Greeks protest govt. austerity cuts

Thousands of Greeks, including the country’s youths, have staged peaceful demonstrations across the European country to protest against the government’s austerity measures.

Over 30,000 people participated in the nation-wide protests on Wednesday, in the first set of demonstrations that have not been organized by political parties, but by social networks including the Facebook, Xinhua reported.

According to police estimates, over 15,000 Greek youths along with other protesters gathered in front of the country’s parliament building in the Greek capital, Athens.

Protesters demanded a referendum on the three-year austerity and reform plan set forth last year in an effort to counter the country’s lingering debt crisis.

The Greek government also plans to implement new measures including tax increases to decrease the country’s budget deficit.

The European Union and the International Monetary Fund granted a EUR 110-billion (USD 158-billion) bailout to the troubled state in 2010.

The bailout loan saved Greece from the brink of default. However, Athens was obliged to implement a strict austerity package, including the cutting of public sector salaries and pensions, increasing taxes, and overhauling the pension system to survive.

Greece has been witnessing protests following the government’s proposal of a new program to cut EUR 26 billion over the next three years.