June 15, 2011
On a day of protests and general strikes in Greece, Prime Minister George Papandreou offered to step down to pave the way for a unity government to lead the country through its current crisis. But Europe still hasn't been able to agree on a new aid package for the deeply indebted country.
The financial crisis in Greece, it would seem, has only been getting worse in recent weeks, no matter how hard the country's European Union partners try to find a solution. Now, however, Athens may also be on the verge of a political crisis.
According to Greek state television and Reuters, Prime Minister George Papandreou on Wednesday offered to resign in order to simplify the creation of a unity government. His offer came on the heels of talks with opposition leader Antonis Samaras, the goal of which was the creation of a coalition pairing Papandreou's socialists with Samaras' conservatives, according to the state-owned television station NET. "It is a historically critical moment," Papandreou said, in reference to his country's financial situation.
Samaras said the alliance was a short-term measure to lead the country through the current crisis. But, he added, such a government could not be led by Papandreou.
Papandreou's offer came on a day of massive protests on the streets in front of the Greek parliament building in Athens. Some 20,000 demonstrators were on hand to protest the extreme austerity measures imposed by the government in an effort to get the country's budget under control. Several protesters threw rocks and bottles, with the police responding with tear gas. Papandreou's car was hit by a hail of oranges as it passed.
More
No comments:
Post a Comment