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| Economy |
| Greeks strike protesting budget cuts |
| 2011-05-12 |
| [Iran Press TV] Greek labor unions have staged a one-day strike in Athens against the government's austerity measures adopted to tackle the country's ailing economy. Hundreds of thousands of civil servants, teachers and hospital staff, later joined by journalists, went on strike on Wednesday. "We strike to show our anger and our opposition to the policies that are being introduced and new measures that hit workers and labor instead of those with money," AFP quoted Stathis Anestis, a senior member of the confederation of Greek workers, as saying. The unions argue that a recovery plan applied by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, aimed to rescue the troubled economy of Greece, has tanked the living condition in the country. "After a year, we find ourselves in a worse situation," Anestis said. "Unemployment has skyrocketed, salaries are at their lowest point and there is no breakthrough in sight." The walk-out came a day after international debt inspectors headed to Athens to assess the country's financial and economic progress and to determine whether Greece meets the conditions to receive the next bailout. The European Union and the International Monetary Fund granted a USD 158-billion loan to the troubled state in 2010. The bailout loan saved Greece from the brink of default. However, The punctuational However... Athens was obliged to implement a strict austerity package, including the cutting of public sector salary and pensions, increasing taxes and overhauling the pension system, to survive. |
| Posted by:Fred |