ATHENS, Greece — Greek journalists have walked off the job at the start of rolling 24-hour strikes to protest austerity plans that will affect their healthcare funds, while lawmakers are set to vote on a privatization bill that will be the first major test for the country's troubled governing coalition.
The bill to be voted on Wednesday gives the
government more power to privatize public utilities, but it has faced
growing dissent from lawmakers among the Socialists and Democratic Left,
the two junior partners in the coalition led by the conservative party.
Also
Wednesday, Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras will present the new
draft state budget for 2013. The country’s two largest labor unions will
hold a rally in the evening to protest austerity measures in the
budget.
