 CNBC reports that journalists are becoming the targets of extremists in Greece. Last weekend 5 bombs were detonated at the homes of journalists in Greece. Lovers of Lawlessness claimed responsibility for bomb attacks of Friday's attacks. Their reasons? They believe that the media coverage of the austerity package and the country's foreign lenders has been too favourable. In a statement the controversial group said the journalists and the media were the , ''main managers of the oppressing state designs, manipulating society accordingly." No injuries were reported. The bombings have been widely condemned. Explosives were tied to gas canisters. Damage was caused to 'the homes of the editor of the Athens News Agency, Antonis Skylakos, and two broadcasters, Giorgos Oikonomeas and Antonis Liaros, from private television stations. Petros Karsiotis, a crime reporter, and Christos Konstas, a former journalist who is now a spokesman for the government agency in charge of privatizing Greek assets, were also targeted.'Activism by far-left groups is on the increase but there has been little reporting of similar events by the far-right. Threats were issued last year by Golden Dawn, the far-right neo-facist group. There have also been reports of journalist being intimidated by police. Journalists were restricted on Saturday.
In November, about 15 officers surrounded the home of a Greek magazine editor and arrested him hours after he published a list of more than 2,000 Greeks who were said to have accounts at a bank in Switzerland. Kostas Vaxevanis, the editor of the magazine, HotDoc, was put on trial for privacy violation and quickly cleared by a judge, but faces a retrial after the prosecutor appealed the verdict. Yesterday there was a gun attack on the Greek PMs New Democracy party headquarters. A Kalashnikov assault rifle was used and a bullet pierce PM Samaras' office window. He was not there at the time. OpinionThe IMF, Germany's Chancellor Merkel, Greek Prime Minister Samaras and others in Europe believe that the austerity measures are working. The question remains - How much more of this can Greece and its people take? Surely the priority must be catching the tax evaders who in Greece cost the economy dearly. The increase in violence in Greece has had a knock on effect of reducing tourism, which sadly hits the economy further.
 Yesterday as Greek politicians debated the latest Draconian austerity measures demanded by the EU violent protests erupted on the streets. Greece is no stranger to swingeing cuts and violent protests. That has been the way of life in Greece for sometime now. The government passed the further measures which will impact negatively on people's lives, but probably not their own. The latest cuts mean that the retirement age will rise to 67. Many Greeks have no work though as unemployment continues to rise.The vote was a difficult one which divided the Greek parliament further. The government is already a "wobbly" coalition and it is doubtful that it will be able to remain in office as the austerity measures continue to bite. The latest round of demands will see Greek people facing spending cuts, tax rises and labour reforms. The Greek Conservative PM Antonios Samaras has promised the Greek people that these will be the last austere measure they will face. He has promised that if further "fiscal adjustment" is needed "it will come from clamping down on tax evasion and cutting public expenditure." Surely though that is where it should have come from in the first place instead of bleeding dry the poorest in society. Greece is now facing a sixth year of recession. So what has been the point of all these bail outs and this belt tightening. Someone somewhere along the line will be making money out this Greek tragedy.Today's figures show that "unemployment is up at 25.4 percent in August, increasing from 24.8 percent in July and 18.4 percent the year before. More than 1.2 million people in Greece, a country of barely 10 million, are now unemployed, with 58 percent of all young people aged 15-24 unemployed."It is obvious then that these bail outs and austerity measures are not working. They are doing nothing to help the lot of the Greek people. More austerity means more unemployment and more economic woes. It is not rocket science. Even though the latest cuts have been passed the bail out will not be forthcoming immediately. Not yet at least. The EU and in particular Ministers in Germany will not commit to the bail out until the Greek's 2013 budget is passed and approved by the EU. The latest tranche of money is well overdue. There is little wonder that the people of Greece have no faith in their political system and the EU. The Central Bank of the EU will not foot the bill of these new bailots. Instead the money will come from EU countries. In other words from countries that are already struggling to survive.When will they admit that the EU is not in need of repair but should be blown to oblivion, not literally of course. It is beyond repair. Time for a re-think, surely? Related reading: So what of politicans, bankers and big businees in Greece? Are they feeling the austerity pinch. No. It would seem that they are busily stashing away wealth in Swiss bank accounts out of reach of the taxman.
 German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Greece on EU business. A bold visit when you consider that many Greeks hold her in some ways responsible for their current economic woes. It is not so much a belief that she created Greece's financial chaos but that she has been pulling the strings of those negotiating bail outs to the troubled country. This means that those who are at the sharp end of EU austerity measures hold her to blame.
Of course it is true that she has to protect the interests of her own people. Each leader should be doing that. Some compassion is needed in such dire times though. Already we have heard many comparing the financial bail out Germany received after the Second World War to current bail outs. They of course did not have to pay money back. Yet the war it has to be said was created by Germany.
Times have moved on but of course the older generation will remember Germany during its darkest days. oIld wounds do not always heal.
Expecting protests on the streets of Athens today police were out in force. 7,000 police officers, secret agents, snipers and commandos have been deployed in the Capital. Surprising perhaps when you consider public sector worker job cuts. They are after all public servants also. Perhaps the Greek administration erred on the side of caution maintaining high numbers of police officers for when times get tough. They may be tough now but could get so much tougher.
Merkel landed this morning in Athens. Already a Swastika flag has been burned by protesters. Some you see believe that having been unable to dominate Europe by force in the past, modern Germany wants to dominate by the economic route.
Around 25,000 protesters gathered in Syntagma Square. Stcks and stones were thrown although initially the violence had only involved a minority of protesters. In the last few minutes police have fired teargas at protesters. Things are beginning to take a turn for the worse.
Teargas is the order of the day in Europe and beyond it seems. In Paris a jobs protest outside of an Auto show resulted in police firing tear gas canisters into the crowd.
There will be protests throughout today in Greece. The leader of the main opposition party Syriza has called upon Greeks to get on the streets to show Merkel the real Greece.
Late yesterday protest gathering was banned by the Greek authorities. The people have opted to ignore this ban. It is laughable when you consider the West's opinion of Russia if it tries to curb protests. As usual we play the Hypocritical card and hope people have short memories.
Apart from Merkel and the eyes of the World witnessing Nazi flag burning, plus some in the crowd wearing nazi uniforms, banners were carried stating, "Merkel out, Greece is not your colony" and "This is not a European Union, it's slavery".
And that dear readers is the truth of the matter. The elite cause the mess and carry on regardless. Those less able to pick themselves up and start again suffer. Those who worked hard to make a lfve for themselves lose everything and no-one cares. Those who run banking systems, stock exchanges and governmnet pull the strings but care nothing for the man, woman or child on the street.
Merkel is in Greece to offer support to the Greek administration given the task of formulating a workable austerity package for the country. She will not care about those who are bleeding. She wants to make sure that the cuts go deep enough. She also has a vested interest in ensuring that Greece stays in the EU. The German people have money committed to this venture.
Merkel is the first German leader to visit Greece in decades. The media may class her visit as symbolic but the Greek people may see it as a red rag to a bull. A person rubbing salt into raw wounds.
Late Monday protest gathering on Greece was banned. Most people have chosen to ignore that. It is laughable when you consider the West's stance when Russia for example tries to curb its protesters. Yet once more the West is playing the hypocritical card and hoping that we all have short memories.
Updates will follow......
 European leaders are still clinging to the hope that the EU and the Euro can be saved. The dream turned to nightmare many moons ago and nothing has changed. Not for the better that is. Surely by now it is obvious that the EU is doomed? Yesterday there were protests against austerity measures in Spain. The Police fired rubber bullets in an attempt to control the situation. Whatever happened to democracy and the right to protest? It seems that western leaders want to advocate such freedoms in countries such as those of the Middle East but not in their own backyards. The Spanish government is yet another political force in Europe expecting the people to gaily tighten their belts and live in poverty whilst they continue to prosper. It will not wash. 21st Century citizens are not quite the same as those of the past. Those who were happy to struggle to survive on the promise that the meek would inherit the earth. Most people these days want a fair wage for a fair days work and not promises for the so called after life. We know that the Elite are privileged but we also know now that they are not our "betters". Far from it. Today September 26, 2012 in Greece the country is experiencing a General Strike. Not its first for sure but no less damaging. Spain and Greece have huge financial problems and the Eurozone is at the heart of their problems. It is way past the time for surrender. The EU crisis will not be solved. It is not possible to do so. All that happens is it lurches from one crisis to another. Somewhere along the line something will have to give. It is time for Ministers to cut their losses. If not one of the few things that in a way will resolve the situation, War, will happen. The economies of Greece and Spain are on a downward spiral. They are spiraling out of control. Yesterdays protests in Spain involved around 6,000 citizens. Not vast but problematic. In time such protests will grow. Perhaps the police who responded with batons and rubber bullets were trying to send out a stark warning to others. If the economic situation deteriorates further more people will protest. Strikes and protests do nothing for the economy but you cannot blame the workers. After all it is the very leaders who are trying to implement austerity measures who helped cause the mess in the first place. Now they want the poorest people to pay for their incompetence.A heavy police presence in Athens means that today's 24 hour strike could turn violent. Marches and protests will quickly become heated.The markets have responded in typical fashion. The events in Spain and Greece have hit confidence in the EU, Europe, the Euro and more. A big sell off is underway amidst fears that the Euro and Eurozone are doomed. Tell us something we did not know. We have been saying that for months.The downward spiral will spin faster and ever more out of cotrol until what? You tell me. It certainly will not be resolved.
 The second Greek Election in just six weeks is over. In reality though it is far from over. The winner by a majority was the New Democracy Party with 29.7% of the vote. It secured 129/300 seats. Hardly a resounding vote of confidence from the people. Enough however to form a government if they can find a political party willing to do business with them.
The Greek Parliament and the people now face many challenges. First and foremost of course is forming a government and quick. Political vacuums are bad news. They can lead to military coups and revolutions.
Who the NDP choose or rather who is prepared to play ball could also impact on the Greek people. Second place in the election was won by the Syriza Party who took 26.9% of the vote and secured 71/300 seats. Such a close run race means that plenty of people will be happy with a New Democracy coalition, but many will not.
The New Democracy is a right wing party. If it works with the Pasok socialist party to form a coalition it may not work. However both of these parties are pro the EU bailout. In times like these political allies may come from opposing ideals. What is being seen as the most important factor is who is pro and who is anti the bailout.
Syriza is anti bailout. This party will be hard to ignore in any new parliament. With such a large number of seats and votes it will have a voice in government. This could mean that it will have power to wield.
Merkel in Germany and Obama in the US are happy that the New Democracy Party has won the majority. They of course do not have to live in Greece under the austerity measures previously agreed. It is fair to say that all Europeans leaders will be happy with the initial outcome of the Greek Elections. The money men and women who manipulate our lives have already expressed their pleasure. How so? By boosting the stock markets.
There is however still a long way to go.
All Antonis Samaras won in effect was the right to be first to hold coalition talks. If the Pasok Party teams up with Samaras it will be a similar situation to the UK. That is a coalition made up of the first and third place in the people's vote. Hardly the people's choice.
Both the Pasok and the New Democracy Party have governed Greece for many years. Both are therefore blamed by many for the economic crisis Greece is facing. Syriza being a fresh new party has said that it will not join forces with others to form a coalition.
No such moral stand point by the old guard.
Socialist PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos has already come up with a novel suggestion. He has proposed politicians forget the usual procedure and go for a four-party coalition between New Democracy, Syriza, PASOK and Democratic Left.
It is worth noting that anti bailout political parties saw their share of the second vote in Greece increase from six-weeks ago. The Neo Nazi Party Golden Dawn had its share of the vote reduced compared to the earlier election.
Europe may have breathed a sigh of relief but now it is holding its breath as it waits to see if forming a Greek government is possible. Germany has already warned Greece that the bailout is not open for re-negotiation.
 In May 2012 the Greek people went to the polls. The national election was not due until 2013 but the resignation of former leader George Papandreou meant an early election was necessary. The post of leader was filled temporarily by a technocrat, Mr Lucas Papademos, and he led an interim government, The Greek people have endured a terrible few years and it looks like it will get worse, before if ever it gets better. In May the people failed to return a majority government. The main players were unable to form a coalition government and so a further election was scheduled for June 2012. This weekend the people will vote once more. Has enough changed to return a majority government this time? It will be a hard one to call. The Greek people could choose to elect and support a pro-bailout government or an anti-austerity one. It is not a straight forward choice however between the right and the left of politics. The Greek political front runners include communists, the extreme right, socialists, neo nazis and conservatives. If the vote is split again it will be hard for any party to win through. However since the failed election in May the political front runners have been campaigning hard. Up until the death each party has been trying to win over voters and make that one last push. Currently many are predicting a win for the liberal conservatives, the New Democracy Party. However some see these politicians at the heart of Greek woes. As the party in office during the economic crisis the New Democracy Party failed to resolve the situation. When it comes to it though will the majority of Greeks see them as the only sensible way forward?Behind the scenes preparations are underway for an EU exit by Greece, if it is deemed necessary. To the cameras people maintain that Greece will not leave the Eurozone and no EU countries want them to leave. Whether that is what is said behind closed doors is doubtful Should Greece leave the EU it will be a protracted affair. It will not be easy for any country in Europe and possibly beyond. The economic fall-out will reach far and wide, but what of if they stay? How much longer can the Eurozone farce continue? One that demands the people suffer whilst the banking sector continues to crumble. One that increases unemployment to disastrous levels? Related reading regarding the USA and their involvement with the EU crisis since 2008 hereTags: Greek election 2012, EU crisis, Greek New Democracy party, second election in Greece, Eurozone exit, Greek politics, Greece
 Greece is facing a general election this coming weekend. The Greek people have been pushed from pillar to post this year and with more austerity measures on the cards who will they elect to power? Many Greeks will feel a distinct distrust of all their politicians but someone will have to rule the country. Without a democratically elected government they are at the mercy of technocrats and the EU.
The social democratic Pasok and the conservative New Democracy (ND) have traditionally been the main political parties of Greece since 1975. Countries with economic problems right now are tending to rightly or not lay the blame at the door of the elected politicians. Those in power right now.This could by why both the Pasok and the ND are keeping a very low profile. No public electioneering for them but rather a quiet presence behind the scenes.
Greece's recent financial woes have led to the formation of many splinter groups and political parties. It could be that a rag tag of many parties ends up forming a coalition government in Greece.
Although World News has not detailed Greece's debt problems lately that does not mean that they have miraculously vanished. Greeks face more cuts, austerity and a sinking standard of living for many years to come. One fairly new Party is the Independent Greeks which is currently led by Panos Kammenos. This party like other new ones wants to turn its back on Greek Debt and austerity and start again.
This may be the only way forward for Greece and its people but it will have those such as Angela Merkel breaking out in a cold sweat. Independent Greeks has said they will abandon the bailout agreement. Kammenos said, "In Greece we have a democracy. In the democracy we have a constitution. The constitution of Greece doesn't accept this kind of agreement."
Pollsters do not expect Independent Greeks to poll enough votes for a clear mandate to govern nor are many of the smaller, newer parties likely to want to work together. This means that it could be the year of the ND party, but elections are funny affairs.
Tags: Greece, Greek people, Pasok party, ND, Greek austerity, Greek election
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