ekathimerini.com | Ireland, Greece: brothers in arms?

"The past week provided two very different expressions of citizens’ frustrations in Greece and Ireland, the two members of the European Union at the forefront of the year-long sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone.

While Irish voters in Dublin, Cork and Limerick went to the polls, Greek citizens in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patra vented their anger by staging a week of industrial action, culminating in Wednesday’s 24-hour nationwide general strike. While people voted with their hands in one country, citizen exercised their rights with their feet and fists in the other."

Krækja - gríska Kathimerini: ekathimerini.com | Ireland, Greece: brothers in arms?:

AFP: Europe races to meet 'Mad March' debt deadline

"Eurozone paymaster Germany won't guarantee its backing unless Berlin wins concessions on how other nations govern their finances first. Germany, supported by France, wants to reform everything from pensions to business taxation across the 17-nation eurozone in particular. . . .

Krækja: AFP: Europe races to meet 'Mad March' debt deadline

The creaking European austerity machine | Red Pepper

"Austerity could spell the end for the euro, argues Leigh Phillips" . . .

Krækja; The creaking European austerity machine | Red Pepper

Grikkland - evrusvæðið: Anti-austerity protests spark violent clashes in Greece- France24

Clashes broke out between riot police and protesters Wednesday during a massive anti-austerity march in Athens,leaving three police injured - one after being set on fire by a Molotov cocktail.

The heavy use of tear gas broke apart a demonstration that had rallied some 18,000 protesters in the capital according to police, and over 60,000 according to union organisers.

At least 36,000 people according to police took part in protests held in Athens, Thessaloniki and the port of Piraeus to reject economic policies dictated by Greece's narrow bankruptcy rescue by the EU and the IMF last year.

"Nobody believes in the government and in the (austerity) plan," said Yiannis Albanis, a computer technician joining the protest."





Krækja: France24

FT.com - Greek police clash with anti-austerity protesters

"Greek riot police fired teargas at protesters who threw stones and petrol bombs as a demonstration against austerity measures by striking workers erupted in violence."

FT.com / Brussels / Economy - Greek police clash with anti-austerity protesters:

Portugal’s GDP Falls 0.3% in First Decline in a Year - Bloomberg

"Portugal’s economy contracted in the fourth quarter for the first time in a year as the government cut spending and raised taxes to narrow its budget deficit."

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