Prime Minister George Papandreou was “under siege” by protesters over austerity measures when he started Friday a three-day visit at the northern Greece city of Thessaloniki for the 76th International Trade Fair.
As the Greek prime minister held a meeting with Thessaloniki’s Mayor Yiannis Boutaris, the city hall was surrounded by Left party unionists and striking civil sector employees who held a sit-in protest.
Raising banners and chanting slogans, the protesters rejected a fresh package of cutbacks on salaries, tax hikes and structural reforms implemented to face a severe debt crisis. About 100 protesters heckled Papandreou.
Over 10,000 policemen have been deployed across the city ahead of the inauguration of the fair, which would be carried out Saturday by Regional Development, Competitiveness and Shipping Minister, Michalis Chryssohoidis, instead of Papandreou.
At least seven separate marches have been called for Saturday afternoon in Greece’s second-largest city. Organizers include the barely-solvent country’s two biggest labor unions, students, anarchists, taxi-drivers and others.
Greek media commentators said that the prime minster fears stronger reactions against him and will avoid “open air strolls.” Last year, a protestor approached him and threw a shoe.
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