Solidarity With Greece Means Solidarity With Protesters
The Greek populace goes on general strike again this week against a further cost cutting package of 13.5m euro, which shall be decided on by the Greek parliament tomorrow. To this the party chairs of DIE LINKE, Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger, declare:
The harsh claims of the troika and the creditors hit the pensioners hardest. Their pensions shall be reduced a fourth time within three years, Christmas bonuses of pensioners and civil servants are to be slashed completely. The austerity mandate intends to further cut on the earnings of public servants and employees in the public service as well as on child benefits.
Greece is after years of economic and social depression on the verge of collapse and experiences a creeping humanitarian catastrophe. The European partner countries eventually have to admit that there is no alternative to a policy of social and economic reanimation in Greece. If Greece collapses under the pressure of the troika this will firstly not happen without risk of contagion for the other countries in crisis, it will secondly cost European tax payers milliards, and thirdly evoke a fundamental danger for the existence of the European project.
The massive cuts of wages, pensions, and social benefits did not reach any of the intended aims. Those taking to the streets in Greece not only defend their justified social interests. They also protest against a wrong policy, which is wrong and dangerous in the whole of Europe. Solidarity with Greece means solidarity with the protesters. Instead of throwing ever fresh milliards at the banks, brutally collected through cuts on the incomes of wage earners, unemployed and pensionists, we have to fight Europe-wide for making the profiteers of the financial casino pay.