Fearing protests, Greece will give visiting German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble on July 18 high-profile security usually limited to visiting heads of state, barring all public gatherings and marches in the center of Athens from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Traffic will also be shut off for a time, including to and from the Athens International Airport, with blockades to prevent vehicles or people from getting anywhere near Schaeuble.
Germany has backed continuing international aid to Greece but also insisted on harsh austerity measures and rejected an idea floated by the Greek government for its lenders to take big losses on the loans given to prop up the country’s failing economy.
Schaeuble has been especially hard on Greece and insisted that the government follow orders from the Troika of the European Union-Interntional Monetary Fund-European Central Bank (EU-IMF-ECB) while Germany keeps up the pressure.
Similar restrictions on gatherings were imposed during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in October last year but protesters gathered outside the cordoned-off area.
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