ATHENS, Greece, May 12 (UPI) -- Demonstrators clashed with riot police during strikes in Athens and other cities in Greece to protest tighter austerity measures, officials said.
Schools were closed, public transportation came to a standstill, hospitals provided emergency services only and flights to and from the Athens airport were delayed for 4 hours as teachers, professors, nurses, port workers and civil servants joined the strike Wednesday, the EU Observer reported.
Prime Minister George Papandreou is trying to keep his government intact in the face of increasing numbers of parliament members publicly voicing opposition to austerity measures, the EU Observer reported. The government announced, during a time of record 15 percent employment, a new series of spending cuts and tax hikes, the report said.
The cabinet hopes to convince the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the European Commission that it is committed to reducing Greece's debt by implementing drastic revisions to the country's fiscal plan, the newspaper said.
