PICTURE: Greek demonstrators clash with the police.
A young Greek student talks to SABRINA DANKEL about what’s behind the riots that have rocked Greece in past weeks:
“Poverty, scandals, arrogant politicians, failed promises, a generation – my generation – without a future…
As Vagelis Giannisis from Elefsina, Greece, sees it: “All those things made us rise against not only the government, but against all those who try to make us their slaves”.
Greeks’ disaffection and frustration with their government erupted into violence and caused riots in the streets of Athens, after the death on December 6 of a 15-year old student.
Alexis Grigoropoulos was shot dead by a policeman in Exarchia, Athens, after teenage demonstrators got into a confrontation with police.
About 6000 people attended Alexis’ funeral on December 9, in the suburb of Palaio Faliro and expressed their condolence. But his death also enraged young people and led to demonstrations and riots all over the country.
Athens and nine other Greek cities were on fire, and what remained from the riots was a scene of destruction.
Vagelis (pictured right) is a student at Pedagogiko (the Faculty of Primary Education) of the University of Athens, which is close to the murder scene, and shares the anger and mourning about the events of the past weeks.
Although he does not take part in protest marches, the 20-year old Greek understands why his peers are rising against “not only the government but the whole system”.
The main target of the anger is Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and his conservative party, the Nea Dimokratia, who came to power in the general elections in 2004.
“[They] raised the flag of ‘justice’, promising, they would transform Greece into a modern European country, without the scandals that happened during the time when the socialistic party was in power,” Vagelis says.
According to him, the people believed Mr Karamanlis but: “After all, it turned out that this government had more scandals in five years than the socialists in 20 years.
“None of Karamanlis’ promises was fulfilled [and] the financial policy of Economy and Finance Minister Giorgos Alogoskoufis was a hoax. [The results of his policy were] cuts in wages, pensions and high taxes.”
Vagelis says the government favoured the banks and in a few years, the majority of people were laden with debt.
“The banks … could take people’s homes for a debt of… 10,000 Euros. Products of first need like bread and milk became expensive and the average wage dropped to 700 Euros… And education? [It] became worse.”
According to Vagelis, the Greek youth blame the education system for leaving them without hope for the future.
University education should be free, according to the constitution, but the government has undermined the public system, “to push children into private education”
Without competition, says Vagelis, “everybody will pay for education”.
Tertiary education is a big issue in Greece and many people, especially the youth, complain about the poor conditions in education.
“Two years ago, in my first year at uni, all the students rose against the government and we were about six months without lessons,” reports Vagelis.
Education policy has also been the focus for many of the recent protests.
“Now, things are almost over… though every day in the centre of the city there are protest marches, mostly from students and teachers,” Vagelis says.
Describing the current situation of the streets of Athens, he says there is nothing left that protestors could break or burn down.
