-to-hand fighting took place between workers and police in a development that shook the government (including the European capitalists).

Ironically, Angela Merkel is scheduled to visit Greece soon in a move that could actually pour oil (not olive oil, …gasoline) onto the proverbial fire.
The European masters (and their local tsirakia [goons]) have forgotten WHO they are fucking with. The Greek workers organized an unprecedented general strike and mass protests under Nazi machine guns during the occupation in Athens, and the most successful mass resistance movement in Europe, liberating large parts of the country from the Nazis and their collaborators. Let’s not forget the amazing Squares movement of millions that threatened the rulers last year, or the massive youth revolt of 2008 after the murder of Grigoropoulos (which forced the police to disappear from the streets.)

This was the reason why the Greek ruling class always needed a police state and parakratos (of which Chrysi Avgi [Golden Dawn] is the latest re-incarnation) in order to impose its will.

It may be that the conservative functionaries (kareklokentavroi) of the union federation (GSEE) and the stale leaders of the left political parties will contain this deepening radicalization for the time being. But there is a volcano preparing to erupt in Greece soon that will bring this Quisling government tumbling down. The effects will be felt all the way across the world.

http://99getsmart.com/?p=5080

 

[where to]

apparently the biggest protest in a year or two is underway in Athens, to greet Merkel.

meanwhile the Greek Police are adoptng Genoa style tactics on detainees:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/09/greek-antifascist-protesters-torture-police

is anything happening over here on the Greek crisis ? the general response of the left still seems to be giddy excitement at Greek petrol bombs, which are not exactly a "new" phenomenon over there anyway.