General strike

The Athens metro, bus and tram systems came to a halt and all boats were tied up in the harbour in the main port of Piraeus on Thursday, as a new general strike hit Greece.

Government offices were shut down, many banks and schools were closed and public hospitals were working with emergency staff. Tourist sites, including Athens' Acropolis, were also shut down.

International flights were not affected as air traffic controllers declined to join the strike so as not to further worsen the impact on the tourism industry. But Olympic Air cancelled at least 15 internal flights because civil aviation workers joined the stoppage at smaller local airports.

Protest against massive reforms, cuts and tax increases

The country's major unions called for rallies on Thursday in the capital and other cities in protest against the shock measures ordered by the government, which needs a 110-billion-euro ($136 billion) rescue package from the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to avoid a debt default.

The strike is the fourth called by unions since February against the wage and pension cuts and higher taxes ordered by the government.

EU policymakers and investors were closely watching developments amid concerns that large-scale social unrest could prevent the government from pushing through the measures. The proposals require a final vote in parliament later this month.

Fear of riots

Hundreds of extra police were ordered into central Athens alone as authorities braced for violence.

During the last general strike on May 5, three workers died while trapped in a burning bank firebombed by rioters. The violence broke out as tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the capital.

Opinion polls have shown that most Greeks agree reforms are necessary, but they disagree with the specific measures taken by the government and are angry because they believe the burden is being unfairly distributed.

db/Reuters/AFP/AP/dpa
Editor: Ben Knight