Riots in Athens as Greece faces austerity vote

Rioting spread across central Athens and buildings went up in flames amid mass protests last night, as MPs prepared to vote for a crucial debt deal needed to prevent the country becoming bankrupt.

Clashes erupted across the city centre after more than 100,000 protesters marched to parliament to rally against drastic austerity cuts that will mean 15,000 public sector job being axed and the slashing of the minimum wage by 20 per cent.

Thick clouds of smoke and tear gas filled the air around parliament, as rioters staged running battles with riot police and at least five buildings were in flames.

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TV footage showed a three-story corner building completely engulfed in flames with riot officers looking on as firefighters tried to douse the blaze.

The other buildings set ablaze included a bank, a mobile phone dealership, a glassware store and a cafeteria, the fire department said. It was not immediately clear whether there was anyone inside the burning buildings.

Riot police fired dozens of tear gas volleys to clear the streets around parliament of rioting youths, who attacked them with firebombs, fireworks and chunks of marble smashed off the fronts of luxury hotels, banks and department stores.

Authorities said several protesters and police were injured, while an unspecified number of suspected rioters were detained.

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Prime Minister Lucas Papademos’ government – a coalition of the majority Socialists and their main foes, the conservative New Democracy – was expected to carry the vote.

Combined, they control 236 of Parliament’s 300 seats, although at least 20 lawmakers from both main parties said they would not back the new private sector wage cuts, pension reductions and civil service layoffs dictated by the draft austerity programme.

“There are very few such moments in the history of a nation,” Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said. “Our country has an acute issue of survival.”

“The question is not whether some salaries and will be curtailed, but whether we will be able to pay even these reduced wages and pensions,” he added. “When you have to choose between bad and worse, you will pick what is bad to avoid what is worse.”

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The new cuts, which follow two years of harsh income losses and tax increases – amid a deep recession and record unemployment – have been demanded by Greece’s bailout creditors in return for a new batch of vital rescue loans.

Earlier, Greek MPs had begun debating legislation introducing the austerity measures necessary for the country to secure a e130bn (£109bn) bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

The legislation will also approve a bond-swapping deal with private creditors that will allow Greece to shave off at least e100bn (£84bn) of its e360bn (£301bn) debt.

The debate was expected to continue into the small hours. Opponents of the legislation have adopted a tactic of frequent and loud interruptions and objections that may further delay the debate.

Unions called for the large protest outside Parliament.

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Communist-affiliated unions held a separate meeting at the same time and marched to Parliament. Protesters were expected to stay outside the building throughout the vote.

In the run up to the debate, the authorities – afraid the protests might turn violent – deployed some 6,000 policemen in the capital’s city centre.

Pro-communist unionists started driving through Athens’ neighbourhoods in the early morning, calling for people to participate in the protests. Clear skies after rain, was seen as a boost to their hopes for a large turnout.

The two parties backing the coalition government have 236 deputies in the 300-member Parliament, but at least 13 conservative and seven socialist MPs have declared they will vote against the legislation, defying their leaders’ threats of sanctions.

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Early yesterday, a conservative MP resigned, joining three socialists who did the same earlier last week.

Debt-stricken Greece does not have the money to cover a e14.5bn (£12bn) bond repayment on March 20, and must reach the vital debt-relief deal with private bond investors before then. Greece’s woes have threatened its future in the eurozone.

European governments are waiting to see if Greece finally acts on its commitments to sort out its national finances.

The German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was quoted as telling the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that Greece “cannot be a bottomless pit”.

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“That’s why the Greeks must finally put a bottom in,” he added. “Then we can put something in too.”

Some of the earlier clashes were between a few hundred anarchists and riot police outside Parliament.

Thousands of peaceful protesters fled the square facing the Parliament as anarchists threw bottles, rocks, pieces of marble and firebombs at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

They booed as the police moved in. Many protesters moved to adjacent streets.

Police say an officer was injured by a flare shot at him from a gun. He was taken to hospital.

An ambulance picked up two injured people from the square as the protests continued to rage.

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