Fascinating how the police can't seem to find the Nazi thug Kasidaris who has been holed up in hi party's headquarters since right after the attack yesterday ? Greece bank bailout - just another scam as no real money involved ? News items from Greece this morning !

http://blog.occupiedlondon.org/2012/06/08/nazi-thug-mp-kasidiaris/

Nazi thug MP Kasidiaris still on the loose as anti-nazi demonstrations are called around Greece

Ilias Kasidiaris, the Nazi MP for Golden Dawn who physically assaulted two female MPs on air last morning is still on the loose, waiting for the expiration of the deadline of the so-called autoforo (where the perpetrator of a crime is arrested on the scene).

The police claim to have been “unable” to trace the thug, despite the fact that tens of witnesses confirm he entered the Golden Dawn HQ minutes after the attack and stayed there.

Meanwhile, leftist organisations are calling for anti-nazi and anti-fascist gatherings in cities across Greece:

• In Athens, 7pm at Omonoia square.
• In Thessaloniki, 6pm at the Venizelos statue.
• In Patras, 7pm at Georgiou Square.
• In Heraclion, 6.30pm at the Lions Square
• In Rethimnon, 7pm at the town hall
• In Gianenna, 6pm at the Academy
• In Alexandroupolis, 7pm at the town hall

Neither in the Parliament, nor anywhere: Fascists out of every neighbourhood. Demonstration against the nazi attacks, Friday 8th of June @7pm

10 years of Evangelismos squat (Heraclion, Crete) - demonstration against the contemporary totalitarianism

http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/euroblown-in-brussels-the-mentally-ill-are-in-charge-in-greece-they-are-starving-7/

EUROBLOWN: In Brussels, the mentally ill are in charge. In Greece, they are starving.

A few weeks back, the EU’s Olli Rehn meandered down Manjana Way, and told the media that but a few tweeks here and there would see Spain emerging victorious from its austere cleansing. It was the signal the markets had been waiting for: no sooner had he stepped onto the plane home than Spanish bond yields began to spike.

That market reaction has since been vindicated and strengthened by the usual series of obdurate ‘Neins’ from Berlin. So now the task has fallen to Onanista in Chief, Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Junker, to reshape the squidgy reality balloon into a harmless little puppy.

“Spain’s macro-economic and budgetary policy is going in the right direction, and if and when Spain asks us to help its banking sector, it will obviously be done,” said Jean-Claude.

Fitch’s downgrade of Spain’s sovereign debt to Triple B status the night before gave an entirely different impression, but Juncker ignored all that, acting instead as if the Spanish request for emergency banking action wasn’t already a done deal.

One enormous clue to the truth of that lies in the Spanish government’s appointment of yet another technocrat parachutist to the governorship of the central bank. Luis Maria Linde was appointed the the Bank of Spain board only two weeks ago. He previously handled the commercial department at Spain’s Embassy to the Soviet Union, and is thus guaranteed to have all the necessary features to scare the crap out of the markets.

Equally loony was the decision by David Cameron to promise himself as the UK’s protector against “a giant superstate in Europe”. Based on Scameron’s track record with the EU, I’d rather be protected against pillaging Vikings by Graham Norton, but further still down the EU foodchain, the mentally deranged are running very little. In Greece, they are mainly starving.

On the island of Leros, the  State Infirmary of Leroshas announced that it cannot meet its most basic remit, to keep the patients reasonably well fed. According to deputy governor of the institution, John Antiartis, the 350 mentally ill patients in residence there have become
malnourished in recent days, because the hospital has had to deal with critical food shortages .

An urgent letter sent two days ago (Wednesday) to the Greek Health Ministry and the president of the 2nd Health Region, Christina
Papanikolaou, informed the recipients that the hospital is no longer able to feed its mentally ill patients. “Pension funds owe us huge amounts, making the State Infirmary of Leros unable to pay its debts,” Antiartis explained, as he called on those responsible to address the issue immediately.

My correspondent on this issue adds, “The idea that Greece is being made a basket case as a special punishment seems to be gaining ground. Not too big to fail, but rather too small to make a fuss that matters. Anger is building here, as it is strongly suspected that whether a country gets ‘punished’ is about political size not debt size.”

I think he might be referring to Spain. You read the prediction here first.

and.....


http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/exclusive-troika-continues-to-use-flaky-bonds-for-greek-bailout-explosive-us-report-explains-why-4/

EXCLUSIVE: Troika continues to use flaky bonds for Greek bailout, explosive US report explains why

SLOG ATHENS SOURCE IN BANK OF GREECE PROBE

Confidential US management report shows how woefully tiny the EFSF is

Truth of Greek bailout hidden from MEPs

The Slog has learned that the Mario Draghi EFSF sleight-of-hand continues, with the both the last and the next tranches of bailout ‘cash’ being paid in bonds of highly variable quality, and the truth of this hidden from MEPs. The news comes via an oracular source in the Bank of Greece, and has been confirmed by sources in both Brussels and Frankfurt. Ten weeks ago, The Slog was the first site to reveal Draghi’s cash-to-paper transmutation. The MSM continues to ignore the story. But now a new development explains why the ECB boss dare not use any real EFSF money.

“What they told me is that the due 18 billion euro bank recapitalisation will be paid by the EFSF in bonds,” says a thus far very reliable Slog source in the Athenian elite. ‘They’ in this instance means sources close to the Governor of the Bank of Greece. And hacks everywhere know what ‘sources close to’ means.

“So we pay interest on the ‘loan’ in coupons,” he continues, “but these friends of ours are lending us their debt. It is laugh-out-loud funny. God alone knows if the bonds are cash-backed [they aren't] but I am told that even the triple-A bonds in the mix were bought at a discount by the ECB.”

So it’s a bailout in paper only…and even the paper bailout is being cobbled together on the cheap. Well, at least it’s nice to see that Mario is working hard to keep taxpayer costs down. Except that Signor Draghi has altogether more terrifying reasons to be laying this paper trail.

A confidential American management consultancy report commissioned by the Troika shows conclusively (using maths of which the awake folks are already well aware) that the upcoming bailout needs are miles beyond what the total ESM/IMF/ECB funds could ever be.

To quote from this report, of which I have had sight:

“At a total maximum going forward of €850bn euros, the fund is, even in terms of known commitments, under 45% of what would be required to ensure the viability of the eurozone….bailout costs in 2012 we estimate to be €2.04 trillion, and these will continue to rise as long as zero sovereign intervention policy applies.”

From my normally reliable Brussels mole comes further news – some of it fresh, some confirmatory.

“Given the fact that not a single MEP has seen the final signed EFSF loan facility agreement between Brussels and Athens, nothing surprises me any more,” he told me yesterday afternoon. “But yes, the same applies as previously….none of the bailout involves real cash. Does anyone give real cash to anything European any more? Every supplier to Greece wants the money cash in advance, and the same will happen in Spain before long”.

Nothing is as it seems. Do not adjust your set. The Eurozone has become the Twilight Zone.

and......

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jun/08/eurozone-crisis-germany-suffers-imports

12.19pm: News in from Greece where our correspondent Helena Smith says despite worsening figures on every level, the country's economic crisis has been eclipsed by the fallout over Thursday's extraordinary live TV attack of two female politicians.

This morning's data shows the Greek economy contracted 6.5% in Q1 from a year ago and industrial production fell 2.2% in April versus a year ago, but the only subject of debate is the Greek parliament's very own watergate scandal.

Footage of the far right Golden Dawn party spokesman throwing water at one of the MPs and punching another has not only become the fodder of nationwide debate – it has prompted anti-fascist groups to announce mass protests nationwide. Helena writes:

From newspapers, to TV channels, radio stations and internet news portals, the talk of Greece this morning is not of the economy but the rise in violence that Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris' extraordinary on-screen assault has so shockingly highlighted.

More than 24 hours have elapsed since the 31-year-old far right spokesman lashed out at left-wing MPs Liana Kanelli and Rena Dourou during a live TV debate ahead of general elections on June 17. But although Kasidiaris, now the focus of a nationwide manhunt following a state prosecutor's order for his arrest, remains at large the physical attack has put the spotlight on the neo Nazi Golden Dawn as never before.

"No to Violence" proclaimed the mass-selling daily Ta Nea on its front page next to panel of pictures of some of the politicians, writers, authors and even singers who have been assaulted since the outbreak of the debt crisis because of their views.

"With his fist Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn's) candidate MP has unmasked the neo-Nazi organization which, with the votes of 440,985 Greek men and women, got into the short-lived parliament of the 6th May," the paper wrote. "Now, no one can get off the hook by citing ignorance – these people have shown their true face."

Across the media today there is much talk that in a society that has become increasingly divided between rich and poor, left and right, the attack could be a precursor of worse to come. Memories of the civil war remain vivid among the older generation. "After months of extreme hate speech violence has climaxed," wrote communications expert Vivian Ethymiopoulou in Ta Nea. "From verbal run-ins and yoghurt throwing we have officially passed to acts of personal revenge and daggers being drawn."

Thousands are expected to take the streets of at least six major cities across Greece to protest against Golden Dawn and the rise in recent months of violence against immigrants, students and workers that the extreme right has been blamed for.

Meanwhile, a massive manhunt for Kasidiaris has been launched

the spokesman of the Hellenic police force Thanassis Kokkalakis says. "There are special units all over Greece looking for him," Kokkalakis told me. "Our belief is that he is hiding in the knowledge that the arrest warrant runs out at one minute past midnight tonight. He doesn't want the media all over him, showing him in handcuffs ahead of the election."

If police fail to arrest the Golden Dawn representative, who now faces charges of grievous bodily harm, he will be free to circulate until the wheels of Greek justice splutter into action. Golden Dawn has refused to condemn or even reprimand Kasidiaris for Thursday's assault, instead saying he was "provoked."

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/56149

News bites @ 10

by Damian Mac Con Uladh 8 Jun 2012

Communist Party MP Liana Kanelli delivers a speech at a pre-election rally in Athens, 7 June 2012 (Reuters) 1. CROSSROADS A Greek exit from the eurozone would be "catastrophic" for the country, former prime minister Lucas Papademos said on Thursday, urging citizens to "stay the course" of painful economic reforms. "The overall economic consequences of a Greek euro exit would be disastrous, or to use a Greek word, catastrophic," Papademo said in a speech to the Institute of International Finance conference in Copenhagen. He also said international lenders should ease the terms of conditions imposed on the country to help its recovery. "In light of recent developments I believe it would be appropriate to extend the horizon of the fiscal adjustment process by at least one year," he said. "Today Greece stands at a critical crossroads," Papademos said. 2. ATEBANK The finance ministry has denied as "not corresponding to reality" a Reuters report, based on "EU sources", that the European Commission is pressing the government to wind down certain banks, possibly including its fifth-largest lender ATEbank. "We are moving into a new phase with Greece, Portugal and Spain," said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. "Some banks are going to be squeezed. Some are going to be closed down. "ATEbank will have to be closed or wound down over time." ATEbank and the central Bank of Greece declined to comment. 3. GOLDEN DAWN BOYCOTT After it became clear that most of the country's political parties would no longer participate in broadcasts alongside Golden Dawn, the neo-Nazi party yesterday announced a boycott of all media outlets, which it said were rule over by the left to "play their own game of filthy propaganda". The move comes after Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris attacked Liana Kaneli and Rena Dourou, of KKE and Syriza respectively, during a live political panel on Ant1 TV on Thursday. Police have yet to arrest Kasidiaris on foot of a warrant issued by a state prosecutor. Below, we have posted a subtitled video showing the attack as well as another video documenting the political reaction to it.  4. TURKS BOYCOTT Turkey will carry out its threat to cease contact with the EU presidency when Cyprus assumes the role on July 1, but will maintain ties with the European Commission, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said after meeting EU officials on Thursday. "Our position on the presidency of the Greek Cypriots is clear. Today we have once more conveyed our position in the meeting," Davutoglu told a joint news conference with EU counterpart Catherine Ashton and Stefan Fule, the European Commissioner in charge of enlargement. "The relations and contacts with EU will continue, but none of the ministries, institutions of Turkish Republic will be in contact with the EU presidency in any of the activities related to Greek Cypriot presidency." 5. KIDNAPPED TEEN RELEASED The 15-year-old son of a bank manager who was abducted on Thursday morning in the town of Halkida while on his way to school, in front of his schoolmates and other passers-by, was released late on Thursday night by his abductors. The boy called by phone his parents after his release to come and pick him up at the site he had indicated. The boy is in good health. Police say no ransom was paid. 6. POSIDONIA ENDS The international shipping exhibition Posidonia 2012 will end on Friday after breaking all records in terms of number of visitors, estimated to be roughly 20,000, according to organisers. In one day alone, on June 6, roughly 5,200 people visited the 60,000 square meters of the Metropolitan Expo centre in Spata, near Athens airport. Around 1,870 exhibitors from 87 countries attended the event. 7. DISABILTY SCAM A police investigation on the Ionian Island of Zakynthos has so far uncovered 682 cases of bogus sight-impaired individuals, that had claimed disability benefits using fake medical certificates, authorities said on Thursday. The investigation was launched last April at the orders of the Zakynthos prosecutor. The case dates back to 1988 and involves inspections of 1,200 case files on benefit recipients, many of whom are now dead. 8. JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS Filming of a documentary on the mythical voyage of the Argonauts, to be shown by the BBC and other major television networks throughout the world, will begin in the coastal city of Volos, in Thessaly, on Friday. The documentary is being shot by an Australian film company and a copy will be given to the Volos municipality to use as tourism promotion for the area. 9. ATHENS PRIDE Klafthmonos Square, at the heart of Athens' historical centre, will play host to the city's 8th annual gay pride celebration on Saturday. The action-packed schedule includes a party and parade at 6pm. Everyone is welcome to participate in the event, whose slogan this year is "Love me, it’s free". This year’s slogan, organisers say, stresses that the values that fortify a society are priceless. Yet they cost absolutely nothing. greece bailout