Newsgroups: bit.listserv.hellas
Date:         Fri, 4 Sep 1992 00:46:02 EDT
Reply-To:     "Efstratios N. Kontogiannis" <enkontog@MAILBOX.SYR.EDU>
From:         "Efstratios N. Kontogiannis" <enkontog@MAILBOX.SYR.EDU>
Subject:      GREEK NEWS (THE EUROPEAN)

Spiralling prices, tax increases and a tough austerity programme
triggered a wave of strikes by public sector employees this week as Greeks
returned from their summer break.
The walkouts by bank, post, electricity, water and telecommunications officials
 and Olympic Airways staff brought chaos to Athens, scene of clashes between
striking bus workers and riot police over the past month.
Cpmmenting on the government's austerity programme, spokesmen Vassilis
MAginas said: "The measures are painful but necessary."
Since assuming office in April 1990, the New Democrats have sought to cut
budget deficits of more than $14 billion (Ecu 10.15bn) a year by, among other
things, sacking thousands of public sector employees *, raising the pension age
and abolishing index-linked pay raises.
Greece is the only member of the EC still outside the exchange rate mechanism.
 Under pressure from Brussels, the conservatives have said that if the country
is to come into line with the single market Greeks will have to face another
four years of austerity.
But Lambros Kanellopoulos, president of Greece's biggest union, the General
Confederation of Greek Workers, said: "This is a matter of survival and we will
fight to the end."
Industrial action by the Athens drivers, who are protesting at the
privitization of the now defunct EAS state bus company, has added to the
government's problems. One government official said: "We will either solve
the issue or fall by it."
The drivers who are receiving growing support from a disgruntled public,
have vowed to fight their dismissal with " every possible means of protest".
EAS is one of the first of some 200 public companies facing privatisation.
Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis's fiscal policies are unpopular with
the public, whose per  capita income is the lowest in the Community, and
have also come under fire from within the ranks of the Conservative party
 itself.

* (NOTE) Apparently, from an article by the International Herald Tribune, I
 believe, it wrote that the although the public sector had to be decreased by at
least 10% the opposite was true.

ROYAL DEAL: Adraft bill settling ex-King Constantine's tax debts was submitted
to parliament for discussion before a special committee.
Announced by the govrnment last June, the bill will involve the former monarch
paying $3 million in arrears.
Few expect the 300 seat house to pass the bill without fierce debate, despite
 the government's hoped of rushing the legislation through by the end of the
 summer. The ex-King who lives in exile in London, has only been allowed to
 return to
Greece since he was deposed by popular referendum in 1974. Many Greeks fear that
the agreement could pave the way for a comeback by Constantine.

SEA NOVICES: Although famed as a maritime nation and despite being surrounded
by seas, a report has disclosed that only one in ten conscripts called up
to join in the Greek navy can swim.


THE EUROPEAN 27-30 AUGUST 1992


STRATOS KONTOGIANNHS
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, MAXWELL SCHOOL
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU