Greek politicians have voted in favor of $40 billion worth of austerity measures that were a precondition for Greece to receive international loans and stave off financial disaster. But as strikes take place across the nation and thousands gather in the capital Athens for a second day of protest.
希腊政界人士已投票通过价值400亿美元的紧缩措施，这些措施是希腊为了接受国际贷款和避免金融灾难需要满足的先决条件。罢工席卷希腊全国，数千人连续第二天聚集在首都雅典进行抗议。
Root problem
Democracy was born in Greece and many still consider it the cradle of Western civilization.
希腊是民主的诞生地。许多人把希腊看成是西方文明的摇篮。
But in 2011 the bedrock of democracy in Greece, its parliament, has been defended by armed police against battalions of citizens who say their voice has been forgotten.
可是在2011年，希腊民主的基石--它的议会却由武装警察守卫着，不让大批民众进去。那些群众说，他们的声音已被忘却。
The root of this crisis is money.
这场危机的根源是资金。
After years of borrowing, Greece is in debt. Faced with a massive deficit and under pressure from the international community, the government has revved up taxes and put the brakes on spending.
在借钱多年之后，希腊负债累累。面对巨大的财政赤字和国际社会的压力，希腊政府实行增税政策，并且大大减少了开支。
That's been bad news for most Greeks. Business profits are low and poverty rates are high.
这对大多数希腊人来说是坏消息。公司的利润降低，贫困率升高。
Austerity, many in Greece say, is destroying lives.
许多希腊人说，紧缩措施正在毁坏他们的生活。
Babis Papadimitriou, a journalist with the daily paper Kathimerini, says some Greeks conclude that the country would be better to default on its debt and leave the eurozone.
希腊每日新闻报记者帕帕迪米特里欧说，一些希腊人的看法是，如果希腊拖欠借款并退出欧元区，处境会好一些。
"The same people who think the austerity measures are too harsh and too difficult to implement, the same people think that if we go out of the eurozone, we will not need such austerity measures," Papadimitriou said.
帕帕迪米特里欧说：“那些认为紧缩措施太严苛、太难实施的人也认为，如果我们退出欧元区，我们就不需要采取紧缩措施。”
Government protection
Many protestors say the rights and well-being of Greek citizens are not at the heart of government policy.
许多抗议者说，希腊政府没有把公民的权利与福祉置于政策的核心。
They say their government is making decisions that serve the interests of global economic powers and wealthy nations, while Greek people suffer the costs.
他们说，希腊政府正在制定符合全球经济强国和富国利益的决策，而希腊人民则要承受这一痛苦的代价。
"This is a game of the global financial government. They want people to be down, not any resistance, absolutely nothing. So we have to fight for this," one protester said.
有一个希腊人说：“这是全球金融政府的一个游戏。他们想让人民老老实实的，不要反抗，绝对不要有任何反抗行动。因此，我们必须为此而战斗。”
"I don't need them," added another protester. "I want to feel Greek again. But I'm not Greek. I'm German, I'm American. I don't know what I am."
还有一个人说：“我不需要他们。我想再次感觉到自己是个希腊人。可是我不是希腊人，我是德国人，我是美国人。我不知道我是什么人。”
Many though still believe that Greece is made stronger by its partners in the EU.
不过也有许多希腊人相信，希腊的欧盟伙伴会使希腊变得更强大。
"I think the policies are a good step towards finding common ground with the European Union, which is I think a vision that all Greeks should aspire to," a bystander told reporters. "I don't think any country can operate in isolation these days, especially a country the size of Greece."
一个希腊人说：“我认为，这些政策是朝与欧盟找到共同点的方向迈出的良好一步，我认为，这样的共同点就是所有希腊人应当渴望实现的前景。我不认为当今有任何国家可以孤立地运作，特别是对一个像希腊这么大的国家来说更是如此。”
European 'dictatorship'
Speaking to VOA in London, analyst Vanessa Rossi says it's up to Greek politicians to avert the appearance of a "European dictatorship."
分析人士瓦内萨.罗西在伦敦跟美国之音记者谈到，能否避免出现一个所谓的“欧洲独裁”，取决于希腊政界人士的表现。
"Most of this problem actually pertains to the internal situation - that is the lack of engagement between the population and its own political class and the lack of engagement with solutions to go forward," Rossi explained.
罗西说：“这个问题的大部分都与希腊国内形势有关。希腊人民与他们的政界人士缺乏接触，希腊也缺乏向前进的解决方案。”
Rossi says the fate of Greece and its place in the eurozone is in Greek hands, but its grip is weak. She says politicians must balance the needs of its people with the demands of its global partners.
罗西说，希腊的命运以及它在欧元区的地位掌握在希腊人的手中。不过，希腊并没有牢牢掌握自己的命运。她认为，希腊政界人士必须兼顾本国人民的需要以及它在全球的伙伴国的要求。
"I really don't think that there is a desire with the eurozone to see member states leave," Rossi added. "But there are conditions under which it's quite difficult to offer further assistance. We have to look at both sides of that equation and we have to make a fair deal that's agreeable to all of them."
她说：“我真的不认为欧元区有人想看到一些成员国退出。不过，欧盟国家受到一些条件的限制，也难以向希腊提供进一步的援助。我们必须考虑一个等式的两端，我们不得不达成一项所有各方都会同意的协议。”
And with street battles raging in the Greek capital, without a compromise it's unclear if the government can maintain its authority. If it fails to do so, Greece may be forced to bid farewell to its membership of the eurozone, whether it wants to or not.
街头战斗仍在雅典街头激烈地进行，目前尚不清楚希腊政府能否保持权威。如果做不到这一点的话，无论愿意与否，希腊也许会被迫退出欧元区。 |