No electricity in Greece, caused by troika austerity

This video says about itself:

Inside Iraq – Iraq’s lack of electricity

4 July 2010

During the past weeks riots have been breaking out all over Iraq over electricity cuts. Angry demonstrators clashed with security forces and demanded the resignation of the electricity minister. Why have successive governments failed to solve the electricity issue when Saddam Hussein succeeded in reviving electricity in a record time in 1991?

In 1991, warplanes of the United States government and its allies bombed Iraq; including power stations. Wikipedia writes, about civilian infrastructure after that bombing:

At the end of the war, electricity production was at four percent of its pre-war levels. Bombs destroyed the utility of all major dams, most major pumping stations, and many sewage treatment plants. Telecommunications equipment, port facilities, oil refineries and distribution, railroads and bridges were also destroyed.

Nevertheless, electricity returned pretty soon to Iraqis’ homes.

In 2003, as part of George W Bush’s and Tony Blair‘s invasion of Iraq, electricity for civilians was bombed again. In 1991, it had been possible to restore electricity in Iraq; even while the workers had to repair under the oppressive, corrupt Saddam Hussein dictatorship.

What proved to be possible post 1991 proved to be impossible under the post 2003 occupation of Iraq by George W Bush. For most Iraqis, there came long times of no or very little electricity.

Now, to Greece. In Greece, there has not been a typhoon, like in the disaster areas in the Philippines where there is no electricity now. In Greece, foreign warplanes have not bombed power stations, unlike Iraq.

Keep Talking Greece blog writes:

350K Greek households without electricity thanks to property tax

Living without electricity in Greece has reached enormous proportions as thousands of households are unable to pay their electricity bills that skyrocket due to several additional energy charges, municipality fees and the so-called “emergency property tax”.

More than 350,000 property owners and tenants cannot pay in time the amount on the electricity bills with the effect that Public Power Company (DEH) cuts off their electricity supply.

About 10% of these households (35,000) forced to live in the dark seeks the aid of ‘activists’ who illegally reconnect the power, despite the risk to face prosecution and criminal charges.

It is only 6:10 households (210,000) that pay the bill and reconnect power, while the rest remains also weeks in the dark.

Indicative of the tragic situation is [that] the power outage increased in the last two years, since the “emergency property tax” was included in the electricity bills.

Electricity bill* for a 110 sqm apartment for 3 months:
Electricity consumption € 70 (ca 800kWh)
Value Added Tax 13% € 9 = € 79
Fees (emissions, power transport etc = € 42
Municipality Fees & property tax € 41
Public Broadcaster € 9
Emergency property tax €130 (installment) = € 222
Total: €310
Considering the unemployment rates of 27% this is a nice batch of money
* the example is just indicative

While the number of power cuts was 300,000 in 2012, it recorded a 15% increase in 2013 reaching 350,000 and before the year expired, according to data provided by Giorgos Kollias, president and CEO of DEDDHE, a subsidiary of Greek PPC.

Since Greece sought the aid of [the] International Monetary Fund, the electricity outages almost doubled (80%), reaching 241,000 in 2010. The power disconnections referred mostly to main residence and summer houses, while 30%-40% affected businesses that closed down due to economic crisis.

Regarding the outstanding debts in electricity bills, they now exceed 1.3 billion euro, while 700,000 payment settlements were arranged in 2012.

Exclusive report published in daily Efimerida ton syntakton via zougla.gr.

This video says about itself:

8 Aug 2013

With a Eurozone record of 27 percent of Greeks unemployed, people are taking a pro-active approach to the crisis. Activists from the ‘We Won’t Pay’ movement, which boasts 10,000 members, are illegally reconnecting power to hundreds of homes.

Tough austerity measures have left many people in Greece unable to pay their electricity bills. The ‘We Don’t Pay’ movement which has over 10,000 members helps many of those by illegally reconnecting power to their homes, despite legal action against them.

The movement has been gaining new support, despite being targeted by over a hundred law suits.

Tens of thousands of students and trade unionists have joined marches through Greece’s two biggest cities to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the student uprising against the ruling military junta: here.

AS a result of the huge austerity rocking the Greek economy, this year’s march to commemorate the Athens Polytechnic student uprising was the biggest since the event started: here.

Germany: While the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD) negotiate behind closed doors over a coalition agreement, Chancellor Angela Merkel made unmistakably clear in a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras that the new government will continue and intensify the social devastation across Europe: here.

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