Civil unrest breaks out all over Europe - EU monitoring situation

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU member states are "intensively" monitoring the risk of spreading civil unrest in Europe, as riots over the economic crisis erupt in Iceland following street clashes in Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Greece.

The worst street disturbances for 50 years struck Reykjavik on Thursday (22 January), as police streamed a hardcore of a few hundred anti-government protesters in the early morning with pepper spray and then tear gas after an earlier crowd of around 2,000 gathered outside the Althingi, the country's parliament, to demand the government resign.

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The protests could result in it being the first European country to see its government brought down by the economic crisis.

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The events in Iceland come hot on the heels of anti-government clashes in Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria in recent days, where economic discontent mixed with local issues erupted in violence.

Trade unions in Greece meanwhile warn that further strikes are still likely, after protracted street fighting by students and young workers in December that caused billions in damage.

Concern about the spreading unrest is high on the EU agenda.

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Lithuania's interior minister visited Latvia to discuss public security problems related to the economic crisis even before the Vilnius and Riga riots last week.

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In a Wednesday interview with the BBC, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, predicted that the economic downturn will cause more unrest.

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Asked which countries were most at risk, Mr Strauss-Kahn mentioned Hungary, Ukraine, Latvia and Belarus. "It can be my own country [France], the UK, it can be eastern Europe," he said.

"The situation is really, really serious," he added.

http://euobserver.com/843/27460

[Jasman0717 9]

Time to release Captain Tripps

[Ban Hammer 14,577]

oh boy.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Knowing Europe just promise them more hand outs and everything will settle down as usual.

[mawilson 2,133]

Knowing Europe just promise them more hand outs and everything will settle down as usual.

[Danno 1,228]

Knowing Europe just promise them more hand outs and everything will settle down as usual.

Government Official: People, Don't look at it as unemployment, rather.. it is our new "vacation for all" policy.

[alienlovechild 75]

Asked which countries were most at risk, Mr Strauss-Kahn mentioned Hungary, Ukraine, Latvia and Belarus. "It can be my own country [France], the UK, it can be eastern Europe," he said.

That's narrowing it down, Mr. Expert.

He hasn't the U.S. had similar riots if things are so bad here?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

He hasn't the U.S. had similar riots if things are so bad here?

Not nearly as bad as things are in Europe. One of the advantages of not having a Euro-style command and control economy.

[Danno 1,228]

He hasn't the U.S. had similar riots if things are so bad here?

Not nearly as bad as things are in Europe. One of the advantages of not having a Euro-style command and control economy.

Bet you can't say that in a decade from now.

[alienlovechild 75]

Not nearly as bad as things are in Europe. One of the advantages of not having a Euro-style command and control economy.

I thought socialism was supposed to lull the masses into supporting the state as long as they get the goodies from the government. Secondly, most of the European countries mentioned are democratic, ethnically homogenous, and free of religious disputes so where's all the friction coming from?

[Peikko 1,575]

Not nearly as bad as things are in Europe. One of the advantages of not having a Euro-style command and control economy.

I thought socialism was supposed to lull the masses into supporting the state as long as they get the goodies from the government. Secondly, most of the European countries mentioned are democratic, ethnically homogenous, and free of religious disputes so where's all the friction coming from?

Just shows where a superficial understanding of 'socialism' gets you, doesn't it?