Greek transport strike stretches into a fourth day
(9 Nov 2012) 1. Wide of tram station on Syntagma square 2. Close of ticker reading (Greek) "Friday 09/11", no trams scheduled 3. Close of tram rails 4. Tilt down from Metro sign to map at entrance 5. Wide of closed entrance to Metro and homeless person 6. Close of homeless person 7. Wide of Syntagma square and Parliament building 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Athanasios Laspopoulos, Athens resident: "The government here is not a government, everybody do anything he please to do. They don't know nothing about economics. They don't know how much is one kilo of potatoes. They're living good, they're happy people. They stealing moneys. They do all the atrocities can be." 9. Various of passengers cramming into bus 10. Mid of policewoman directing traffic 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Denis Defteris, 52 years old, Athens resident: "There is no institutions, no government, nothing and I think the effect is going to be the total destruction of Greece, but I don't know to what purpose. I believe they (Germany and EU) want to bring us all down to the knees and accept the terms of surrender. Maybe it is the creation of a new Europe." 12. Various of newspaper stand 13. Mid of police 14. Wide of EU and Greek flags STORYLINE: Public transport workers went on strike for a fourth day in Greece on Friday as the country faced the prospect of a delay in receiving much-needed bailout funds. The Greek Parliament narrowly passed an unpopular new austerity bill on Thursday, but Greece's euro partners have said they won't be able to release the country's next batch of bailout cash yet. The approval of the bill, which will further cut salaries and pensions and increase taxes, was the key step towards persuading Greece's international creditors to release the next 31.5 (b) billion euros (40.2 (b) billion US dollars) instalment of loans. Without it, the government has said Greece will start running out of cash on November 16. Athens resident Athanasios Laspopoulos blamed Greece's woes on its leaders. "They don't know anything about economics. They don't know how much is one kilo of potatoes," he said. "They're living good, they're happy people. They stealing moneys." Parliament's vote in favour of huge spending cuts and tax increases came at a cost for Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' fragile three-party coalition government. However, Germany, the biggest single contributor to Europe's bailouts, has insisted Greece must first pass its 2013 budget to create the basis on which the country's creditors can make a decision to release the new funds. After the budget vote, which is scheduled for Sunday, the release of the funds still hinges on a report by the so-called troika of debt inspectors from the EU, International Monetary Fund and European Central bank However it is not expected to be ready in time for a meeting on Monday of EU finance ministers. In addition, some euro countries such as Germany can only give the go-ahead after their own Parliaments have voted on it. Although those votes are not expected to take long, they add the prospect of further delay. The German finance minister has strongly suggested that an interim financial arrangement for Greece may have to be agreed. "I believe they (Germany and EU) want to bring us all down to the knees and accept the terms of surrender," said one Athenian resident, Denis Defteros. "Maybe it is the creation of a new Europe," he added. 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...
