Greek Parliament Approves Austerity Plan

Greece demonstration

Today the Greek parliament approved the austerity plan demanded by the European Union and the IMF that seeks alternative help methods. The Prime Minister Yorgos Papandreou obtained the 151 votes that needed the approval for a savings plan of 28,000 millions of euro in a period from 2012 – 2015, and another 50,000 million in privatizations.

Since the morning, the eyes of Europe fell in Athens awaiting the results of the voting regarding this economic plan. After the results were presented thousands of angry Greeks took the streets to protest about the sacrifices that this plan will demand from them. During the demonstrations the police officers launched tear gas to scare the demonstrators who surrounded the parliament as a symbol of protest.

Police forces fired tear gas canisters to detain the entrance of demonstrators in the Syntagma Square. Many civilians took refuge in the underground subway stations. (AV)