Greeks drain banks ahead of key vote

According to Greek bankers, some 800 million euros (1 billion dollars) were being drawn out from major banks daily, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Retailers said people are buying pasta and canned goods in case of shortages as concerns of returning to the drachma were fueled by rumors that Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the leftist SYRIZA party, may win the election.

The latest published opinion polls show that the SYRIZA party, which opposes the 130 billion euros (160 billion dollars) bailout, is running close with the conservative New Democracy party, which backs the rescue deal.

However, some other unpublished “secret polls” suggest that SYRIZA will get a thumping victory.

On Tuesday, Tsipras said, if elected in Sunday’s election, he would scrap the country’s bailout deal with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“The bailout deal is already in the past. It will be history for good on Monday,” he declared.

Greece is the epicenter of the eurozone debt crisis and is experiencing its fifth year of recession. One in every five Greek workers is unemployed, banks are in a shaky position, and pensions and salaries have been slashed by up to 40 percent.

Latest statistics show that the Greek economy has lost 6.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012. Greece could go bankrupt by the end of June if international lenders refuse to prop the country up with the 130 billion euros bailout fund to keep it afloat and inside the eurozone.

GJH/AS/HN

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