MPs vote austerity, police gas crowd

Published on 30 June 2011 at 10:28

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Greece’s MPs voted in favour of an austerity plan presented by the government, while “Syntagma Square was roiling,” says Greek left-leaning daily Eleftherotypia in a front page story about “anger against State terrorism”. Because they were “frightened by the crowd of demonstrators, police launched tear gas canisters and turned the square into a battle zone,” the paper deplores. “Result: over 100 injured and a metro station transformed into a first aid dispensary. It’s a sad image that recalls the riots of December 2008. The difference is that this time, except for about 200 thugs, the demonstrators are not rabble-rousers. They want to express their anger and will continue to mobilise,” the Athens daily says.

For its part, the centre-right daily Kathimerinisees the parliamentary vote as “financial relief with a backdrop of violence”. Furthermore, “the message has gotten through to Europe, Greece is beginning a new cure of austerity, despite the violence in the streets,” approves the paper. “The Europeans took turns speaking of the ‘good news’ for Greece,” the paper notes, adding that “they thus ensure that the fifth tranche of the €110 billion loan, or €12 billion, will be paid. The hope of a further loan is also revived”.

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