Europe 1 with AFP 11:34 a.m., May 2, 2022
Greece is immobilized by a general strike lasting 24 hours to protest against historic inflation, including soaring electricity prices.
In all, 9,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Athens to demand more measures to defend purchasing power.
Public services, maritime, rail and urban transport, as well as a majority of private companies in Greece were idling on Monday due to a 24-hour general strike called by private and public unions to protest against soaring prices.
Athenian public transport operated like a Sunday while supermarkets and shops were closed on this holiday Monday the day after May 1st.
During the traditional Labor Day parades on Sunday, around 9,000 demonstrators pounded the pavement in Athens demanding more measures from the Greek government to defend purchasing power in the face of the impact of inflation on households.
The price of electricity has doubled
Inflation in Greece reached 9.4% in April, according to the European statistics office Eurostat, a figure well above the European average of 7.5%.
In March, according to the same source, electricity prices alone were not very far from having doubled to +79.3% on an annual basis, against a backdrop of soaring energy prices following the the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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The Greek government has granted social aid totaling 4 billion euros to deal with rampant inflation.
On May 1, the minimum wage was also increased by 50 euros per month, and now stands at 713 euros gross.
But the unions and the left-wing opposition consider these measures insufficient and are demanding in particular that the minimum wage be increased to 825 euros gross per month.