Yesterday at Syntagma Square before the "No"-demonstration started.
First impression: Said good bye in the morning to an elder Greek who together with his family generously gave Hilka, my Labrador, and me hospitality for a couple of nights. We just met when I arrived in Athens sitting in the metro to Syntagma Square.
Then, accidently, we met again on the 29th June at the “No”-demonstration in front of the parliament building. We had intensive talks on the development of Greece and Europe and I listened to him carefully. A very experienced person, 69 years old now. I told him in the morning about my thoughts and feeling that I suppose it will become a strong “No” tomorrow (see also ). He told me then that he had never seen in his life so many people at a demonstration like yesterday at Syntagma Square. And he said that the Greek media didn´t write about it (on the Greek media see also and ). I just looked at the two English editions of “ekathimerini” and “TO BHMA” and see he is right (here and here). We both agreed that if a strong “No” would materialise the Greek government would use it to try to negotiate again with the EU Commission for more growth friendly measures. At the same time we were both sceptic that the EU Commission will be willing to compromise as well as the German government under Merkel, Schäuble and Gabriel.
Second impression: On my way to the metro station I passed through a park when Hilka suddenly started playing with a dog. I looked for the owners and met a young couple. We said hello, and I asked my general question accompanying my whole tour to and through southern Europe now: “What do you think about Europe?” And soon we were in a deep conversation. I think it lasted not less than one hour. Both are still employed – not easy to find nowadays in Greece. But their salaries have been halved. They earn now for 40 hours work per week 500 Euro per month. Again I met people argueing well thought and experienced. They hope for a “No” at the referendum. And they´re not anti-European or anti-Euro. It is just that the policy of the last six years brought about a catastrophy to their country, and not only to theirs, they argued.
At the "Yes"-demo on the 30th June.
Third impression: Still on the way to the metro station I entered a pet shop to look for a new blanket for Hilka. The old one was stolen in Barcelona. I took such a blanket with us that Hilka has somehow a permanent home while being permanantly on the road. And on the 29th June there was her 3rd birthday. So highest time for a birthday present. Two young ladies not only offered me a nice blanket for 8 Euro (the price tag still showed ten Euro: deflation is real!). They also gave me their view on Greece, Europe and the referendum. They will clearly vote for a “Yes”. In their view it is the present government who did all wrong. Greece had already recovered but then Tsipras destroyed everything. I asked them before whether they feel the crisis here in their shop. No, so far not, they answered. People would still care for their dogs. I asked them, too, whether they had been on the “Yes”-demonstration yesterday. They said, yes. They were many people there I said, I read 20.000, 25.000. Now they were surprised: “No, not that many”, they answered. “Perhaps 15.000 but not more.”
—
Dieser Text ist mir etwas wert
|
|
