Greeks strike against new austerity measures

Greeks have reacted angrily to the latest wave of austerity measures – with a 24-hour public transport strike on Thursday bringing Athens and other parts of the country to a standstill.

A mass protest of public sector workers in Athens is also planned, after Greece’s government on Wednesday announced another round of unpopular spending cuts.

The BBC reported that buses, trams and the national rail network have been crippled, while air traffic controllers walked off the job for three hours from noon.

The move left hundreds of tourists stranded at the Athens International Airport, with those on incoming flights likely to spend the day waiting.

The government’s tough new measures include cutting pensions by a further 20 percent, reported Deutsche Welle. Meanwhile retirees under the age of 55 will lose 40 percent of their pensions.

Tens of thousands of civil servant posts are to be temporary suspended, until an independent commission decides which of these should be indefinitely cut.

Greece says that the measures are vital to ensuring it meets the requirements to receive its next 8bn-euro installment of a bailout funding package.

Greece has been working to wipe 2bn euros off its budget deficit, in order to meet the terms of a 110bn-euro bailout from the troika members.

(Read more on Global Post: Troika says Greece is on track for more funds)

The European Commission announced on Wednesday that talks to avert a financial meltdown in Greece are progressing well.

Discussions have been ongoing between Greek finance ministers and the so-called “troika” of inspectors – the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.