Awwal 08, 1432, Feb 11, 2011, SPA -- Transport workers in Athens walked off the job for several hours Friday to protest against planned public sector reforms, continuing a series of strikes that have plagued the Greek capital recently, according to AP. Hundreds of transport workers rode on scooters and motorbikes towards the Transport Ministry northeast of the city center in a motorized demonstration. The capital's metro system, trams, trolleys and buses all stopped operating at various points in the day. The workers have been protesting a shakeup of the public transport sector which are part of Greece's cost-cutting reforms being implemented in return for a ¤110 billion ($150 billion) package of bailout loans from the International Monetary Fund and European Union countries that use the euro as their currency. The loan, which is disbursed in quarterly installments, saved Greece from bankruptcy last May and should keep it solvent until mid-2013. But the country must meet strict financial goals in reforming its economy in order to qualify for the funds to be released each time. Delegations from the IMF, European Central Bank and European Commission are wrapping up their latest inspection visit to Athens, and were to present their findings later in the day in a news conference initially scheduled for the morning but pushed back for several hours. The Socialist government has been implementing strict and unpopular austerity measures, increasing taxes, raising retirement ages and cutting salaries and pensions. It has also pledged to restructure loss-making state transport companies, reform the public health sector and eliminate tightly controlled licensing practices and fixed profit margins for dozens of professionals, from pharmacists to lawyers and notaries. The country has pledged to reduce its budget deficit to below the EU limit of 3 percent of gross domestic product by 2014, from 15.4 percent in 2009. A backlash from unions has led to a series of strikes and frequent demonstrations that disrupt the center of the capital on a near daily basis. Many state hospital and health care fund doctors have been on strike for 10 days, and have often been joined by pharmacists in Athens and the neighboring port city of Piraeus. Unemployment in Greece has hit a seven-year record, with figures released by the national statistics authority showing the jobless rate was 13.9 percent in November, the highest since monthly figures were first released in 2004.
