Yesterday the Greek government, through a circular by Minister of the Interior G.Michelakis, declared “illegal” the self organised water referendum threatening the organizers with arrest for “obstructing the electoral process”.
The volunteers behind the referendum that was announced in the a public meeting of the grassroots movement SOS te to Nero while the right2water European Citizens Initiative hearing was being watched 17 February 2014, have announced that they will go ahead risking arrest by the police. The 11 local mayors on the metropolitan area are supporting the referendum and denounced in forceful terms the attitude of the government. The attitude is a stain on the Presidency of the European Union, priding itself being the cradle of democracy.
The referendum asks the people of Thessaloniki if they want the local water company EYATH to go into private hands.
ECI right2water declares its supports to the referendum of Thessaloniki and condemns the attempts of the Greek government to clamp on basic democratic right of people to be asked about the future of one of the most basic human needs, water and sanitation.
A 30 strong international delegation, many of them from affiliates of the European Federation of Public Services Unions, is in Thessaloniki to observe the referendum.