EPOKA UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES AND ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS

& HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS

TITLE: HUMAN RIGHTS IN GREEK CRISIS

PREPARED BY: M. ESAT DURUSOY COURSES LECTURER: ASST.PROF.DR. BEKIR CINAR

TIRANA 2013

Abstract In 2009 the notification of the government, of George Papandreou, was come forward that the preceding governments have been understating the fiscal parameters about the countrys debts. This confession has brought about a huge echo and led the deterioration of Greek economy started. Concisely, Greece has a 300 billion debt in total, without rescue& bailout programs. The European Union has released numerous bailing-out programs in affiliation with the International Monetary Fund. A real challenge is to keep the human rights away from the side- effects of the adaptations and measurements of the harsh austerities.

TABLE OF CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. WHAT IS THE GREEK CRISIS ABOUT?

3. HUMAN RIGHTS IN GREECE OF CRISIS

4. CONCLUSION

1. Introduction Nowadays we are witnessing a precedent event, especially, for the European Union history; the Greek Crisis. First time a state has failed to fulfill its duties and led the rest of the member states into a serious trouble. This development has highly attracted the attentions to itself in the global level. Every party is carefully watching and observing the reactions and the measurements, and is preparing themselves for the consequences. This event has been a milestone for the European Union as both evaluating the current function and assessing the future of it. As they are struggling with solving the problem, they should not violate the very own supported human rights. This concept makes this issue even more sensitive. In this paper we are going to have a glance at the Greek Crisis and take the humanitarian aspect of it into evaluation, by using secondary sources in a quantitative method.

2. What is the Greek Crisis About? In 2009 the notification of the government, of George Papandreou, was come forward that the preceding governments have been understating the fiscal parameters about the countrys debts. (Armitstead, 2012) This confession has brought about a huge echo and led the deterioration of Greek economy started. First the creditworthiness of the Greece has been demolished and subsequently other market capitals withdrawn their ongoing applications with the enthusiasm of the rest of the entrepreneurs and loan suppliers. Analysts assert that the adaptation of the European Monetary Union, in 2001, was too much for the Greek economic capability, and this struggle would, eventually, break out into a failure and even a catastrophe. (D'Amore, 2012) We also should take into consideration the outbreak of the global crisis of the United States in 2007 has escalated the emergence of the Greek financial crisis. However some other analysts argue that the Greek economic structure was already weak and prone to fail, without needing an external effect, the inappropriate policies of Greek governments about debts, armed competition,
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privatization and distribution of the income; it was inevitable to face such kind of troublesome condition. (D'Amore, 2012)

Pic-1.1 Effects of the crisis (http://www.theatlantic.com 13.01.2013) Concisely, Greece has a 300 billion debt in total, without rescue& bailout programs, mostly towards Eurozone Banks especially the banks in Germany and France. (Armitstead, 2012)In order both to redeem Greece and to keep the self-esteem of themselves in the international arena, the European Union has released numerous bailing-out programs in affiliation with the International Monetary Fund.

Pic-1.2 Discontent in Greece (http://www.theatlantic.com 13.01.2013) From 2009 the dissatisfaction of the austerities, protests and clashes started. In 2010 two more measurements were employed. In order to alleviate the heavy burden of Greece the first bail-out package was approved on condition of a harsher austerity measures. In 2011 a newer and harder austerity in the state budget was adapted. In following times the European Union offered a new package with strict measures. The Prime Minister George Papandreou put this offer in referendum and this action cost his job and had to resign. (Allen, 2011)

Pic-1.3 (http://www.theatlantic.com 13.01.2013) The new interim Prime Minister Lucas Papademos has agreed on a new bail-out package with a severe austerity measures as well, in 2012. No matter how many governments have been changed, the conditions have not changed and got even worse. In 2012 the new coalition government decided to apply a new heavier austerity for 2013 budget. During these austerities Greece many times faced with the danger of getting out of money, literally.

3. Human Rights in Greece of Crisis Coming to the human rights and humanitarian intervention aspect of the event, we can start with the outcomes of the Greek Crisis and its effects on its very own people. After getting crashed by the severe crisis atmosphere the Greek government has employed a number of precautions and austerity in order to recover the economy leaks. But these harsh austerities have caused counter reactions. Many demonstrations and strikes have been held even people got injured by the police interfere. During these successive austerities the inflation rates have been peaked, the price of goods has been increased as well as the unemployment rate. In 2011 there were 1,025,900 unemployed people according to Greek Statistical Authority meaning that around 21% of unemployment rate and was kept as 21.7% in 2012. (Anon., 2012) Regarding these developments, the question of how legal these austerities are in the concept of Human Rights. In 2011 The UN Independent Expert on Human Rights, Cephas Lumnia argued that the austerities suggested by International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank would lead serious basic human rights violations of Greek people. (Anon., 2011) All together with the basic human rights of people, the rights of adequate nourishment, housing and employment should be provided by the states; while in the present Greece the conditions are getting worse and the government is reducing the social services and abandoning a lot of people unemployed and vulnerable. Moreover for the sake of the economic recovery, the government follows the way of rising taxes, cutting public expenditure and leaving vital social services into the hands of private capitals.

Pic-2.1 People cannot afford basic goods or find them. (http://www.theatlantic.com 13.01.2013)

No matter how bad condition is the state under; these basic human rights, especially in a European Union country, should not be compromised under any excuses. Mr. Lumnia also charges them responsible if the basic human rights are violated as a result of these austerities. He also adds that there will be no lasting solution to the sovereign debt problem if the human rights of the people are not taken into account. (Anon., 2011)

4. Conclusion Greece of Crisis has been facing drastic economic and social conditions. These circumstances led not only Greek government but also the other fellow member states of European Union into a hard stalemate.

First they found themselves in the dilemma of whether getting aid from International Monetary Fund which would harm their reputation, or try to save Greece on their own knowing the potential risk of default and contagious effect. On the other hand, since, they are the supporter and provider of Democracy Human Rights; they have to deal with this issue without harming the spirit of all these values. The economic debt and the crisis, in a way, would be solved but the real challenge is to keep the human rights away from the side- effects of the adaptations and measurements of the harsh austerities.

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