Greece braces for general strike

Greece is braced for further turmoil after days of violence as unions stage a general strike in protest against the government's economic policies.

The strike is expected to shut down banks and offices and severely disrupt public transport across the country.

The industrial action was planned weeks ago but follows days of riots sparked by the police shooting of a teenager.

Unions have defied an appeal from PM Costas Karamanlis to cancel a rally planned for central Athens.

Unions called off a major demonstration in Athens but will instead hold a rally outside the Greek parliament at 1100 (0900 GMT).

Workers from the two main umbrella unions - the Greek General Confederation of Workers (GSEE) and the Civil Servants Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) are demanding increased social spending in light of the global financial crisis, as well as higher wages and pensions.

They represent about 2.5 million workers - roughly half of the total Greek work force, according to Associated Press news agency.

Greek airlines Olympic and Aegean said they have cancelled a number of flights, ferry links are expected to be cut and train services severely disrupted.

Public transport in a number of cities, including Athens, is expected to be hard hit by the strike.

Teachers, journalists, bank clerks and public sector workers are also due to join the action.

Several 24-hour strikes against the government's economic reform policies have brought the country to a standstill this year.

Shops torched

Prime Minister Karamanlis tried to convince the unions to call off the rally they planned to hold in central Athens.

"We must all have a united stand against illegal actions, to clearly condemn violence, looting and vandalism," he said.

The streets of Athens were calmer on Tuesday night after three consecutive days and nights of riots in which shops and offices were set alight and riot police battled groups of stone- and bottle-throwing youths.

The riots were triggered by the death of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, shot by police in Athens on Saturday, and spread to a number of towns and cities across Greece.

Clashes erupted near the suburban Athens cemetery where his funeral was held on Tuesday.

Two police officers have been charged in connection with the teenager's death, but results of a post-mortem to determine the trajectory of the bullet that killed him are not yet known.

The officer who fired says it was a ricochet from a warning shot but witnesses told Greek TV he fired directly at the teenager.

The protesters' frustration has been fuelled by corruption scandals and poor economic prospects for many, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens.

The opposition Socialist party leader George Papandreou has called on Mr Karamanlis to resign and call elections.

Mr Karamanlis, whose conservative party has a parliamentary majority of just one seat, has called for unity and said rioters would not be shown any leniency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7774634.stm