General Strike Paralyzes Transport, Banks, Schools, Hospitals In Greek Capital

December 10, 2008 8:44 a.m. EST

Athens, Greece (AHN) - A general strike hit Athens, the capital of Greece, on Wednesday in protest over the government's economic policies. The strike crippled transportation, closed banks and schools and cut hospital services.

At the heart of the protest is a call for higher salaries and to protest belt-tightening measures initiated by the Greek government. The strike, which also affected air travel after air traffic controllers joined the industrial action, followed four days of violent protests over a police killing of a Greek youth.

Stathis Anestis, spokesman of a federation of private sector unions, said because of the widespread participation of labor unions in the strike, Greece has come to a standstill.

The opposition Socialist Party took the occasion to call for the government of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to resign and have an early election. Party spokesman George Papakonstantinou blamed Karamanlis for the widespread crisis that has hit the country.

Aside from the strike, demonstrators in Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioaninna and Rhodes battled with the police for the fourth consecutive night. Seven police officers were injured because of the encounter.

In Athens, students threw petrol bombs, while riot police countered with tear gases.