Athens: Violence marred huge demonstrations in Greece on Wednesday as unions launched a two-day general strike ahead of a vote on a new bill tightening the financial screws in a bid to stave off bankruptcy.
Police in Athens clashed with protesters outside parliament as more than 70,000 people according to authorities, and 200,000 according to unions, converged on central Syntagma Square.
The view of the ancient Acropolis was obscured by smoke from burning piles of rubbish and a bank building was evacuated after being set on fire by molotov cocktails
Police and rioters held running battles through the narrow streets of central Athens, as thick black smoke billowed from burning trash and bus-stops.
Much of the country was shut down by the 48-hour general strike, the largest since the outbreak of the crisis two years ago with government departments, offices and shops closed and at least 100,000 people taking to the streets of Athens.
Prime Minister George Papandreou, trailing badly in opinion polls, has appealed for support from Greeks before parliament votes on the latest measures which include tax hikes, wage cuts and public sector layoffs.
But the mood was furious among demonstrators, fed up after repeated doses of austerity and increasingly hostile to both their own political leaders and international lenders demanding ever tougher measures to cut Greece’s towering public debt.
Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told parliament on Wednesday that Greece faced a “battle of battles” in Brussels and would be unable to finalise its budget without Thursday’s new measures.
The government is expected to weather the vote, but a number of ruling party deputies have threatened to oppose an amendment to collective wage agreements.
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