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20 Feb 2013

Social unrest against austerity measures rises in Europe

Greece and Bulgaria are in the main focus on Wednesday as dissatisfaction with the tough austerity measures pushed the people in both countries to protest in the streets.S&P warned that Cyprus might be downgraded to CCC+ and finally default. BoE Minutes revealed that Governor Mervyn King was outvoted on QE extension. Angela Merkel and Mariano Rajoy were also on the wires. 

Greek workers took part in the first general strike of the year. They protested against the reduction of wages and tax increases. Gsee y Adedy, two main labor unions which organized the strike, believe that the measures adopted by the government aggravate the situation in the country where the unemployment rate reached 27%, while youth unemployment stands at 60%. 

The violent protests in Bulgaria on Tuesday, suppressed brutally by the police, resulted on Wednesday in the resignation of the country’s government. PM Boiko Borisov announced the decision in the morning, attributing it to his disapproval of way the protesters were handled the previous night. Bulgarians have been expressing their opposition towards the latest increases in the cost of electricity and power monopolies. They have also been accusing politicians of corruption and showing dissatisfaction with the low living standards.