Athens, Greece (News Today) - Planes stood still and train services ground to a halt Wednesday as transport workers in Greece joined other public and private sector workers in a second day of demonstrations.
The unions that organized the general strike expected tens of thousands of workers -- teachers, bank employees and doctors, among them -- to amass in central Athens and then march to the parliament building.
Police deployed about 1,700 officers throughout the capital to maintain order.
The workers are protesting cuts in spending that the government says is needed to pull the country out of debt.
The country's parliament is expected to vote on the measures -- which include wage freezes and higher taxes -- by the end of Thursday.
On the first day of the strike, about 2,000 protesters representing teachers from the public sector marched past the finance ministry and parliament on Tuesday.
In central Athens, protesters threw plastic bottles and sticks at riot police.
At another demonstration, members of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) erected large banners near the Parthenon. "People of Europe Rise Up," said one.
A 110 billion euro ($145 billion) aid package for Greece was announced Sunday. Soon after, Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou announced the tough cost-cutting measures to meet European Union and International Monetary Fund conditions on the deal.
The package includes a promise by Greece to cut its budget deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product, as required by European Union rules, by 2014, according to Papaconstantinou.
The measures, he said, were needed for Greece to secure its financial lifeline.
Greece has a choice between "destruction" and survival, and "we have chosen of course to save the country," Papaconstantinou said.
Source : CNN
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Massive strike paralyzes Greece
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