24-hour nationwide strike hits Greece
Greece was paralyzed by a nationwide general strike Wednesday as hundreds of thousands of workers, shopkeepers and civil servants walked off the job in a 24-hour protest over the government's austerity program. Thousands of protesters plan to surround parliament, creating a human shield to prevent lawmakers from entering the building.
It is the third strike to see millions walk out of work since the start of the year, disrupting sea, rail and public transit services across the country, ITAR-TASS News Agency reported.
State bureaus and offices will remain shut as large crowds of public servants, including doctors and police officers, are due to rally in Athens and scores of other cities. However, the strike will not affect air transport in order not to create difficulties for tourists.
All stores will be closed for three hours. State hospitals and health services will be operating with a skeleton staff due to the strike.
While many Greek citizens accept painful measures are necessary to lift the country out of the debt crisis that hit in late 2009, the strike, organized by Greece's largest umbrella trade union organizations in the private and public sectors, reflects widespread doubt over the effectiveness of the policies.
On May 1, over 10,000 Greek citizens joined peaceful demonstrations protesting austerity measures and pressing for workers' rights across Greece.
