Current Events: Greece

Opposition leader gains public support and international standing. Alexis Tsipras, in his recent travels to the US and Germany, has gained momentum as a rising, credible leader in the Greek community. These trips, where he met with such organizations as the IMF, are inspired by the recent sanctions the government is required to place on the Greek people after accepting bailout packages from other European states. Tsipras maintains the view that the financial crisis is the fault of Greece’s former government; thus, the people of Greece should not be unjustly held accountable with these recent austerity measures. (January 25, 2013)

Rise in cost of heating oil. The Greek government has recently raised the tax on heating oil by 450% in an attempt to generate higher tax revenue. Because of this spike and the rate of unemployment (a record 27%), many people can no longer afford the cost of heating. This has increased the reliance on wood as a source of heating, placing higher strains on the environment. (February 3, 2013)

Transportation workers on strike. Following new sanctions by the government that imposed pay cuts on public transportation officials, many workers in bus stations and subways systems have gone on strike. Even after a court order and threats of prosecution, workers remain on strike for longer than a week now. (January 28, 2013)

Source: New York Times