Greeks count the cost of riots – and more austerity

On Monday morning the people of Athens woke up to what looks like a war zone.

Protesters set dozens of buildings ablaze in an orgy of destruction as parliament approved a deeply unpopular austerity bill on Sunday night.

The smouldering remains have left an acrid aftertaste on the streets.

For many it is the passage of the draft law, demanded by Greece’s foreign lenders, that is proving difficult to swallow.

Branding MPs ‘traitors’, ex-naval officer Petros Dogas thought that demonstrators should have done more, leaving nothing standing. “Not a stone, not the parliament,” he said.

“This is the fault of those people in there,” said architect Nikos Markou, indicating the parliament building. “Everything started with them and it has been years now. We tried, and I believe we will survive to see better days.”

The package of pay, pension and job cuts is the price Greece has had to pay for a 130 billion euro EU/IMF bailout to save it from default next month.

Most MPs backed the bill but dozens rebelled and were expelled by their parties.

Historic buildings were among those set alight after protests that saw tens of thousands take to the streets of Greece. As stones and petrol bombs were thrown in Athens, dozens of people were injured and arrested.

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