Greece was left without news coverage on Tuesday as journalists went on strike ahead of a two-day walkout by unions seeking to block an austerity bill that the government must pass to avert bankruptcy.
Some 2,000 journalists protested in central Athens against layoffs as state data showed unemployment climbing to 16.5 percent and the government struggled to galvanise support for the crucial reform bill demanded by Greece's creditors. "After two years of continued austerity, unemployment in the media sector is at 25 percent and the new bill is the killing blow," Dimitris Trimis, head of the Athens journalists union, told AFP.
The government is expected to weather Thursday's vote but Prime Minister George Papandreou could be forced to axe former labour minister Louka Katseli who has threatened to oppose a collective wage amendment in the bill. A dismissal for Katseli would lower the government's parliamentary strength to 153 deputies in the 300-seat chamber.
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