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Anastasia Balezdrova

Hours after the incredible turnaround in the meeting of party leaders with the Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, the first protest following the announcement of the new measures is a fact. It was organized by the union of workers in the Greek Public Power Corporation DEI, who protested against the privatization of the company.

DEI employees gathered in front of the union building. A little later, a large panel with the slogan "We are resistant" carried by the heads of the professional organization led the procession.

The reason for turning to more intensive forms of protest is the request of the GENOP DEI union for withdrawing a bill from Parliament. The bill provides for a change in the ownership of the electricity distribution networks.

In addition to the protest march, the premises of the electricity distribution management department were occupied. According to trade unionists, the government is trying to "sell the management" by cancelling the regulations of the bill voted in 2011, which provides for keeping the direct or indirect state control, and the right of public authorities to appoint members in the company management.

Today's procession passed by the company's offices on Halkokondili Street. The employees stopped there and chanted slogans like "Sell DEI and you will end up in jail," "DEI is not every minister’s farm" and "Cheap electricity for the people." While going up Stadiou Street, they met a group of employees in the organization "Workers housing" in front of the Ministry of Employment. They were protesting against the closure of the organization set in the new memorandum.

DEI employees continued with loud slogans, among which could be heard the slogans known from the threats of the discontented, "In a magic night, like in Argentina, we will see which one of you will be able to board the helicopter first," and the well-known slogan of all protests: "Go, people, and do not bend. Resist together with the unions."

They stopped in front of the Ministry of Finance and then went to the Parliament. A committee headed by the chairman of GENOP DEI Nikos Fotopoulos entered Parliament to deliver a protest note against the ratification of the act, which was scheduled for ratification today.

Unionists’ protests began yesterday with the occupation of the Ministry of Environment, arousing the anger of Minister George Papakonstantinou. He said, "the government and this particular minister do not legislate under the pressure of threats and occupations" and invited the trade union to "assume its responsibility in this difficult moment for the country. The specific regulation offers the state the opportunity to sell part of the electricity distribution networks and it was included in the law, following agreement with the European Commission. It considered that the regulation in its original form contradicted the European legislation."

George Papakonstantinou was particularly angry because "although I have stressed the Cabinet's intention to keep state control over the networks in any privatization process, the occupation continues."

Late last night, government sources firmly excluded the possibility of withdrawing the specific legislation. They stated that the request of the employees’ trade union is contrary to the overall package for negotiations, which Minister of Finance Evangelos Venizelos will present at the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels.

The protest was peaceful.