ATHENS -- While financial leaders of the eurozone sought to agree to terms with Greece on another bailout program, people were torn over Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who they elected to oppose the creditors’ demands.

Greece risks default if a bailout is not secured, but, unwilling to agree to creditors’ demands, Tsipras announced that the bailout offer would be put to a referendum.

On the streets of the country’s capital, the pressure to refuse the terms was high.

On Thursday evening, the traffic in front of the Academy of Athens and Syntagma Square in central Athens was blocked.

An area usually filled with tourists enjoying the sunshine and warm Greek climate in June was instead crammed with hundreds of people holding placards and banners, or using megaphones to denounce the EU and IMF-led restructuring program.

This was the third event of its kind last week, and two more took place on Friday and Sunday with more protestors.

The majority of the demonstrators were from the left-wing parties, including communists with hammer-and-sickle emblems on their flags, but their numbers were augmented by youngsters, seniors and even a priest as they marched down the boulevard. Anxiety filled the air with occasional yelling and shouting. Dozens of police monitored the protest, remaining calm and observant.

“We have had enough. It is time people of Greece have a say to the government and the EU, and decide on our own future,” said Costas Pitas, secretary of the civil servants’ union of the Ministry of Development, who is one of the co-organizers of the event.

Pitas noted that the Greeks’ quality of living has plummeted.

“My salary was cut by 47 percent in the past four years. With the cost of living soaring, we can barely make ends meet. Tsipras has promised many things to people, but the words keep changing, and the EU has been pressuring the lives of people,” he said. 

A university student who identified himself as Yiannis said he was protesting out of desperation. 

“The future is dim. It feels like there’s nothing we can do and this is all we can do,” he said.

The protestors cited a recent Gallup poll suggesting that over 80 percent of Tsiprias supporters were turning their back on the 40-year-old and his party, Syriza.

A photo journalist who was covering the event said tension had hit its peak. Unwilling to have his name printed, he said the government’s censorship against media had spiraled.

“People are confused. ... They don’t know whom to trust and are very frustrated with the whole situation. This has never happened to us before,” he said.

But not all agreed with the grand “Grexit” program.

“Ah … those communists … they don’t see the reality,” an agitated taxi driver, clearly offended by the traffic congestion triggered by the protest, said. “Do you want the euro? Or do you want to refuse the euro? That is not an option anymore!”

Tsiprias on Saturday announced that a referendum will be held Sunday to discern whether or not to take the further bailout program.

And according to Hyundai Research Institute, the possible Grexit could eventually lead to a fall of 7.3 percentage points in exports for South Korea, which also underwent a painful IMF-led bailout program between 1997 and 1999.  

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)