Greece: chronicle of a nation in flames

• George Tsoupeis, a committed protester in the streets of Thessaloniki
• Lena Kouroupi, perceptions from a Greek student abroad (in Holland)

While the Greek Parliament was approving the bitter medicine of the coalition government of technocrat Lukas Papademos, the streets caught fire. George Tsoupeis, age 21, was there. In his city, Thessaloniki, this accounting and finance student was shouting in the street once more time. He has already been in many marches and demonstrations, but this anticipated something different. One more step. A new sacrifice will not be enough for the IMF and EU to give green light tomorrow to 130,000 million euros so that Greece can meet its debts. “The majority of employees have their work in danger, like my father, who is working in a factory. My mother has already lost her job as the business she worked in is closed”, he says.

Violent demonstrations, triggered while politicians debated in Parliament, reflect that the ability of Greeks to take sacrifices is reaching its limit. Riot police pushed back protesters, who were trying to avoid the stun grenades thrown by policemen on motorcycles. At least 10 buildings went up in flames in mass protests late Sunday. Meanwhile, lawmakers prepared for a historic parliamentary vote on harsh austerity measures demanded to keep the country solvent and within the eurozone. George, a committed young person, surprisingly positive and eager to change the world, unleashes his emotion when he speaks about his country. He is aware of his people exhausted, but he still has enough energy to fight for his rights.

“There are ways to make your voice heard by protesting in the streets. Demonstrations have always been a key way for people who want to protest for anything that’s against their beliefs , their ethics, their rights or against themselves and threaten their jobs, their lives , their freedom at all. I’ve participated in many demonstrations and marches last years, and I’ve felt that they help people overcome their fears”, he says.

The protester believes strongly that the fault doesn’t come only from one side: “First, the European politicians, who although they knew about the situation in Greece, they continued to lend big amounts of money without test the use of them. The other side, Greece, has a big share of responsibility due to its corrupted political system”. He considers seriously “unfair, repugnant and wrong” to blame people, “who don't even know about the games their politicians have been played under the table”.

The way of leaving the euro, which these days has indicated German Finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, doesn’t seem to be an option for Greece, if it was legally possible. As noted by some studies, this drastic step could mean losing up to 50% of its GDP, without benefit to compensate for the brutal cost. In addition, it would break a taboo and it would set a precedent that would destabilize the whole of Eurozone, because it would open the speculative run for an exit of Portugal, Ireland and, maybe, Spain and Italy.

However, departure of Eurozone is the only viable option for George Tsoupeis: “We have to refuse paying our debt, which is a result of accumulated loans and mainly interests of these loans. It is high time Greece become really independent in all sectors and it redifine its position in the modern global system”.

From another angle, Lena Kouroupi, age 19, is seeing the demonstrations in her country from Holland, where she’s studying speechtherapie. She claims not to be agree with violent protests, but she supports their people. Like most of them, she feels fooled: “When rumors for an upcoming economic crisis in Greece started, politicians told us: ‘Don’t worry ,there is money!’ After some months, they started to decrease salaries and pensions. The situation right now is tragic and the only culprits are the politicians, who rob the funds of the country . There is no expectations to Greek people. This is the end!”

She hasn’t so clear what’s the best solution but, of course, she is also afraid of her future and she is worried about her generation: “I really want to be positive but I can’t, as the majority of young people, because I don’t know if I will graduate, if I will find a job, if I will ever dream of my future”.

The cradle of democracy has become the cradle of the lost generation. A flood of young people that see their dreams broken and that they must emigrate in search of better horizons. It is the chronicle of a nation in flames.