ETHNOS

Red alert over PPC

Citizens hostage to power cuts and blackouts

  • A political firestorm with conscription a step away

  • SYRIZA looks to gather the ‘120’ [MPs needed to trigger a referendum]

  • Alarm bells from tourist areas and businesses

The government is on red alert over the strike action of PPC workers (Public Power Corporation) and its consequences for the steady supply of power to the country. At the same time the government’s confrontation with the opposition is taking explosive dimensions after the initiative taken by SYRIZA for a referendum, moving ahead with what is a dress rehearsal of the process to elect a new President of the Republic. [SYRIZA will seek to block the latter and trigger national elections by next March. To do so 120 of the 300 MPs must vote against the candidate proposed by the government.]

EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON

Current of resistance

PPC referendum: Alexis Tsipras has telephone conferences with [party leaders] D. Koutsoubas, P. Kammenos and F. Kouvelis

The initiative taken by SYRIZA to gather 120 signatures of MPs in order to trigger a referendum over the bill that would create the ‘small PPC’ has jolted New Democracy and PASOK with an electric shock.

Despite the different approaches, KKE, DIMAR, the Independent Greeks party and independent MPs view the move positively in principle, a fact which upends the government’s plans.

 

 

TA NEA

Labour market jungle

One and half million unemployed and one million ‘invisible’ workers on 400 euros per month: the arithmetic is depressing – but absolutely enlightening about the labour market in our country.

The Greek labour market jungle is a unique case in all of Europe: due to massive unemployment, workers have become objects of ruthless exploitation – it is characteristic that two out of three employees in the private sector are ‘invisible’ workers, without rights and on starvation wages.

It is obvious that this situation undermines efforts to exit the crisis – and it cannot be accepted by the state. The problem is not only unregistered labour – but also apparently legal exploitation!

 

 

 

ELEFTHEROTYPIA

Commission: forget a debt write off

The Commission via a document to the European Parliament does not leave any room for a debt write off for Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal and recommends, as the ‘best course of action’ for these countries to implement their adjustment programmes. The example of Ireland is cited for the success of the Memorandum. 

 

 
 

NAFTEMPORIKI

Steelmakers lose 800 million annually

Greek steelmaking loses about 800 million euros on a yearly basis from the drop in exports, mainly due to the high cost of energy which is strangling steelmaking plants, according to the Union of Greek Steelmakers.