Crowds march against austerity measures in union-organised protest
(13 Apr 2013) 1. Pan across protesters getting off coach to join march 2. Close-up of protester wearing fake beard 3. Wide of protesters getting off coach 4. Close-up of poster in coach window reading: (Portuguese) "March against impoverishment" 5. Mid of protest organiser giving flags to demonstrators 6. Mid of protester Luisa Peneda holding placard featuring images of Portuguese cabinet members, reading: (Portuguese) "Thief" 7. SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) Luisa Peneda, 61, public sector worker: "We are here to protest against the (austerity) measures this government is taking and that impoverish the people. This government is becoming a factory of impoverished people." 8. Pan across police officers 9. Wide of police with protesters in background 10. Pan across protesters holding banner reading: (Portuguese) "For another policy, for another government" 11. Wide of Armenio Carlos, Secretary General of General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP) talking to reporters 12. SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) Armenio Carlos, Secretary General of General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP): "The troika programme, the one that should be the salvation of the country, became the programme of bankruptcy of the country. What we are here to say is that we have alternatives and solutions that we will present (in due time)." 13. Wide of protesters holding banner reading: (Portuguese) "In defence of culture" 14. Various of protesters marching and chanting slogans STORYLINE: Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Lisbon on Saturday to protest against the government's austerity drive. The action was organised by the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP), the largest union group with some 600,000 members. Those demonstrating called for more to be done to stimulate economic growth and job creation. They chanted slogans against the government and the so-called "troika" of International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Commission. "The troika programme, the one that should be the salvation of the country, became the programme of bankruptcy of the country," said Armenio Carlos, Secretary General of the CGTP. Portugal needed a 78 (b) billion euro (101 (b) billion US dollar) rescue in May 2011 when investors, worried by its high debts and meagre growth, stopped lending it money. As in other heavily indebted European countries, public hostility to cutbacks is running high as hard-hit workers balk at falling living standards. "We are here to protest against the (austerity) measures this government is taking and that impoverish the people. This government is becoming a factory of impoverished people," said public sector worker Luisa Peneda. Unemployment has ballooned to a record 17.4 percent and an avalanche of tax increases and welfare cuts shows no sign of letting up as the government strives to make savings. The situation in Portugal was complicated this month when the country's constitutional court struck down parts of the government's austerity programme, making it necessary for it to look for other ways to meet deficit reduction targets. European Union finance ministers agreed on Friday to grant Portugal and Ireland seven years more to pay their bailout loans, easing the burden on their economies and paving the way for a quicker return to sustainable growth. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
