Greeks ‘Cannot Take Any More’

Angry Greeks tried to torch Athens after parliament passed an austerity package Sunday. While European leaders continue to press for additional cuts, the Greek minister for citizen protection says the Greek people “cannot take any more … we have reached the limits of the social and economic system.”

The BBC reports that the decline of the Greek economy is accelerating. Political leaders overcame widespread public and intra-party opposition to pass major cuts in exchange for a bailout from other Eurozone countries, but those nations want Greece to scale back even more and they want a commitment that any future government formed in the near term will implement the austerity program.

With rioting in the streets and Europe knocking on the door, Christos Papoutsis, the aforementioned minister, said his country had done enough. — PZS

BBC:

After a cabinet meeting late on Tuesday, Mr Papoutsis, a member of the other major coalition party Pasok, said Greece had “made all the efforts that it needed to do”.

“The people cannot take any more. The government is making superhuman efforts, and we have reached the limits of the social and economic system,” he said.

“Greece has owned up to its own responsibilities, and the sacrifices of the Greek people are huge. I believe it is time for everyone to own up to their responsibilities.”

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