Tunnelling to Freedom

You can't make this stuff up. Standard and Poors has just downgraded Greek debt to CCC rating, which is junk. 

Greece owes approximately €95 billion of Greek government debt maturing between now and the end of 2013 along with an additional €58 billion maturing in 2014.



So, tomorrow June 15th,  the Greek Parliament is going to vote on austerity measures. The agreement includes tax increases, slashing of wages and pensions and the lay-off of approximately more 100,000 civil servants in the next few years. Unfortunately, the population aren't very happy (this is the population where over 30% expect an imminent civil war) . And have organised a mega-strike blockading the parliament.

Greece: General Strike

Greece will paralyze on Wednesday, June 15, as labor unions from public and private sector will launch a general strike. Even the shops will be closed 12.00-3.00 p.m. in a protests against the strict austerity measures that force on their knees millions of Greeks without a prospect of recovery. Public administration services, banks, state-run enterprises (DEKO) and municipalities will be closed for 24 hours. Public hospitals will operate with emergency staff only. No planes will land or take off,  no ferries and boats will leave the ports. No news and live broadcasts. No trains of OSE and no Proastiakos.

Public Transport workers will launch only work stoppages to facilitate strikers to join the big protest in downtown Athens. The demonstration will start at 11 a.m.

Buses will operate 9 am 9 pm, Trolley buses 8 am – 10 pm, Tram 7 am – 11 pm, Urban Train (HSAP) 8 am – 9 pm.

Protests will start already at 7 in the morning as the “Indignant” Greeks plan to “block” the Parliament. On Wednesday, the Mid-Term Austerity Package will be discussed at the Economics Committee. 

The Greek Parliament have decided on a contingency in case the austerity vote gets up: Tunnels.

Parliamentary Tunnels

The Greek Government has hired Foreign Workers to Clean out the Underground Tunnel Leading from the Parliament to the Sea Port of Piraeus in Preparation for an Evacuation of all MPs.

I just became aware of this report from Kontra channel here in Greece. Apparently, a tunnel that leads from Lykavitos to the Greek parliament, and from there to the sea port of Piraeus, is being cleaned out by foreign workers in preparation for the possible evacuation of Greek MP’s in the event of a storming of parliament ahead of wednesday’s vote on the new memorandum.

The situation here is getting completely out of control. I really don’t know how much longer the people will be willing to wait this thing out. The mood here in Athens is one of intense disillusionment with a government that seems increasingly detached from its own people.

Like I said, you can't make this up.