GREECE | 11.05.2011

Strikes over austerity measures paralyze Greek capital

 

Greece's debt has reached a record of 300 billion euros

Greeks have staged a nationwide strike against government austerity measures and spending cuts, prompting clashes with police in the capital, Athens. Transit, education and news services have been frozen as a result.

 

Clashes broke out in the Greek capital, Athens, on Wednesday as police fired tear gas at stone-throwing youths and demonstrators marched against the government's strict austerity measures.

At least 14 people were reported injured and a further 24 detained as some 20,000 took to the streets to voice their disapproval of public and private spending cuts to be voted on later this month worth an estimated 23 billion euros ($32 billion).

The 24-hour nationwide strike has closed schools and brought public transit to a halt around the country, particularly affecting train and ferry services.

Air traffic controllers have also staged a walkout, grounding flights for four hours. The two main Greek operators, Olympic and Aegean, were forced to cancel or delay nearly 50 flights at the start of the busy tourist season.

Television networks and radio broadcasters also took part in the walkout, cancelling programs and playing back-to-back music. Printing presses also shuddered to a halt as the country’s newspapers decided not to publish until Friday.

Financial inspection

Greeks staged the walkout as officials from the European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF) began running an eye over the country's crumbling finances on Tuesday, continuing the meeting into Wednesday.

EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have said they would await the results of the inspection before deciding on granting Athens improved loan terms and more aid to avoid restructuring its debt mountain.

Greece avoided insolvency last year by accepting an EU-IMF package worth 110 billion euros.

Despite vows to enact strict austerity measures, Athens eventually overshot its deficit-reduction goals when its economy shrank faster than expected.

Author: Darren Mara, Sarah Harman (AFP, Reuters)  
Editor: Martin Kuebler        dw