First post-Greekment protest against deal in central Athens

Civil servants’ union, pharmacists’ federation call for 24-hour strike on Wed.

The first “post-Greekment” protest was held outside Greece’s Parliament in central Athens on Monday, attended by more than 400 protesters and mostly organized by the extreme-left and out-of-Parliament Antarsya political formation.

Other groups that participated, as judged by unfurled banners, were workers’ groups, student unions and even members of ruling SYRIZA’s youth wing.

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The first reactions to the early Monday morning agreement between the embattled Tsipras government and often “rigid” European creditors came hours later, with the civil servants’ union, ADEDY, expressing its opposition and calling a 24-hour strike for Wednesday, when the measures are expected to be tabled for approval in Parliament.

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The civil servants union, whose industrial actions over recent years have had less and less impact, will be joined by pharmacists, whose federation vehemently opposes two pledges made by the Greek government to creditors: liberalizing the regime for opening and running a pharmacy in Greece, as well as allowing non-prescription drugs to be sold in supermarkets, for instance.

At present, you can’t buy … aspirin, a shampoo for lice or even a sterilized cup for a urinalysis in a super market’s (non-existent) pharmaceuticals department in Greece.

Past “struggles” to liberalize the regime finally allowed … mouthwash, tampons and baby’s milk to find their way onto retailers’ shelves.

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