Strikes causes widespread disruption Greece

A nationwide strike hit Greece today crippling public services, grounding flights and closing schools in a demonstration against government cuts brought on by its financial crisis.

All flights to and from Greek airports were cancelled, and trains and ferries are also idle.

Commuters in Athens were left without most forms of public transport. Public schools, tax and municipal offices were closed, and public hospitals used emergency staff.

Journalists were also holding a 24-hour strike, and two separate demonstrations were planned for central Athens.

The country's two largest unions, the private sector GSEE and public sector ADEDY, fiercely oppose a series of belt-tightening measures announced over the past weeks to reduce the budget deficit from 12.7% of gross domestic product to 8.7% this year.

"If all these measures are enforced, unemployment will skyrocket. Our country will enter a massive recession and unemployment will reach a Europe-wide record," said GSEE spokesman Stathis Anestis.

"This will be tragic because it will provoke social (unrest) and clashes."

Greek unemployment hit a five-year high of 10.6% in November 2009, up from 9.8% in October. The problems have hit confidence in the euro as a common currency, and raised the country's borrowing costs.

The governing Socialists have frozen civil service wages and hiring while cutting bonuses, raising consumer taxes and retirement ages.

Greece, however, is facing a March 16 deadline from the European Union to show signs of improvement and is under pressure to take additional measures. These could include a VAT rise, currently at 19%, and further civil service bonus cuts.

Today's strike will be a crucial test of support for the unions, with polls showing strong public support for the government's austerity plan.

A poll in the Ethnos newspaper showed 57.6% of Greeks believe measures taken so far are "in the right direction", while 75.8% think unions should show restraint until the end of the crisis.