Financial Times
February 1, 2011
Public transport, state health clinics and pharmacies in the Greek capital shut on Tuesday as unions stepped up protests against the government’s drive to implement structural reforms.
The governing socialists are trying to accelerate cost-cutting across the public sector in order to meet benchmarks agreed with the European Union and International Monetary Fund under the country’s €110bn bail-out loan.
Yet they face mounting popular resistance as Greece enters a third straight year of recession, with unemployment at a record 13.5 per cent and annual inflation running at 5.2 per cent in December.
The strikes come as parliament prepares to approve a raft of legislation postponed from last year – including bills to modernise the Athens transport system, overhaul the tax administration, further reduce pension and healthcare costs and open up hundreds of “closed-shop” professions.
More
No comments:
Post a Comment