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Greek veteran leftist urges resistance to austerity
Page last updated at 18:44 GMT, Wednesday, February 15, 2012 - 23:44 EST
France 24:
File picture shows Greek activist and writer Manolis Glezos speaking to the press outside the German embassy in Athens.
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Manolis Glezos once stole a Nazi flag floating over the Acropolis. Now, alongside Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, he is calling for resistance to austerity measures imposed on Greece by foreigners.
Longtime figures of left-wing politics, Glezos, 89, and Theodorakis, 87, have set up Elada (Resistance of United Democratic People) to oppose the dire conditions imposed by foreign lenders in exchange for emergency help to save Greece from potential bankrupcy.
For Glezos the first act of resistance came on the night of May 30, 1941, when German Nazi forces had occupied the country and were flying a large swastika flag over the Parthenon, the best-known landmark in Athens.
"Hitler had said in a speech that 'Europe is free'. We wanted to show him that the fight was just beginning," Glezos said, recalling how he and a friend managed to steal the flag.
After the war, "Greece conquered its freedom, but not its independence," he also said.
Read the whole story: France 24
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Comments
Nero was said to fiddle while Rome burned
February 16, 2012 by Angelo Arvanitis (Canada ), 13 weeks 2 days ago
Here, we see Greeks burning Athens while Papdemos, Venizelos, Samaras, and others are busy adding more fuel to the flames and having Papoulias yell fire as if the majority of the country's citizens are too blind and don't see itself scorched by our very leaders. If our Euro partners want us out of the Euro, we should be willing to walk away from our debts with our heads still held up, and the flame of resentment burning inside, and not on our knees, begging for more punishment and the heat of scorn from the outside.
Short sighted
February 17, 2012 by Chris (United Kingdom ), 13 weeks 1 day ago
I'll ask you what I asked Irlandos, what is the alternative to austerity? Our system simply cannot carry on, it is not economically viable. We will continue to amass huge debts if people are allowed to retire by the time they are 50! Changes must be made and going bust is not a serious alternative, the suffering will be immense!
Eyes Wide Shut
February 17, 2012 by Angelo Arvanitis (Canada ), 13 weeks 1 day ago
I agree with you to a certain degree - however, I have a lot of family left in Greece that are all over the age of 50. Of 9 aunts and 3 uncles only one collects a pension, and she is 68. She started to collect her pension at age 60, and it isn't 90%, or 70%, or even 60% of what she made prior to retirement. On a pension of about 600 euros, things are tight, but she does have some other avenues (olive trees) to make ends meet. Don't feed me the BS about all Greeks living high on the hog, when in fact the truth of the matter is that some German newspapers found a small % of professions and people who had these golden handshake agreements for retirement, and spread word that all Greeks have these perks. All of my uncles and aunts are over 55 (3 are over 60) and all but one still work. I doubt that I have the only family in Greece that pays their taxes, and that still works beyond their 50th birthday. As a matter of fact, I believe that the vast majority of people pay their taxes and work beyond the age of 50 because the standard Greek pension of 650 Euros probably doesn't go too far in providing food and shelter for most. I agree changes must be made - but mass layoffs (of employees who pay taxes at source) and pension cuts are not where the problems are solved. How many shipowners, doctors, lawyers, celebrities do not pay taxes? How many politicians and their kin have made money off of public or military tenders? Why does Greece have so many MP's? Why do we continue to punish the working class for the mistakes of the ruling and privileged class? Going bust is what is happening - Avoiding a default will just mean that the wealthy will get to keep their wealth, and not have to share as much of the pain with the workers.
Tell it like it is!
February 17, 2012 by John Gurlides (United Kingdom ), 13 weeks 2 days ago
They grabbed old Manolis by the throat but they still can't silence his mouth.
Tell it like it is, Glezara!!!