Over the past week, Greece has been at the center of international media attention following the incidents of violence that occurred in parallel with demonstrations in Athens and other cities in Greece.
People ask: What lies behind the recent unrest? Will it last? Has the Greek police been ineffective? Can the Greek government guarantee law, order and safety for its citizens and visitors alike?
Let me answer some of these questions.
The riots were prompted by the killing of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 15-year old student, by a police officer on December 6th. In one voice, the entire country of Greece, the government, the opposition and the Greek people, expressed their condemnation, deep sorrow and outrage at this tragic incident. Due process was followed. The two police officers responsible for this horrible act have been brought to justice. One of them was charged with premeditated manslaughter and the other with complicity.
At the same time, unfortunately, a small, marginal group of a few hundred extremists, self-styled anarchists, hijacked this outpouring of grief and used violence to push their agenda, which aims at undermining the rule of law and democracy in Greece. All Greek political parties unanimously condemning the killing of the young student, also condemned the violent acts of the extremists, in the strongest possible terms, calling for their isolation and punishment.
The Greek police was faced with a difficult task: on the one hand safeguard the democratic right of free expression and demonstration, while on the other, protect life and property. The decision not to risk further loss of life by adopting defensive tactics was compelled by the fact that a huge number of the demonstrators were teenagers expressing in peaceful manner their frustration over the killing of their fellow student. We did not want a repetition of the 1992 Los Angeles situation, with tens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. I should note at this point that police tactics will be revaluated when the dust settles.
What is certain is that the Greek Government is determined to protect law and order, and will not allow these criminal elements to go unpunished (at least 350 of them have been arrested). It guarantees safety just as it guaranteed security for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The Government also made the decision to compensate all those whose property was damaged and provide immediate financial relief and support for businesses and their employees.
We are fully aware of the pressures young people face regarding their future, education and jobs, at a time of an unprecedented global financial crisis. All these years, our efforts to strengthen our economy and implement reforms aim precisely at providing answers to these uncertainties through economic growth and new jobs. Actually, this successful effort over the recent years has made Greece more resistant to the negative consequences of the recent economic crisis by:
I am confident that very soon the de-escalation of tension, which we are already witnessing, will lead to the return of complete normality. I am also confident that the Greek youth will restore its trust in us, as a partner who listens to their concerns, who will try harder to address their needs, who cares about their future and will work harder to create more and better jobs, better education and more opportunities.
I am sure there are many problems in Greece, and with the Greek government (why should Greece be any different on this score than any other country?) But smashing windows and burning cars and throwing gasoline bombs at police are not exercises in freedom of speech or legitimate protest. And a government that cannot so anything to quell this kind of thing is pathetic, IMO.
I hope you are not truly this historically illeterate.
Oh no, he's just moronically conservative.
supply side economics is nonsense.
Seventeen years after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, the red flag is in fashion again on the streets of Europe. This time it’s the streets of Athens and Thessalonika that are aflame with the rage of young people.
“It was not only the murder of Alexis that makes us come out on the streets. It’s poverty and unemployment,” one of the protesters said.
These people are called the 700 euro generation because that is all they can hope to earn after finishing university.
But membership of the EU and its single currency has led to soaring living costs in Greece, and many in the younger generation fear their future is among the poor.
Celebrated Greek writer Mimis Androvlakis predicts “a conflict between generations” in the future.
I don't know what the story is in Greece, but I understand US government speak: overthrowing a government = regime change; bombing the crap out of civilians = liberation; arbitrary kidnappings, detention, torture, black sites = bringing democracy; stealing a country's natural resources = nation rebuilding. So, wen I hear a government spokesman speak, I am willing to believe that maybe, just maybe, "high-jacking democracy" isn't what this is really about. Who knows, maybe this could be a people's frustration over a hopelessly corrupt system where elites keep on exploiting power to their own benefit...
Go to Liveleak.com and look at the videos being posted. When the whole coutry erupts over a police execution something else is broke and they weren't going to take it anymore.
This is Thailand Redux: Corrupt politicians must go. Period.
Greece was ruled by a military Junta until 1975. Rule of the country has alternated between conservative and left leaning govenments since then. The conservative "New Democracy" party has been control since 2004.
If you're going to post lies, at least pick ones that aren't so easily shown to be pure b*llsh*t by the google.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1014812.stm
The head scratching part of this commentary is the claim that gov't reforms are intended to help the young find a foothold. Greek leadership is obviously and maybe hopelessly out of touch with the citizens. Reforms won't do it. Endemic corruption with nary a care from the government rots the soul of Greek democracy. That's the problem right there. To say that the gov't has been trying hard to solve Greece's ills is to ignore that the entire structure of gov't, built as it is on patronage, has lead to this situation. The minister can't be serious that reforms will solve it, especially given Greece's woeful financial situation. The country needs the old blood to go, and new blood with new ideas and new plans to take control of leadership.
We've seen this before all over the world. The old leadership will cling tighter to their fiefdoms than they will fight for a more inclusive society. The protests aren't a form of bratty entitlement, quite the opposite: people are tired of seeing small thinking politicians steal from the state to feather their beds.