Water is the basis of all life, and something everyone should be able to afford.

But very soon, it could become a luxury good for millions of people in Greece -- a country already battered by the debt crisis.

As I write, the Troika of the EU Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund is trying to force Greece to privatise its public water supply.

But looking at what happened in other countries, the result would only be rising prices, an ailing pipeline system and threats of cut offs.

We cannot allow unscrupulous financiers to cash in at the expense of the poor.

In Europe, the word of federal governments carries weight. We want the German federal government to speak out against the privatisation -- and force the Troika will drop its deadly plan.

This is urgent: call on the German federal government to stand against the privatisation of Greece's water supply!

This is absurd: while Greece is being forced to sell its water supply, communities in France, Germany and Spain are buying theirs back -- because privatisation has not worked.

“We know that in Berlin, just two years ago they [renationalised] the water there… [it’s] clear that the model of privatisation of water has failed all around the world,” said trade union leader George Argovtopoulos.

Under the terms of its bailout, Greece must sell an 11% stake in Athens Water Supply and a 23% stake in Thessaloniki Water Supply.

Greece's highest constitutional court took the unprecedented step of blocking the proposed privatisation of the country's biggest water utility, Athens Water -- on the grounds the sale could put public health at risk. Yet, in the face of this, the Troika continues to put financiers before the safety of the Greek people.

SumOfUs campaigns worldwide against the privatisation of water. With our partners, we have recently prevented Nestlé buying a million liters of drinking water in a drought-stricken region. Together, we can prevent the privatisation of water in Greece.

German federal government: say 'ochi!' to the Troika’s privatisation of Greece's water supply!

More information