Perilous
Times
Buildings set ablaze in Greece debt riots
AP
February 13, 2012 8:51AM
RIOTS have engulfed central Athens with at least 10 buildings in
flames in mass protests as MPs prepared for a historic
parliamentary vote on harsh austerity measures needed to keep the
country solvent and within the eurozone.
TV footage showed a three-storey corner building completely
consumed by flames with riot officers looking on from the street,
and firefighters trying to douse the blaze.
A closed cinema, a bank, a mobile phone dealership, a glassware
store and a cafeteria were among the burning buildings, the fire
department said. There were no reports of people trapped inside.
Since May 2010, Greece has survived on a 110 billion euro bailout
from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund.
When that proved insufficient, a new rescue loan package worth a
further 130 billion euros was decided - combined with a massive
bond swap deal that will write off half the country's privately
held debt.
But for both deals to materialise, Greece has to persuade its
deeply sceptical creditors that it has the will and ability to
implement spending cuts and public sector reforms that will end
years of fiscal profligacy and tame gaping budget deficits.
Protesters set bonfires in front of parliament and dozens of riot
police formed lines to try to deter them from trying to make a run
on parliament.
Clouds of tear gas drifted across the square in front of
parliament. Many in the crowd wore gas masks and had their faces
covered, while others carried Greek flags and carried banners.
Several protesters and police have been injured, while an
unspecified number of suspected rioters were detained, authorities
said.
Clashes erupted after more than 100,000 protesters marched to
parliament to rally against drastic austerity cuts that will axe
one in five public service jobs and slash the minimum wage by more
than a fifth.
Riot police fired dozens of tear gas volleys at rioting youths,
who attacked them with firebombs, fireworks and chunks of marble
smashed off the fronts of luxury hotels, banks and department
stores. Streets were strewn with stones and rubble, while
terrified passers-by sought refuge in hotel lounges and
cafeterias.
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos's government - an unlikely
coalition of the majority Socialists and their main foes, the
conservative New Democracy - was expected to carry the vote, even
by a narrow margin.
Combined, they control 236 of parliament's 300 seats, although at
least 20 MPs from both main parties said they would not back the
new private sector wage cuts, pension reductions and public
service layoffs dictated by the draft austerity program.