Greeks, what will you vote?

[Zuhyc]

1) The European Union is meant to stand for prosperity, democracy and social stability, yet its actions, along with that of the IMF, contradict its basic aims. By blackmailing successive Greek governments into submission (see George Papandreou's government which collapsed in 2011) and subscribing to austerity measures that are basically anti-growth and lopsided in favour of banks (particularly French and German banks), the EU are acting against people and in favour of profit. They are attempting to protect the financial sector which caused the global collapse while trying to preserve the fragile monetary union that was badly thought out and poorly implemented.

2) If Greece goes, the next question isn't a case of if another crack appears in the Eurozone, it's a question of when, and that's what the EU are terrified of. So terrified they're willing to doom millions of Greek/European citizens to years or decades of lost growth, lost opportunity, and social instability. I'm a pro-European Brit, but seeing the high-handed, anti-democratic and single-minded decision making at the heart of the EU's approach to the Greek crisis has made me re-consider whether I'd vote to stay in the EU.

3) As for the Greek people being given a referendum on this matter, it's the right thing to do, even if it is politically convenient for the Greek government. Ultimately they were elected on a mandate that rejected further austerity measures, and are now being asked to implement more austerity by the IMF and EU. The implementation of austerity contradicts the basis on which the Greek government was elected; they simply don't have a popular mandate to make that decision so it's right to turn things over to the electorate and ask for the populace to confirm the anti-austerity mandate of the current government, or to accept the austerity measures demanded by Greece's creditors.

Ultimately I just wish the best for and to the Greek people. Despite the lack of sympathy across much of the media, not every European citizen feels that way, and I think many more of us will seriously question the European Union if it continues to fail the Greek people.

1) The austerity measures were too harsh, and it' s said to see the institutions don't realise this.
Of course a big part of the money went to banks, they were holding the Greek debt at the time. The entire point of the bailouts was so that Greece could pay its debts. No one wanted another financial crisis so close after the previous one.

2) I don't exactly understand your point. The EU and IMF wanted to extend the agreements made in previous years. No matter how good or bad those agreements were, the Greek governments had accepted them. The current one just says fuck you in their faces.

3) I agree that a referendum is a democratic thing to do, however the timing is absurd. It should have happened weeks ago at the latest. The Greek government is literally playing with the welfare of millions of people for their own political future. Also, I don't believe they should so heavily emphasis the no vote.

@Generice-user-1: The Greek people can't get any poorer? Look at some african countries to see how poor people can really be.