Police clashed with students in Athens on Thursday amid strikes and street protests against a planned overhaul of business rules by Greece’s new government.
According to reports, 14 student clubs took part in the rally and in the Greek capital one protester and one policeman were hurt when a confrontation between students and police turned violent outside parliament. Police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the reforms will simplify regulations and boost investment as Greece emerges from a protracted financial crisis.
Mitsotakis wants to boost growth with more aggressive pro-business policies, promising to deliver 2.8% growth next year, higher than the European Commission's forecast of 2.2%. His government is also hoping that the reforms will help persuade European creditors to ease repayment conditions debts from three consecutive international bailouts.
But unions argue that longstanding workers' rights will be eroded by the reforms, including the right to negotiate pay through collective bargaining with employers. Critics also oppose the expanded use of private sector services at local government agencies and argue that the value of qualifications from state-run universities may be undermined.
Municipal workers continued a strike for a second day, disrupted garbage collection and other services in Athens and elsewhere.
More than 2,000 municipal workers marched to Greece's parliament. During the rally, some of the protest organisers carried an empty coffin and wore masks.
*Images by Intime News
