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Protesters Await German Leader on Athens Visit Protesters Await German Leader on Athens Visit
(35 minutes later)
ATHENS — German Chancellor Angela Merkel was flying to Athens on Tuesday for a visit apparently aimed at cementing Germany’s support for Greece’s efforts to impose the austerity needed to keep the country in the euro zone. ATHENS — With thousands of police reinforcements on duty to shield her from public anger, German Chancellor Angela Merkel flew to Athens on Tuesday for a visit apparently aimed at cementing Germany’s support for Greece’s efforts to impose the austerity needed to keep the country in the euro zone.
Ms. Merkel was to meet with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, President Karolos Papoulias and with Greek and German entrepreneurs on a six-hour visit expected to be accompanied by public protests. Ms. Merkel was to meet with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, President Karolos Papoulias and with Greek and German entrepreneurs on a six-hour visit expected to be accompanied by rowdy demonstrations against Germany’s perceived leading role in pushing their country to impose more pain on its citizens in exchange for rescue funding..
Anxious to give Europe’s most powerful leader a warm and safe reception, Greek authorities are mounting the biggest security operation since 1999 when then-President Bill Clinton visited Athens amid furious protests at NATO airstrikes against the former Yugoslavia.Anxious to give Europe’s most powerful leader a warm and safe reception, Greek authorities are mounting the biggest security operation since 1999 when then-President Bill Clinton visited Athens amid furious protests at NATO airstrikes against the former Yugoslavia.
The fragile coalition government, embroiled in difficult talks with Greece’s so-called troika of foreign lenders on a 13.5 billion euro austerity package, is eager to contain public anger at Germany, widely regarded as pushing Greece to impose more pain on its citizens in exchange for rescue funding. Some 7,000 police officers, many brought to the capital from the provinces for the day, will be on standby along with rooftop snipers and protests have been banned in much of downtown Athens.
Some 7,000 police officers, many brought to the capital from the provinces for the day, will be on standby along with rooftop snipers and protests have been banned in much of downtown Athens. Security will be particularly heavy outside the Parliament and the German Embassy. The police may resort to the use of water cannons if rallies get out of hand. Security will be particularly heavy outside the Parliament and the German Embassy. The police may resort to the use of water cannons if rallies get out of hand. The precautions reflected the desire of Greece’s fragile coalition government, embroiled in difficult talks with Greece’s so-called troika of foreign lenders on a 13.5 billion euro austerity package, to contain its citizens’ rage at Ms. Merkel, who has been cast here as the arch-villain of the euro crisis.
Civil servants, including teachers and doctors, are walking off the job for a three hours starting at noon to protest Ms. Merkel’s visit and have prepared banners reading “Don’t cry for us Mrs. Merkel” and “Merkel you are not welcome here” to wield during rallies. Ms. Merkel’s visit comes only days after her main rivals, the Social Democratic Party, announced that Peer Steinbrück would run against her in next year’s general election.
Mr. Steinbrück served as Ms. Merkel’s finance minister in her government from 2005 to 2009 and his party has been more lenient in their discussion of Greece’s future prospects in the euro zone, arguing the time lost by the government between elections earlier this year must be taken into account when considering aid to the country.
The Social Democrats criticized Ms. Merkel’s visit to Athens as coming too late. The chancellor was last in Athens in 2007. Carsten Schneider, a finance expert with the Social Democrats criticized the chancellor in comments Tuesday to ARD public broadcaster for "’only giving advice from behind a desk in Berlin" since the outbreak of the crisis in 2009.
Even within Ms. Merkel’s own Christian Democratic party there are differences of opinion on how to handle Greece. While the chancellor has in recent months shifted her rhetoric from one stressing the importance of austerity and come out more strongly in favor of keeping Greece in the euro zone, her current finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble has upheld a tougher line on Athens.
"We want to help Greece to build up an efficient bureaucracy and an efficient economy, but at some point, Greece needs to stand on its own two feet," Mr. Schäuble told RBB public broadcaster on Monday . "It is pointless to help a bottomless pit."
Ms. Merkel’s government has said her visit is intended as a clear signal of solidarity with the Greeks and will not interfere with the forthcoming report by the troika of lenders.
Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, which is represented on the troika, told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday that no decisions would be taken on Greece until the report is produced, but he warned that "regarding reforms, more needs to be done" in Greece, Reuters reported.
In Greece, civil servants, including teachers and doctors, are walking off the job for three hours starting at noon to protest Ms. Merkel’s visit and have prepared banners reading “Don’t cry for us Mrs. Merkel” and “Merkel you are not welcome here” to wield during rallies.
Daily speculation in the local media about the outcome of Greek negotiations with the troika, aimed at securing a 31.5 billion euro loan without which the country faces default in late November, was eclipsed on Tuesday by anticipation of the German leader’s visit.Daily speculation in the local media about the outcome of Greek negotiations with the troika, aimed at securing a 31.5 billion euro loan without which the country faces default in late November, was eclipsed on Tuesday by anticipation of the German leader’s visit.
Headlines in center-right newspapers read, “A message of support,” “A decisive visit by Merkel” and “We are staying in the euro.” Others, more skeptical, declared “Merkel is bringing no gifts” and “A day of anger.”Headlines in center-right newspapers read, “A message of support,” “A decisive visit by Merkel” and “We are staying in the euro.” Others, more skeptical, declared “Merkel is bringing no gifts” and “A day of anger.”
This anger was echoed by a nurse heading into the center to join fellow protesters. “This is pure provocation, we have to answer back,” said Christina Amanti, 37. “It’s like she’s visiting her protectorate. What’s she going to do, pat us on the back and tell us to keep getting poorer, that it’s good for us?”This anger was echoed by a nurse heading into the center to join fellow protesters. “This is pure provocation, we have to answer back,” said Christina Amanti, 37. “It’s like she’s visiting her protectorate. What’s she going to do, pat us on the back and tell us to keep getting poorer, that it’s good for us?”

Melissa Eddy contributed reporting from Strasbourg, France.