SOME 10,000 youth and workers congregated last Wednesday evening at the Vouli (parliament) square in Athens demanding for the seventh consecutive night the overthrow of the government.
During the day telecommunication workers marched against the privatisation of Greek telecom.
The Coordination Committee of trades unions have called a rally in Athens this Friday evening and a march to the Vouli square.
The GSEE (Greek TUC) and the ADEDY (public sector trades unions federation) have called a march for this Saturday morning and a 24-hour strike throughout the public sector next Thursday.
Another 24-hour national general strike has been set for the 15 June, the day that the Greek Vouli (parliament) is to vote on the new savage austerity measures Accord.
This is being imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Commission (EC) in exchange for a further loan to Greece of some 60bn Euros to avoid default.
On Wednesday the new relegation of the Greek economy by the financial agency Moody’s sent the Athens Stock Exchange diving by 1.5 per cent.
Moody’s are now saying that the chances for a Greek default are ‘50-50’.
In yet another right-wing turn, the General Secretary of the Greek Communist Party (KKE) Aleka Paparigha stated that it would be catastrophic if a solution to the crisis in Greece is found outside of the euro and the EC.
Likewise the leader of the Radical Left Coalition, Alexis Tsipras, stated that Greece should not leave the EC and the euro.
Last Wednesday night square rallies occurred in two working class districts of Piraeus.
This was after the Vouli square popular assembly called for such rallies throughout the Athens-Piraeus districts and throughout Greece.
This Sunday coming has been declared a Europe-wide action day.
Last Tuesday night the Vouli square adopted the following resolution:
‘PROPOSALS OF THE POPULAR ASSEMBLY OF THE ATHENS VOULI SQUARE
ADOPTED ON TUESDAY 31 MAY 2011
Procedures
1. At the start of each meeting of the Popular Assembly (PA) the procedures should be outlined clearly.
2. The thematic assemblies should bring issues to the PA to be voted upon.
3. Strict observance to the procedures and the timetables of the PA.
4. The time allocated to speakers should be increased.
5. The secretariat and the communication groups should have every day new people on them.
6. There should be a different way for allocating speakers.
7. If a person who has a speaker’s number leaves, then he or she should pass his or her number to someone else who hasn’t spoken yet.
8. How are we to tackle the canteens?
9. The calm group to take up the briefing tasks.
10. Revision of decisions taken should be possible at any time.
Political issues
1. We shall not pay their debt.
2. It is necessary for the political stand of the assembly to be made specific.
3. Proposal for a general strike – all society rising on 15 June.
4. The demands for Sunday 5 June should be:
a. The government must go.
b. The debt is not ours – we won’t pay.
5. No to the IMF. Free education – health – transport.
6. We shall not let them vote another Accord.
7. The burden of the crisis on the bankers – industrialists.
8. The issue of what kind of state we want should be posed.
9. A protest march should be organised to the house of a politician or journalist.
10. Establishment of a social bank.
11. A banner of the Popular Assembly should be made to take part in the demonstrations.
Organisation
1. Organise events with a peak (scheduling).
2. Set up a research group for issues of parliamentary procedures.
3. Find ways to connect the top and the lower part of the square.
4. Set up alternative bazaars – solidarity networks in neighbourhoods.
5. Produce poster calling for a Europe-wide day of action Sunday 5 June 2011.
6. Set up fund for the needs of the Popular Assembly.
7. Take down the banner of E.L.E. and replace it with another to be decided by the Popular Assembly.
8. Call on lawyers and economists elected by the Popular Assembly to brief us on the economic situation and possible legal procedures.
9. Popular Assembly decisions should be printed on paper and made available bearing the logo of the assembly and the internet site clearly written out .’
Over 15,000 thousand youth and workers with their families congregated on Thursday at the Vouli square in Athens for the ninth consecutive night. ‘Take the Accord and get out of here’, ‘We want direct democracy’ and ‘thieves, thieves’ dominated the slogans against the government of Yirghos Papandreou.
The Popular Assembly, that meets in the centre of the square every night at 9.30pm, decided on Wednesday night to ‘call on workers for an indefinite political general strike and to support all strikes that are called’.
For the first time, large gallows appeared complete with a noose and a doll bearing the name of Papandreou.
In the last few days there have been repeated attacks by people on government officials and parliamentary deputies at restaurants and meeting halls.
Last Thursday night over 100 workers jeered the government spokesperson Yiorghos Petalotis when he visited an old age pensioners home in the Argiroupoli suburb of Athens. Stones, eggs and fruit were thrown at him.
He was forced to remain in the building for hours and then he was sneaked out a back door with a riot police escort.
For Friday, Athens Metro workers were to stage a 24-hour strike against privatisation.
This Saturday the bureaucrats of the GSEE (Greek TUC) and ADEDY (public sector trades unions) have called for a demonstration.
A one-day general strike has been set for 15 June.