Pensions and scandals bring 2m Greeks out on strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7cdb365e-daa0-11dc-9bb9-0000779fd2ac.html

By Kerin Hope in Athens

Published: February 14 2008 02:00 | Last updated: February 14 2008 02:00

A 24-hour strike yesterday by more than 2m Greek workers protesting against government pension reform plans and a series of corruption scandals shut down Athens airport and brought the city to a standstill.

The strike marked the latest challenge to the conservative government of Costas Karamanlis, the prime minister, which has seen a large drop in its approval ratings due to the corruption scandals that have overshadowed the long-running pensions issue.

In spite of a pledge by Mr Karamanlis when he came to office in 2004, that "pimps" would be eliminated from public life, his administration is accused of having a policy of covering up illegal deals.

"Corruption is not exactly unknown in Greece. What angers public opinion is the government taking the moral high ground yet allowing it to flourish," said one analyst.

Popular attention has focused on a sex-and-blackmail scandal involving a senior culture ministry official and close political ally of Mr Karamanlis.

The official made a failed suicide attempt after a DVD of encounters with his secretary reached an Athens tabloid newspaper. But fall-out from a bribery probe involving the industrial group Siemens, currently under investigation in Germany, has also damaged the Athens government.

FULL story at link.