2005-2006 Piraean crisis
| 2005-2006 Piraean crisis | |
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| Part of 2005 global financial crisis | |
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| Date | December 2005-2006 |
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| Resulted in |
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The 2005-2006 Piraean crisis was a period of financial crisis in Piraea, which was led later by civil unrest, rioting and numerous protests and occupations against the Polakis government and its austerity measures.
During most of 2005, the Piraean government tried to contain the effects of the global crisis, which was severely harming the rest of Euclea, through the impositions of austerity measures in several sectors of the state. However, most measures proved inefficient, as the Piraean Lira, highly dependant on the Euclo, saw its price depreciated at an extremely high speed, leading to a lack of confidence from investors and savers. Preventing a run on banks by depositors, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Lazaros Barou-Karahaliadis, imposed restrictions on the cash withdrawals from banks, which were later extended, leading to the first protests in front of banks.
Political scandals that predated the start of the crisis, and the inefficiency of the government to contain the crisis during most of 2005 soon led to demonstrations of social discomfort with the establishment, which after the fear of banks insolvency, grew around the slogan of "All of them must go!" (Piraean: Όλοι φεύγουν!) as a sign of distrust and contempt to the political class as a whole. The protests led to the formation of new political groups, like Democrats and Change, which tried to capitalise the social movements against the PSEE-LK binomial. Violent clashes between police and protestors finally occurred between the 17 and 21 of December, after two credit associations were proved insolvent and the state refused to recapitalise them; shortly after the two institutions closed down, the government extended the corralito to all currencies and diminished the number of money that people could retire. Protests, which prior to that used to be pacific cacerolazos in the offices of banks in Alikianos Kentro, soon turn violent, leading to the destruction of TrapeLien ATMs and private property. During the five days, three deaths were counted in Alikianos as a result of police brutality.
Evangelos Polakis finally presented his renounce the 21st of December, and was forced to leave the building of the Piraean Senate in a helicopter. Preventing further political instability and to restore the credibility of Piraean institutions, the Senate formed a technocratic government.
