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Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis leaves...
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis leaves the podium following his speech yesterday at Athens's Pallas Theater in honor of veteran leftist politician Leonidas Kyrkos (pictured in the background). |
EDITORIAL |
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Abuse of union power
In this country the union movement is on the wrong path. We do not intend here to question the need for union action and its importance for the protection of workers' fundamental rights. But in cases where union demands seem to border on the absurd, one cannot help but reconsider certain aspects.
For example, how can unions organize work stoppages to protest the dismissal of tram workers who violated every possible measure of professionalism and at the same time put public safety at risk?.
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COMMENTARY |
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Sin city
Athens is a mess - with or without the customary protest rally. For many months now, the capital has resembled a Third World metropolis, minus the exotic element.
Traffic is a real jam. Those who prefer to walk are not much better off either. The narrow sidewalks are already occupied or broken. Streets are often inaccessible. Rubbish is everywhere.
Going through the city center is stressful. People choose to be on autopilot to spare themselves some of the stress, trying to keep their cool until the daily torture is over. We up our defenses, our emotions switch off. We turn a blind eye to the absurdity, the lawbreaking, the disregard of public space, above all by the public servants, the police force and the political officials.
It's a shame. Only a few blocks away from Parliament and City Hall, lawlessness is king. The main streets are taken over by illegally parked SUVs, truck drivers double-park their vehicles at will to load or unload their goods, and sidewalks disappear under a sea of motorbikes, kiosks, fridges, tables, chairs and rubble from half-finished public works. |
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