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Greek protesters challenge government's austerity deal
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DPA | 06 May, 2010
Clashes were reported to have broken out in Greece Wednesday as tens of thousands of people joined marches in cities across the country to protest the government's bailout for austerity deal.
Riot police and protesters clashed in the capital Athens and the northern port city of Thessaloniki. In Athens, police retaliated with tear gas when demonstrators threw rocks at them and attempted to break through a security cordon around Parliament.
Greek union leaders and media reports estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 people took part in the marches, the largest number to take to the country's the streets in decades. Police put the number at roughly 100,000.
The latest protests come just days after the cash-strapped government unveiled plans for further drastic budget cuts in exchange for a 110-billion-euro ($145-billion) rescue by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Wednesday's protests also coincide with the start of a 24-hour general strike.
Ministries, tax offices, schools, public services and hospitals remained closed after public sector workers launched a 48-hour national strike Tuesday.
Private sector workers joined in Wednesday, shutting down transport in major cities and grounding flights at airports in the third joint walkout since the start of the year.
The usually bustling port of Pireaus was eerily empty, while a 24-hour news blackout was in place after journalists refused to show up for work.
EU leaders agreed Sunday to activate the three-year Greek rescue programme.
Athens plans to save around 30 billion euros by 2012 by cutting pensions and public servants' pay and hiking consumer taxes.
Public anger is expected to grow with more than one in two Greeks saying they are prepared to take to the streets to fight the austerity plans.
Running a debt of more than 300 billion euros and a budget deficit of 13.6 of gross domestic product, Greece is in urgent need of funds before May 19 in order to refinance a 9-billion-euro, 10-year bond.
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