Striking Greeks take dissent to the streets, crippling public services
Striking Greeks took to the streets on Thursday to protest austerity measures, setting Alexis Tsipras' government its biggest domestic challenge since he was re-elected in September on a promise to cushion the impact of economic hardship.
Many flights were grounded, hospitals ran on skeleton staff, ships were docked at port and public offices stayed shut across the country in the first nationwide walkout called by Greece's largest private and public sector unions in a year.
I wish Tsipras had done what he promised [to overturn austerity] but they didn't let him. Now we have turned into beggars for a plate of food
As Greece's international lenders met in central Athens to review compliance with its latest bailout, thousands marched nearby to protest the relentless round of tax hikes and pension cutbacks that the rescue packages have entailed.
Five years of austerity since the first bailout was signed in 2010 have sapped economic activity and left about a quarter of the population out of work.
“My salary is not enough to cover even my basic needs. My students are starving,” said Dimitris Nomikos, 52, a protesting teacher said.
“They are destroying the social security system ... I don't know if we will ever see our pensions.”