Greece's beleaguered government cracks down on dissent

State vs the people - Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Perhaps it is appropriate that Thessaloniki, which this weekend celebrated the 100th anniversary of its liberation from the Ottoman Empire looked like a city under siege. For three days the centre of Greece's second largest city was the objects of draconian security measures designed to avoid a repetition of last year's peaceful protests which closed down the annual military parade and forced the president of the republic to flee.

Mindful of the fact that the event lead to the resignation of the then prime minister, Giorgos Papandreou just weeks later the current political leadership decided to make sure last year's events were not repeated.

As a result 2,000 extra police were drafted to protect prime minister Antonis Samaras and president Karolos Papoulias as they visited Thessaloniki over the weekend. The security measures for the Oxi Day parade were so tight that no even the parents of high school pupils taking part were allowed within the 1 km “dead zone” that surrounded the VIP stand and effectively isolated the parade from the vast majority of citizens who'd turned out to follow it.



This was the equivalent of banning the public from 4 July/ Bastille Day/Remembrance Day. Only those with an invitation from the government were permitted to attend the event which is held annually to mark the entry of Greece into the Second World War.

Even journalists were turned away as the invitation only rule caught many by surprise. As a result the event was covered nearly exclusively by pro-government media who did an excellent job on ignoring the fact that no one was watching, apart from armed soldiers, riot police units and party cadres from the political parties that form Greece's coalition government.

Instead of commenting on the strange absence of ordinary people on a day many Greeks consider sacred, the state run media was generous in its praise for the organisers as nothing untoward had happened.



As Greece's economic slide continues the country's political leadership has become more isolated from voters and as a result has grown ever more paranoid. The few public appearances by government officials are invariably marked by the presence of thousands of uniformed and plain clothes police officers. Even the most traditional and innocuous gatherings are eyed with suspicion and policed as if they were a football derby between deadly rivals.

When on Friday Antonis Samaras visited the Agios Demitrios Cathedral in Thessaloniki to attend a religious service to celebrate the city's patron saint, heavily armed riot police units carrying shields and tear gas kept back curious worshippers from the leader. Inside the perimeter between hundreds of police officers made sure that the 100m journey from the prime minister's limo to the church entrance went off without incident. Inside, dozens of plain clothes officer kept a watchful eye of the congregation to make sure no embarrassing images of pensioners booing were seen on TV screens.

(UPDATE - The one hapless reporter from the local state run ET3 channel who happened to mention heavy police presence during the visit of the prime minister was quickly taken off air and later fired).



Such scenes are just part of growing intolerance towards dissent and protest, both in the streets and in the press. Whilst pro – austerity sentiment dominates both state run and private mass media, even the slightest show of anti – government defiance is now being punished. In the last 48 hours alone, Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis was arrested for publishing a list of possible tax dodgers given to then finance minister, Papakonstantinos by IMF head, Christine Lagarde.

Unlike his French and German counterparts Giorgos Papakonstantinos did not act upon the information (reasons why seem to vary from week to week), instead handing the information to his successor PASOK leader, Evangelos Venizelos, who kept it in desk drawer for two years.

Such heavy handedness was also repeated when two presenters on a popular morning TV show were fired suddenly by the state run NET TV channel after they mentioned reports in the Guardian that linked law and order minister Nikos Dendias in connection with an alleged police torture scandal.

It's hard to see how long any democratically elected government, especially a coalition one made up of such disparate elements can survive just using just the power of a supine media and the blunt instrument of massive police force.

Greek soldiers and riot police line the streets of Thessaloniki during annual military parade.

Greek soldiers and riot police line the streets of Thessaloniki during annual military parade., a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

To avoid embarrassing the president and other political leaders the citizens of the northern city of Thessaloniki were kept 1 km from the VIP stand, able to glimpse just a fraction of the annual NO Day parade that marks Greece's entry into the Second World War. Even the parents of high school students taking part in the parade were stopped and turned back at police barricades that lined the route of the event.

Unpaid for three months - shop assistants in Fokas department storeprotest

Unpaid for three months - shop assistants in Fokas department store protest, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Employees at the Fokas department stores, one of the most well-known retail outlets in Greece taking part in a 24 hour strike over unpaid wages dating back to June.

In addition according to Union of Shop Workers, the company is in the process of replacing full time positions with part time ones paying just 200 Euros a month for a 20 hour week.

(200 euros a month is just enough to cover rent on a modest one room apartment in the poorest parts of Thessaloniki.)

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Social Solidarity Medical Practice in protest over cuts in health care - Thessaloniki, Greece

Social Solidarity Medical Practice in protest over cuts in health care - Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Greek police once more on front line in labour dispute

Greek police once more on front line in labour dispute, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Policing a protest over the imposition of a restraining order by the Aristotelion University following attempts to bring in strike breakers to take the place of employees who's stopped work over a four month delay in paying salaries.

Is the European experiment grinding to halt?

Earlier this morning I got a call from a friend, saying that she'd found a job but I was at a loss whether to congratulate her or not, as she will not only leave her country but also her two young children as well. For the next nine months my friend will be teaching English at a private school in the Gulf States. In doing so she'll be following a path trailed by many other friends and acquaintances over the last few years.

Her children will remain here to be looked after by grandparents for the duration, a story reminiscent of the sacrifices that many Greeks were obliged to make in the 60's and 70's as guest workers who went north to find jobs in the booming economies of Europe and especially in German factories then powering the country's export led economic miracle.

As with so many other Greeks six years of recession has forced my friend to consider working abroad as the only alternative to a slow slide into poverty at home so repeating a story that has been told and re-told so often here over the last 100 years. However, this latest generation is both luckier and unluckier than their parents and forebears.

On the one hand many emigrating Greeks are highly educated and have university level qualifications and language skills that set them apart from previous generations. No longer are they the monolingual, sometimes barely literate villagers who went abroad, able only to obtain dead end jobs that post war northern Europeans were all to happy to spurn in favour of better paid, higher status ones in the service sector.

Yet young educated Greeks are sallying forth into a very different world, one in which jobs, even badly paid, low status ones are becoming more and more difficult to find. While some will find work that fully utilises their knowledge and skills many will find that a foreigner in a declining economy, not matter how well educated will always be at a disadvantage.

In addition the gap between earnings in the North and South of Europe has shrunk to a remarkable degree since the 1960's, with those in countries such as Germany often remaining static whilst those in the South have risen along with rising living standards.Gone are the days when an unskilled factory hand could earn a wage that would have been the envy of those back at home. So, the question that goes through many people's minds is why go through all the social and psychological upheaval of leaving home? Why uproot yourself when factories in east Germany pays just 6E an hour, just a few Euros more than can be earned at home, unless your only criteria is survival?

However, with unemployment at 25% (30% plus, if Greek trade union research is to be believed) and family and social security networks buckling under the strain, then survival rather than having a better standard of living may push Greeks as well as Spaniards, Portuguese and Italians north once again.

But with recession gradually mutating into Depression what reception will this new generation of gasterbiters receive? Even when cheap labour was in demand in the heavy industries of the Ruhr and the Rhine southern European workers were often grudgingly accepted, now that they are coming into competition for jobs in a shrinking economy the potential for ugly confrontation becomes a real possibility .

Given the campaign of virulent anti-Greek feeling that has marked German politics and media coverage of the current debt crisis, the groundwork for growing racist sentiment has been assiduously cultivated. Should the situation in other PIIGS start to resemble that of Greece how long is it before the myths of the lazy Spaniard and work shy Italian once more become part of the cultural and political landscape north of the Alps?

Then, the German far right, like Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn,will happily exploit the opportunities given them by more “respectable” conservative forces. As the economic decline of the European South takes its toll on German export markets and the government will inevitably struggle to balance a commitment to the EU ideal of open borders with growing demands that German jobs and businesses be protected.

Switzerland's military is already drawing up contingency plans in case of a deepening of the social crisis in the Southern EU, UK's prime minister, David Cameron talked of the possibility of closing the country's borders in case of a flood of Greek economic refugees is being considered and France's demand for the re-introduction of internal EU border controls set the tone  showing that the EU's policy of open borders could be reversed in a heartbeat, should national moods change.

How much of this is just right wing political opportunism, designed to win votes with a frightened electorate and how much of it points the way to a more disunited future depends on the depth and duration of the crisis. If the North follows the same pattern as indebted nations such as Greece and Spain then all bets are off as growing divisions may threaten to derail the decades of unification and reconciliation that the EU has wrought.

It's a sad irony of modern history that the years of hard work put in by successive German leaders since end of World War II to prove that Berlin can be trusted to rejoin the European family of nations is being thrown away by a new generation of fiscal hard liners who are willing to put their allegiance to dubious economic dogma ahead of the unity of the continent.

One of the lessons of the 1930's that German chancellor, Angela Merkel and many other EU leaders seem willing to ignore is just how quickly economic disaster changes the political outlook of people who've enjoyed years of financial growth and security. The frenzied growth of the 20's and the sudden loss of prosperity that hit the middle class especially in the Great Depression helped bring the extreme right to power in a remarkably short period of time. 

In just a five years, the percentage of the popular vote captured by the Nazi party grew from 2.6% to 43.9%, a political rise that is being eerily echoed by their modern day counterparts in Greece, who have increased their popular support at an even more spectacular rate, going from just 0.29% to 14% in three years.

In 30's the insistence of the political mainstream to cling to ineffective economic theories even in the face of dismal failure drove disenchanted voters into the arms of fascist parties across Europe and beyond. The, then widespread political belief that ordinary people would endure years of extreme poverty and suffering in the name of an empty promise that it would eventually bring about future growth helped bring down democracies across the world.

Does Europe need to lose tens of millions of lives once more to relearn lessons that ended up being so brutally paid for in the streets of Stalingrad and fields of Normandy?

Greek protester climbing gates to ministry building to hang banner

Greek protester climbing gates to ministry building to hang banner, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Merkel in Greece - An analysis

I was hoping that my trip down to Athens would allow me two visits in a row when I wasn't tear gassed and up till late in the afternoon of Tuesday it seemed that was exactly what was going to happen. Despite the massive crowds that turned up in Syntagma Square to mark the visit of German chancellor, Angela Merkel the mood of the people was peaceful if not calm.

Despite draconian security measures which included a ban on any form of gathering or assembly along the planned route from Athens airport to the centre between 60,000 and 80,000 turned up to voice their anger and frustration not only with EU - IMF imposed austerity but also their own corrupt government coalition.

As the day wore on groups of stone throwing youths started their ritualised attacks on the riot police units that had lined the square. It's hard to express the surrealistic nature if such clashes as they seem to serve little purpose with both sides acting out a pre-arranged script which they've failed to share with the rest of us. To add to the sense of the unreal the small army of photographers and camera operators present gave the  scene the feel of some alternative sports match.

Of course, the tear gas and the chunks of marble which often filled the air were real enough and at one point I was forced to retreat as I had not brought any protection. Fearing the possibility that I'd be stopped by the police I'd left my gas mask at home rather than face a day in police custody while they checked out my ID.

At any point the police could have used their overwhelming force to clear the place in just a few minutes, but instead they chose to play a bizarre game of cat and mouse with masked protesters. Even when they managed to catch someone the crowds immediately swarmed around them hurling every kind of vile insult in the Greek language to show just what they thought of them.

True to form the Greek police managed to foul up their image once more, this time by using a woman detainee as a human shield against stone throwers in a narrow back street, an action which ensured the story went global.

Later on, like children bored of playing the same old game for hours on end the police entered Syntagma Square in force using batons, pepper spray and tear gas to clear the area, once gain using their doctrine of casual brutality in the name of restoring public order.



The same absurdist script was also playing out for the cameras in the streets behind parliament as Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras and Angela Merkel strolled through the tree lined streets on the way to a joint press conference. I assume the images were intended to show that contrary to foreign press reports the PM could walk freely in public without fear of attack.

What the TV pictures did not show were the seven water canons parked just up the road and 1000's of heavily armed riot police that separated the leaders from the seething demonstrator in Syntagma. With security measures as tight as these even Barack Obama could happily spend a carefree morning window shopping in down town Kabul or Baghdad.

It hard to fathom what was the point of the whole expensive exercise since Merkel said little of substance and merely repeated her position that Greece needed to stick to the terms of the bailout deal and press ahead with yet more tax hikes, public spending cuts and lay offs. Instead of strengthening Samaras's position within Greece's shaky coalition government, Merkel underlined just how little real power Greece's political leadership has in its negotiations with the EU/IMF/ECB troika.

On the other hand the hardware stores in Monestiraki which do a roaring trade in improvised gas masks and marble wholesalers who regular replace the smashed stone work in Syntagma had a great day.

Greek youth throwing a rock at riot police units in Athens

Greek youth throwing a rock at riot police units in Athens, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Taken during German chancellor, Angela Merkel's lightning visit to Athens, Greece. Her arrival was marked by mass protests and violent clashes between demonstrators and the 7000 police officers present.

Austerity - learn to love your chains

Austerity - learn to love your chains, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Greek protester running away from riot police units

Greek protester running away from riot police units, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Taken during protests over the visit of German chancellor, Angela Merkel to Athens, Greece.

Merkel enters the lion's den

After much consideration I've decided that I'll be going down to Athens to cover the protests planned for the arrival of German chancellor, Angela Merkel to Greece. It's not a decision to be taken lightly as angry protesters are unlikely to be throwing rose petals and messages of good luck tomorrow. Already political organisations from across the entire political spectrum have said they will be calling upon supporters to take part in anti - austerity demonstrations on Tuesday in the centre of the Greek capital.In addition both public and private sector trade unions will be also part of the mix with marches set for 1 pm in Syntagma Square*, opposite parliament and the scene of the many violent confrontations.

For their part, the Greek police has announced, depending on which media source you use, that 6000, 6500 or 7000 officers will be on duty including the notoriously violent riot units known as the MAT. Also 4 water canons will be on standby, marking an escalation in the arms race between police and protesters in Greece.

As far as the foreign and local mainstream media is concerned the visit by Merkel is being hailed as a diplomatic triumph for Greek PM, Antonis Samaras and proof that Germany is determined to keep Greece within the Eurozone. On the internet and in the streets and cafes the arrival of the German leader has provoked a reaction of anger and dismay, being viewed as an arrogant act of provocation at a time when the nation's poorest are being hammered by an public service cuts and tax hikes during an economic downturn unprecedented in modern Greek history. 

Last week's policing fiasco when demonstrating shipyard workers stormed the grounds of the ministry of defence unopposed means the law enforcement authorities and the government will be determined to show that they are in charge of the situation on the streets. In operational terms that means the gloves will be off and a repeat of the violent clashes that marked the mass Indignant rallies last year is a distinct possibility.  

For photographers covering the events tomorrow this list of tips may prove useful.

If you feel you can help out financially (every bit helps, believe me) you can contribute via Paypal using cpwefl2003@hotmail.com

*UPDATE Greek trade unions have announced that the government has banned assembles in Syntagma Square and told them to choose another spot.

Protesting Greek firefighters - Thessaloniki, Greece

Protesting Greek firefighters - Thessaloniki, Grecee, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

With Greece's creditors demanding still more cuts in public spending in return for the next installment of bailout money, more and more public sector workers are protesting over cuts in wages which are dragging more and more more of those in employment into poverty.

Even while incomes shrink and unemployment grows Greece still remains one of the most expensive countries in the EU for everyday goods and services according to Eurostat.

RISE UP - Fight austerity now, while you still can.

RISE UP - Fight austerity now, while you still can., a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Greek trade unionists protesting latest austerity measures

Greek trade unionists protesting latest austerity measures, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Greek trade unionists in the northern port city of Thessaloniki demonstrated against the latest round of austerity measures which are close to being finalised as Athens seeks to fulfill the conditions for the next tranche of bailout cash.

Measures include yet more tax hikes, pension cuts, privatisations and job cuts in civil service positions as well as wage cuts in the private sector.

Whilst Greeks struggle with the sixth consecutive year of economic contraction, prices of basic goods such as milk and meat remain among the highest in the EU, a legacy of the previous governments' unwillingness to tackle the cartels and monopolies that set prices throughout much of the economy.

The Genti Koule Downhill Urban Bike Race - Thessaloniki, Greece

The Genti Koule Downhill Urban Bike Race - Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Waiting to go.

The Genti Koule downhill urban race - Thessaloniki, Greece

The Genti Koule downhill urban race - Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Taking as its starting point the once notorious Genti Koule former prison, 160 cyclists competed in this year's Downhill Runaway event, each aiming to negotiate a course that took them from Thessaloniki's highest point to the the centre of the Greece's second largest city.

The course which included ramps that dropped sharply from the city's medieval walls provided a stiff challenge for participants and led to some crashes, luckily none serious.

Now is the winter of our discontent

Now is the winter of our discontent, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Made glorious Summer by austerity.

Angry pensioners take part in Greek general strike march

Angry pensioners take part in Greek general strike march, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Between 20,000 and 25,000 protesters took part in anti-austerity demonstrations in Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki. In contrast to the events in Athens the protest passed off peacefully.

Blackmail is such an ugly word

The best things in life are free, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

The Greek media has recently been full of stories concerning a mysterious list of 30 politicians who are suspected of having income far in excess of that declared. Newspapers and TV channels have devoted endless hours and column inches to the subject even suggesting the names of those possibly on the list and what there presence means for Greece's embattled party political system.

 However, behind the furore created its seems that other battles are being fought. Athens has been in tough negotiations with its creditors over the terms of the next installment of "bailout" cash and part of the agreement includes unpopular cuts in public spending and yet more tax hikes. While the Greek government has made it known that it is holding out for better terms the reality is that they have little room for manoeuver and no leverage. At some point they will have to acknlowlege this and send the appropriate measures to be approved in parliamwent. And then the real battle will begin.

The current three party coalition consisting of the nominally conservative New Democracy party and the nominally socialist PASOK and Democratic Left parties have little in common other than a desire for Greece to stay within the eurozone. Their stint in power has proved disasterous in terms of popular support if opionon polls are to be believed and they are faced with with backbench rebellion. Even the right wing New Democracy has problem not only with its fiscal policies but also the fact that its leader, Antonis Samaras badly fractured the party during his successful leadership bid.

Faced with the prospect of shaky support in parliament for any more austerity legislation the party whips are perhaps searching for new ways of ensuring backbench discipline. In the past this was achieved by by threats of de-selection but with PASOK in terminal decline and the other parties support fading away such moves have less appeal. Many MPs already know that they face little chance of re-election if the political climate remains the same and that yet more taxes and cuts will condemn to oblivion at the polls.

The other threat used extensively after the last austerity legislation vote in 2011 was expulsion from the party, with both PASOK and New Democracy using this blunt instrument to deal with recalcitrant MPs. However, such a move proved to be politically expensive as many MPs either formed new parties or defected to other existing ones. A move that cost the PASOK - New Democracy coalition votes in the 2012 elections.

So what to do next? With more traditional methods of maintaining the party whip exhausted the threat of investigation by the tax authorities for undeclared income might prove more effective. The fact that the names have not been revealed just adds to the uncertainty and could be used to nip any revolt in the bud with just the hint that names will be leaked to the press.

After decades of financial scandals involving both New Democracy and PASOK members, even in the highest circles of government the number of those in parliament with economic skeletons in their cupboards will surely include more than the 30 indivividuals being investigated by the authorities. The beauty of endemic political corruption is that not only does it reward loyal supporters, it can also be used to rein in challenges to the status quo. All it takes is a word to friendly journalists and a high profile trial to thwart rivals.

Thessaloniki urban cycle race

Thessaloniki urban cycle race, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

As part of the International Day Without Cars a large part of the centre of Thessaloniki was closed to traffic and people wandered along usually car clogged roads enjoying the change in pace.

Walking along the seafront, you had the impression that the city had become a holiday resort for the day, with people enjoying the sunshine and gently making their way past the cafes and bars.

The one exception to this was the cycle race in which hundreds of professional racers flew around the city and gave Thessaloniki a small taste of the Tour de France for an hour or so.

After that finished it was once more back to gentler rhythms as people signed up for the Popular Ride which was altogether a more laid back affair.

The beauty of the event was that so many were enjoying a break from the seemingly endless stream of bad news that has afflicted Thessaloniki over the last few years. For a day people strolled, laughed and left behind whatever was bothering them

Alexis Tsipras - Fighting an uphill battle to get his message out

Alexis Tsipras - leader of SYRIZA, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

For fans of signs and omens the sudden end of summer and onset of rainy weather that accompanied the arrival in Greece's second largest city of the leader of the Radical left Coalition, Alexis Tsipras probably made perfect sense. The sudden chill in Thessaloniki seems to be a fitting metaphor for his relationship with the press as SYRIZA has an uphill battle on their hands trying to get the party's message out in the face of intense mainstream media hostility. With most of the traditional media joined at the hip to more mainstream parties such as New Democracy and PASOK  Tsipras has no natural allies in the media, whose members often play a dual role of journalist and party supporter, an incestuous set - up that has hobbled objective reporting for decades.

Although, by law his party's success in the previous elections guarantees them a certain amount of airtime on state run channels, the rest of the media has done its best to play down their importance.Hardly surprising given the fact that so much of Greece's media is owned by extremely rich oligarchs who are fighting tooth and nail to ensure the country implements austerity conditions demanded by the EU and IMF and so remains in the Eurozone.

The last thing they or the embattled coalition government need is another strong challenge from the Left that threatens to derail the current round of negotiations over spending cuts. As a result SYRIZA has found it hard to gain traction in public opinion and do more than present itself simply as a party of protest. Often it is forced to react to news agendas promoted by the current administration and their supporters in the Greece's news rooms. With the news cycle out of their hands they are forced to play defence and find it difficult to persuade anxious voters that they have are of constructive ideas and not just criticism.

Then again, it would have naive of Tsipras to have expected any other response from a media set up that is so wedded to the corruption and amorality of Greek government politics.  Instead of begging for a place at the table with the big boys, SYRIZA needs to get its message across to the people who no longer read papers or believe what they see on the TV news bulletins.

Some activists are unhappy that that the scale of their victory in June's election has made the party complacent, more interested in playing traditional party political games instead of using their new found leverage to reach out at the grassroots to more people affected by the collapse of the economy in a more direct manner.

They Will Not Pass - Greek revolutionary dog

They Will Not Pass - Greek revolutionary dog, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

After the Fair

This year's protest marches to mark the start of the new political year passed off without incident in Thessaloniki. About 30,000 people participated in the three main demonstrations, and in contrast to last year no fighting was reported. It seems that the continued grind of austerity is taking its toll on Greece's opposition and this can be seen in the turn out of such protests which lack the numbers and vigour of previous ones.

This was, in part the result of the prime minister Antonis Samaras's decision not to make the traditional state of the union address at the fair, a spectacle that acts as a lightening rod for violent clashes between marchers and riot police. In part perhaps people are suffering from demonstration fatigue or perhaps they have lost the hope that taking to the streets can change anything. The decline in such protests does not mean that the current round of cuts and job cuts have been accepted but rather Greeks seem to have decided that they are inevitable and are now looking to their own personal survival.

Greek protesters burn EU flag at anti - austerity protest

Greek protesters burn EU flag at anti - austerity protest, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Taken during yesterday's demonstrations at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

Austerity storm clouds darken Greek government's future

After months of official government announcements and newspaper headlines, Greece's latest austerity programme has been made public with anger and disbelief coming from all corners, including the country's usually supine media. The news that salaries,pensions, disability benefits and aid to the unemployed will be included in the the 11.9 billion euro package of cuts is likely to spark off a yet more protests as will the likely 40,000 state sector lay offs .

Police officers were the first to react with demonstrations in Athens after the government said that their wages and bonuses would not be exempt from the budget measures being demanded by creditors in return for another cash injection. The Greek language blogosphere was alive with angry responses from police related blogs angry that pre-election promises had not been kept and promising a series of protests over the decision.

The first hurdle facing Greece's fragile three party coalition government is how to persuade their restive backbenchers to voter for measures their supporters violently disagree with. On the one hand many rank and file MPs from New Democracy, PASOK and Democratic Left have said they are opposed but how much of this is principled protest and how much is just a PR ploy designed to keep voters back home sweet is hard to say. During the last two round of cuts much was made of potential backbench revolt which eventually failed to materialise.




The $64,000 question is how such cuts, if they are passed will be enforced without the support of the police. With resentment against yet more austerity rising after a summer lull, police officers are being used ever more frequently to end protests and labour disputes. If they decide that this is not their public function, as one police leader intimated last night during an interview on MEGA TV then what other means of persuasion does the government have? Even the feared quasi - military MAT riot units cannot be everywhere.

The first test of Greek prime minister Samaras's ability to impose his will on a recalcitrant nation will come in September with the opening of the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair which traditionally marks the start of the new political year. The presence of the prime minister and much of the government is also a signal every year for massive protests and last year's event proved no exception with football fans, taxi drivers and anarchists fighting pitched battles with 8000 police officers outside the fair,

Samaras has already announced that this year's attendance at the fair will be a brief one and will not include the traditional state of the nation address which coincides with the most intense of protests. However, even if the Trade Fair passes off without major incident Greece's political calender will provide plenty more opportunities for police and protesters to make their respective stances known

This is one civil servant who does not have to worry about losing their job in the next round of Greek public spending cuts

Kalo Xeimona - Have a good winter, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Despite crisis good times still roll for Greek MPs

Antonis Samaras is currently doing the rounds in Europe, attempting to persuade fellow EU leaders that Greece needs two more years to fulfil the obligations required to receive the country's next installment of cash to avoid bankruptcy. Samaras has even personally guaranteed that Germany will be repaid in full, though how intends to do this is another matter, unless there is a secret coda in Steve Job's will that no one has been aware of till now.

On the other hand The PM's attempt to prove the Greece has changed and become a more fiscally responsible country have been undermined by even high ranking members of his own government, who upon being elected to parliament seemingly appointed to state jobs just about every member of their extended family not in jail or the grave. Case in point being New Democracy heavy weight, Vyron Polydoras, who secured a government job for his daughter after Greece's first national elections in May. Polydoras was also involved in a scandal during the Karamanlis administration after he used his position as minister for public order to have them transferred to his own offices.

However, this misuse of parliamentary privilege is not limited to New Democracy as such moves have been made PASOK, Independent Greeks and Golden Dawn MPs, with a total of 150 extra employees being added to the public payroll at a cost of nearly 3,000,000 euros annually.

At first sight such nepotism and pork barrel politics would seem to give fodder to Greece's foes in Europe who argue that Athens refuses top take reforms of its bloated state sector seriously. However, such accusations ignore the fact that these abuses are the preserve of the those at the top of Greece's deeply corrupt political system. For ordinary Greeks, the cuts in spending are very real indeed. A telling example is that while 187,000 people registered as jobless receive unemployment benefit (usually less than 400 euros a month), 734,000 do not. Hardly evidence of profligate welfare spending and for those who remain unemployed for more than 12 months there is little in the way of financial assistance form the State.


The irony of the situation is that during Greece's deeply divisive dual elections in summer much of the European political leadership and the financial establishment across the world exerted as much influence as it could muster to shore up support for New Democracy and Antonis Samaras, and in doing so helped maintain the corrupt political empires that helped Greece get so deeply into debt in the first place. 

SK Rapid Wien supporter calms down fans during face off with Greek riot police

SK Rapid Wien supporter calms down fans during face off with Greek riot police, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Summer in the city - Thessaloniki

Summer in the city - Thessaloniki, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

As crisis deepens Greece's rulers take racism into the mainstream

With August coming to an end and the temperatures dropping from the low 40s C to low 30s C The northern port city of Thessaloniki shakes off of its summer lethargy as people come back from their annual holidays and the town readies itself for the return of its large student population. However, amidst the renewed hustle and bustle some things haven't changed. Many of the businesses in the centre remain shuttered, their store fronts decorated with graffiti and For Rent signs, the cafes while now busier are far fewer in number and the restaurants mostly remain empty except on the weekend. The only new business is a chain of fast food outlets that does a roaring trade in in 70 cent hot dogs and cheap iced coffees.

On the other hand whether it be in the supermarket lines or in the streets the talk is about how everyone will pay the latest round of bills. The guy pumping petrol complains about the cost of road tax whilst the woman behind me in line frets about how she'll make it through the winter if the government decides to raise the cost of heating oil by 40% as promised. 

And these are the lucky ones. The ones who still have a job and some source of income. For those who were already at the bottom of the pile before the crisis took hold the situation is now dire. No  large supermarket is complete without a gaggle of beggars waiting outside its entrance. The sight of old people and young kids rummaging through waste bins for food or stuff to recycle no longer turns heads, or even draws a comment.

For Greece's most vulnerable the country is rapidly becoming an endless nightmare, not only because of lack of jobs or money but because they are being scapegoated by politicians in power along with their allies in the national media. For immigrants the situation is worst of all. While the foreign media have focused on the open racist rhetoric of the Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party (which won 7% of the vote in the last national elections) the campaign against non-Greeks is not limited to the party's shaven headed black t-shirted thugs.

With the start of the Xenios Zeus police operation Athens has been using mass round ups of anyone with a dark skin in central Athens to prove that it is tough on undocumented migrants despite condemnation by Amnesty International. With the Samaras government unable to halt economic contraction and faced with a humiliating fait accompli from Berlin, Greece's failing political system is looking for a way out. In this they have found willing allies in the country's ailing mainstream media, owned to large extent by oligarchs determined to make sure that the country remains in the Eurozone, whatever the social cost.

A typical example of the manner in which immigrants are portrayed in Greek news can be seen in the recent case of a 15 year old girl who was beaten and left unconscious after an attack on the Greek island of Paros. With the police under pressure to produce results they arrested a Pakistani hotel employee, who according to official reports confessed to the crime. The fact that he was not allowed access to a lawyer during his time in custody on Paros seems to be considered a minor detail. Later police said that his DNA had been linked to the crime scene. At this point both TV and newspapers decided that trials and verdicts were irrelevant in such a case and talked of "a beast in human form" and "monsters among us".

Such language and tactics draw unfavourable comparisons with the propaganda attempts of the Nazi's in the mid 1930s and are being increasingly used by "respectable" mainstream reporters and politicians who routinely attribute rising crime rates and economic decline to the presence of immigrants.

In a climate where the nightly news bulletins are full of stories blaming the country's growing lawlessness on ruthless foreigners, it is hardly surprising that attacks on immigrants are on the rise, increasing not just in number but also ferocity. 

To make the situation even more intolerable, immigrants have every reason to believe that the police is not a neutral player in this increasingly violent game. During the recent elections some studies suggested the in Athens alone nearly 50% of police offers cast a vote for Golden Dawn, while Indymedia Athens and alternative news sources are full of police either turning a blind eye to racist violence or even abusing foreigners themselves.

The reality is the racism in Greece has, along with poverty become part of the respectable mainstream, simply another tool to be used by an deeply unpopular political elite eager to win back support from an electorate worn down by four years of economic collapse and terrified that everything that worked so hard to achieve over the previous decades will be taken away from them.

The ECB report 2009-2012 (now in cartoon form)

The ECB report 2009-1012 (now in cartoon form), a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Greece on the move as crisis bites deeper.

While for many outside the country, the main symptoms of the current economic crisis are the soup kitchens in central Athens, or perhaps the violent confrontations that light up TV screens from time to time,but there is another quieter, yet just as significant trend sweeping Greece. Thousands upon thousands of Greeks are on the move, leaving the larger cities for the countryside or smaller provincial towns or abandoning the country to try their luck abroad. As with so many other economic and social upheavals the current one has forced people to up sticks and try their luck elsewhere. However, this time there are no endless trails of refugees marching along dusty roads, or convoys of dispossessed Okies with their belonging strapped to the top of a car. Instead it's the steady rhythm of friends, neighbours and colleagues gradually slipping away.

There are no firm figures for the numbers involved and those official statistics that do surface in the media often contradict themselves, nevertheless the truth is that something is changing and I see it with my own eyes every day. In every apartment block in every street no entrance hall is complete without a handful of For Rent or For Sale signs, apartments I pass by on my way to work lay empty for months on end, even though the removal vans seem to be doing a roaring trade.

On a more personal level, many of my friends and acquaintances have left the city. Thomas, who's now in Germany, trying to start a new life, Anne and Makis who have decided to go back to Makis's home town of Alexandroupolis, Panos who is off to Crete to try his hand at farming after losing his job in the latest round of job cuts, and so the list goes on.

And most importantly for me, my own 12 year old daughter, who is now living in central Greece, after her mother's business finally succumb to the crisis., so obliging her to move back to be closer to the her own family and the support they can offer. So instead of being a weekend dad, I've become a fortnightly one, as every two weeks I catch a train to Larissa, and then a coach and then a lift to see her in her new home.

I do not harbour any bitterness to my ex for her decision, she tried everything to find work in Thessaloniki and when that didn't work out she was left with no real choice. Given such unpalatable options, you do what you can to survive.

This weekend though, my daughter is staying with me, or to be more accurate she's staying over at a series of friends, catching up on lost gossip and news from the classmates she left behind. Even then, the story is the same. One has left for England, another is going with her family to Australia, another's family is contemplating moving back to Albania if things do not improve in the near future.

Ironically, my financial situation has stabilised and unlike the last few summers, paying the rent and bills is not something that wakes me up at 4am in a cold sweat. I've even been in the enviable situation of turning down jobs (don't worry, I passed them on to friends in need) in order to take a couple of weeks off but this is something I usually keep to myself as complaining about work when so many around you are desperate for any kind of job seems the height of bad taste.

Those left behind hang on, hoping that things will change soon or praying that their job won't be the next in line. All the while the new government at the behest of Greece's creditors carve yet more slices off the public sector and chase after an ever dwindling tax base. This week it's the turn of higher education as Athens desperately seeks to find another 11.5 billion euros worth of spending cuts and so has announced the closure of at least 30% of the university and polytechnic department, effective immediately.

On the other hand it feels at times like being on a raft in the middle of a storm and all you can do is cling on as tightly as possible and focus on the few inches in front of your face, you do not have the energy to imagine what will happen next so all you do is focus on the immediately around you and forget the rest.

Summer in the city

Summer in the city, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Alice in Wedding Land

Alice in Wedding Land, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Pictures from the past

Welcome to Austerity - Our kind of town

Welcome to Austerity - Our kind of town, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

They make a desert and call it salvation.

HSBC - Never underestimate the importance of local knowledge

HSBC - Never underestimate the importance of local knowledge, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

HSBC - Blood money

HSBC - Blood money, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

A Diane Arbus moment

A Diane Arbus moment, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Fire fighting aircraft getting ready to drop sea water on a forest fire near Thessaloniki, Greece

Fire fighting aircraft getting ready to drop sea water on a forest fire near Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

G4S is a subsidiary of the FUBAR Group PLC

G4S is a subsidiary of the FUBAR Group PLC, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

A funny thing happened on the way to the market. Or how I found myself covering a forest fire on my day off.

Fire fighting aircraft dropping sea water on a forest fire near Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Yesterday proved once again that cameras are like credit cards and we should never leave home without them. My original plan was to go into the centre, find a cafe with wifi and catch up with things on the internet and then do some shopping. As it turned out I found myself walking for miles in 40C along a dirt track in search of a forest fire.

 But I get ahead of myself, while tweeting I saw that my friend, Asteris was in the centre as well and went off to catch up on his news and find out how he's spent his time at the Global Voices conference in Nairobi. Later, more friends happened upon us (Thessaloniki is that kind of town, despite having a population of over one million inhabitants).

 In the midst of catching up and discussing what we planned to do for our summer holidays,I noticed a couple of Canadair fire fighting planes circling over the city. Usually, that means there are off to fight forest fire in the north of Greece but on the off chance that something was happening closer to home I asked Asteris (i think he's never offline, even in his sleep) to check out Twitter and as I'd guessed there was a fire raging on the outskirts of the city in the Seix Sou woods.

Quickly grabbing my helmet and my bag I made my way to the site but couldn't get very close ad all the access roads had been closed by the authorities. Instead I ended up parking a mile or so away and trekking towards the smoke. Once again luck was on my side an professional photojournalist was also heading in the same direction and offered me a lift. Also she knew from her job many of the fire fighters on duty so there was no problem about me being stopped or turned away and so I was able to take photographs just a few metres from where the planes and helicopter were dropping seawater on the fire.

The only problem was that my bike was at least a 50 minute hike away and the temperature was still in the high thirties but it was worth it and exhausted, red faced and foot sore I ended another Saturday nobody could have predicted.

How to photograph riots.

With clashes in Spain and especially in Madrid growing in intensity I thought I'd post a few pointers to those photographers who want to cover riots and other such turbulent events. Since 2005 I have recorded, dozens of violent confrontations here in Greece and I hope that these pointers will help keep you safe.

1-NEVER FORGET WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND YOU. It is easy in the heat of the moment to focus only on what the viewfinder sees and miss dangers around you. Take time out to check on what is happening in your immediate vacinity.

2 - DO NOT TRUST THE POLICE. They are often as dangerous as rocks and bottles thrown. With police officers being called upon to impose unpopular economic and social measures in Europe they are no longer neutral players imposing law and order. Also there is a growing awareness among the authorities that the internet and especially photographs and video are exposing police excesses. This means that you can also become a target if you record such actions. Always be ready to flee if necessary.

3 - WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR. Helmet, some kind of mask and goggles. This will provide a measure of protection against tear gas and other dangers. But remember such gear also makes you a target for the police as it is also worn sometimes by the most hardcore demonstrators.

4 - NO SHOT IS WORTH BEING HOSPITALISED FOR. Don't take unnecessary risks as an injured photographer is not going to be much use to anyone. There will always be other opportunities.

5 - DON'T ARGUE. If challenged by protesters about taking photos put your camera down and walk away. Riots are highly charged events and not a debating club. If challenged by the police, stand your ground if you can see other photographers/camera operators nearby. Otherwise, run as quickly as possible if you have the chance.

6 - KNOW YOUR GEOGRAPHY. If possible get to know the layout of the area you're photographing as well as possible and that means not just via a map but by walking through it repeatedly.  Always have a choice of exit routes if things get out of control.

7 - TALK TO PEOPLE. Let them know who you are and why you are there.This lessens their suspicions that you're working for the authorities. Touch bases, Chat to people you know at the event and they will pass the word on about who you are. This invisible network has saved my hide on many an occasion.

8 - CHECK SETTINGS BEFORE TROUBLE KICKS OFF NOT DURING IT. The middle of riot is no place to be fiddling with buttons and dials and the like. If the worst comes to the worst, put your camera on Automatic. However, always remember where the sunlight light is coming from.

9 - ALWAYS CARRY SPARE MEMORY CARDS with a few pics of area. If you think you're going to be stopped by police, swap out the card in the camera for a spare and then hide it.


10 - BE RESPONSIBLE when posting pictures afterwards. Don't put in peril the people you were photographing. This is a difficult area to give guidelines about but generally speaking you should not be posting photographs that could be used to convict people. Otherwise you are turning yourself and other photographers into targets in future demonstrations.

All Quiet On The Summer Front

Not much happening on the photography or politics front so I haven't been updating the blog or my Flickr page lately. It's the way it goes, often after a period of intense activity I feel the need to just take time off and relax. Much to my surprise my lessons have continued even into July which means that this summer is the first time in years when the summer has not been accompanied by stomach churning worries over money and bills.

Hard to describe the relief that comes with knowing ahead of time that you'll have enough to meet all your obligations for the coming months. Beyond that time frame I just don't plan or think, as so much in Greece has become utterly unpredictable that making such long term plans is an invitation to unwanted fear and anxiety over events you cannot control.

Instead I'm taking this time to buy things I need for the home that I've put on the back burner in light of more urgent demands. Nothing fancy, things like new plates and cups, a few new lamps to replace the battered ones I have. Suddenly, buying things is not something I do with half a heart, wondering if this month I'll be able to pay the power bill as well.

However, when you've lived under such constant pressure, the fear doesn't melt away overnight. The thought that my current spite of good luck is just a temporary respite is always there at the back off your mind, like a getaway car, keys in the ignition, engine running.

Such feeling are reinforced when you see more and more of your friends lose their jobs, or pack their bags in order to leave the country or the city in search of work. In such a situation you have a sense of guilt that you're doing OK whilst those who are equally deserving of such good fortune are being forced to leave.

After the Fall

After the Fall, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

UK citizenship test - the crib notes

In keeping with the demands of the latest government directives all those applying for UK citizenship will have to pass a test designed to see if they are aware of  seminal events in British culture and history. In the spirit of international co-operation I have created a list of crib notes which will help applicants with their examination.

1 -Which countries make up 'Great Britain'? England, Hampshire, Tuscany and The Cotswolds.

2 - Which tribal leader fought against the Roman conquest of Britain? Margaret Thatcher.

3 - Which king defeated the Vikings at the end of the 9th Century? Tony Blair - The Hammer of the Scot.

4 - When did the English first impose English laws on Wales and the Welsh? 1957 (When Welsh forced to fight under an English flag in 1st Eurovision Song Contest.

5 - Which famous document eventually led to the formation of Parliament in England? The Leveson Inquiry
Report.

6 - Under the feudal system, what were people who worked the land called? Stake holders.

7 - What proportion of the population of the UK were killed by the Black Death? Approximately the same as those not in BUPA.

8 - Which kinds of skilled workers did not come to England in large numbers from Europe in the Middle Ages? Polish plumbers. Hence the delay in UK obtaining European levels of personal hygiene till the late 17th century.

9 - Which monarch established the Church of England? Princess Di.

10 - Which monarch was defeated by Oliver Cromwell in English Civil War? Trick question as no English monarch has ever lost.Charles just lost his head for a moment.

 Good luck and the Best of British to you.

Barclays: We're not sharks

Barclays: We're not sharks, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Barclays ad - Cheat 'til you're busted

Barclays ad - Cheat 'til you're busted, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.