General strike jeopardises Greece's future

For the second time in fifteen days the Greeks have brought their country to a standstill with a general strike. And on Thursday there were violent clashes between the police and demonstrators. Yet the government should not be deterred from its chosen course, the German tabloid Bild writes: "It must not stray from the rigorous austerity measures it has belatedly imposed on the country. The fact is: the future of Greece will be decided neither on the international financial markets nor in the backrooms of the EU, but in the country itself, and no International Fund, never mind a European Monetary Fund, can change this. All that Greece's partners can do is provide a little assistance, and that's the way it should be. The Greeks won't gain any credit by letting someone else drag them out of the swamp. The only way for them to restore their credibility is for them to drain it themselves! The new government has understood this. It doesn't expect a cent from us! But if the people on the street get their way, if the government doesn't impose its will on the stubborn section of the population, Greece is doomed."

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