Greek government’s proposals for deep spending cuts to rein in the deficit, currently at 12.7%, more than four times higher than eurozone rules allow, have met significant resistance.
According to the New York Times, civil servants brought public services to a halt across Greece on Wednesday, in a massive one-day protest against government austerity measures, including wage cuts.
“We won’t pay for their crisis!” loudspeakers blared from “the square of the crying people,” where disenchanted Greek workers have come for centuries to express their discontent. “Not one euro to be sacrificed to the bankers!”
Besides air traffic controllers, hospital doctors, and schoolteachers ; customs officials and tax inspectors are also involved in Greece’s strike. That means the strike is disrupting Greece’s import market, with lines of trucks being held at the country’s borders.
Civil servants are planning another strike next week and the country’s biggest union, GSEE, has decided to hold a mass walk-out on 24 February. Needless to say, the economic and political situation in Greece continues to deteriorate.
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