80% of the secondary Greek workers strike

Trade unions in Greece have made Wednesday a show of force with a general strike, supported by workers for 80% of employees of public and private sector.

The protest at the measures announced by the Government of Giorgos Papandreou has coincided with the latest announcement from the European Commission, which considered 'incomplete' for his clarifications on the use of financial instruments to make up their debt.

The work stoppage that have supported three million workers paralyzed the country for much of the day, on a day marked by large protests and some violent incidents between protesters and riot police.
Two major events have filled the center of Athens, with particular strength of the Communist Workers who do not lull the government of Prime Minister of Greece. A banner of Civil Employees Union (ADEDY) read "say no to the austerity and unemployment", which touches 10% and can be doubled, as acknowledged by the executive itself socialist.

In others could read slogans like "Do not be us who pay for the crisis of the rich" or "The people and their needs are more important than the markets." During one of the marches, some 150 masked militants broke the windows of some shops and riot police fired tear gas to disperse them.

Greek police estimated that participation in the demonstrations in Athens has haunted the 20,000 people, although unions have raised attendance at least twice. According to Greek media, the unions expected a greater participation in demonstrations and strikes.
Unemployment in most sectors

All government offices, universities and much of the urban public transport have not worked in Greece, while the services of trains and planes have been suspended until 6:00 am. In public hospitals, doctors treated only the most urgent cases, while television and radio news have not delivered.

However, there has been no strike in the tourism sector, while some supermarkets and other stores have opened their doors.
Since the unions were satisfied with the "very high participation" in the strike, and announced more protests against the socialist executive measures for the coming weeks.

The aim is that the government "understands that it can not suppress labor rights," said Stathis Anestis, a spokesman for the General Confederation of Workers (GSEE), the union that brings together private sector workers.
Protests by the austerity plan

The strike, called by GSEE and ADEDY, goes against the strict austerity measures imposed on Greece by the European Union (EU) for its overwhelming debt.

Papandreou, elected last October, wants to cut the salaries of civil servants, lower social spending by 10% and increase some taxes to reduce the deficit by 4 percentage points this year.

Before the strike, the prime minister had expressed his understanding for popular unrest, but insisted that the Greek state simply "has no more money." For its part, the unions claim that the government saves in the wrong areas.

Moreover, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's has maintained its note 'BBB +' Greek public debt in the long term but warned that his 'rating' continues to be subject to negative watch, which keeps open the possibility of a reduction within a month.
The EU sees 'incomplete' their arguments

On the same day of the strike, the European Commission has described as "incomplete" clarification which it has sent Greece on the use made with the help of investment bank Goldman Sachs, financial instruments to disguise their real level of public debt.
The explanations of Athens came to Brussels on Tuesday night, as confirmed by the Economic Affairs spokesman, Amadeu Altafaj, four days after the deadline he had demanded the EU executive. The Greek authorities are shielded in a four-day strike that affected the finance ministry to justify the delay.

Greece has reported to Eurostat that the repayment of this debt began in 2004. Consequently, the statistical office will have to determine, in cooperation with the Greek authorities, which will be the increase in debt due to the specific operation of Trade from 2004 onwards, so to request additional information "as soon as possible."
The Hellenic authorities have claimed that in 2001, when resorted to currency swaps to make up their debt, these transactions were not breaking EU rules.