General strike paralyzes daily life, economic activities in Greece

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) – A 24-hour general strike, which started at 5 a.m. (0300GMT) on Wednesday, have paralyzed daily life and economic activities across Greece.

Called by major trade unions and held in both public and private sectors, the nationwide strike protests excessive energy prices and skyrocketing living costs.

The unions demand lower taxes and an increase in the minimum wage, which is currently $710 per month for salaried employees.

The strike is widely participated by the country's workforce, including public transportation workers of the capital Athens and the second-largest city of Thessaloniki, taxi drivers, shipping industry employees, workers of the Port of Piraeus, the country's largest port, and media workers, among others.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties announced their support for the strike and urged their supporters to take to the streets to show solidarity with striking workers.

The main opposition party, SYRIZA-PS, called on citizens to support the strike.

"The country is in an extremely critical phase. It is time for citizens to send a strong message to the government that our tolerance has run out. Greece urgently needs political change and a new progressive government that will bring it out of the impasses of economic poverty and democratic anomaly," it said in a statement.

Dimitris Koutsoumbas, leader of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), attended the demonstration that took place in central Athens.

"Today's great nationwide strike sends the message to all of Greece, to all of Europe, that the Greek people will not become accomplices in the anti-grassroots policy of the ruling class and the EU," he said.