Greece prepares for general strike with visit of troika stoking anger on the streets
- 11 years ago
Athens is in shut down mood. The capital is preparing for a general strike with the members of the EU, IMF and European Central Bank – collectively known as the ,“troika” in town.
They have been jeered by workers after a first round of meetings to check on the governments progress in implementing austerity-driven reforms.
Students at the Polytechnic University of Athens have already felt the effects of a strike. The college is shut after administrative workers walked out over planned suspensions.
The move is the latest in the government efforts to slash the costs in the public sector to meet the terms of the bail out. Twelve and a half thousand civil servants have to be suspended on reduced pay. Students have been left helpless and without classes.
“I am in danger of never graduating if these measures are implemented. I won’t be able to continue my studies. If the lay-offs are brought in and we’ll have to pay tuition fees I won’t be able to continue my studies. The difficulties are already many the way things are now anyway,” said Danae Karydi an engineering student.
The University is just one of several educational establishments to be hit by a strike since the start of the new school year in September.
Lenders believe Greece will miss its targets by about 2 billion euros. The government expects the gap to be much smaller.
They have been jeered by workers after a first round of meetings to check on the governments progress in implementing austerity-driven reforms.
Students at the Polytechnic University of Athens have already felt the effects of a strike. The college is shut after administrative workers walked out over planned suspensions.
The move is the latest in the government efforts to slash the costs in the public sector to meet the terms of the bail out. Twelve and a half thousand civil servants have to be suspended on reduced pay. Students have been left helpless and without classes.
“I am in danger of never graduating if these measures are implemented. I won’t be able to continue my studies. If the lay-offs are brought in and we’ll have to pay tuition fees I won’t be able to continue my studies. The difficulties are already many the way things are now anyway,” said Danae Karydi an engineering student.
The University is just one of several educational establishments to be hit by a strike since the start of the new school year in September.
Lenders believe Greece will miss its targets by about 2 billion euros. The government expects the gap to be much smaller.