Strikes over austerity measures paralyse Czech Republic

Strikers opposed to government austerity measures paralysed public transport across the Czech Republic, halting the Prague metro system for the first time in memory.

16 June 2011, 12:00am

1 min read

"It is obvious that a high percentage of Prague transport company staff have joined the protest," Prague deputy mayor Karel Brezina told reporters.

The strike that started at midnight brought trains to a halt across the country, as well as 60 percent of trams and 80 percent of buses in Prague.

The protest joined by schools and post offices is aimed against austerity cuts and reforms drafted by the centre-right cabinet of Prime Minister Petr Necas aimed at getting the country's battered public finances back on track.

"We want reforms that will be socially sensitive to the poorest residents of the country," unions leader Bohumir Dufek told about 1,000 people rallying in central Prague.

"If the government does not give up these reforms, we will prepare further protests to show we're not afraid," he added before protesters set out on a march to the prime minister's office and the finance ministry.

"Government against people -- People against government", "The government harms people" and "We want new elections" were among the slogans plastered across banners carried by protesters.

Jiri Paroubek, former prime minister and now parliament member for the senior opposition Social Democrats, said the strike was a big success for the protesters.

Transport in the other big cities of the central European ex-communist country has been paralysed as well, the CTK news agency said, quoting sources from regions.

The strike was expected to cause traffic jams in Prague streets, but the city was unusually calm this morning as many people stayed at home or decided to cycle to work on the sunny day.

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In Malta with all the respect to unions they are doing nothing. Opposition is doing nothing. In old days when the PN was in government just because you would not find water for one day in your tap you would have seen all news papers crticizing and a protest. Remember the PN called a general strike because it wanted to give the workers an extra public holiday. Now under the PN we lost the public holidays and where where the strikes. Remember the protest for utility bills under Alfred Sant. Where is everybody with todays utilities. Our wages are not enough to survive. Most maltese are on the edje of poverty and we do NOTHING not to harm the country. Remember malta has no financial crisis that was alfred sant's lie if we had a crisis parliament would not have given itself 500 euro a week increase so yes there is a basis for protests in Malta at least for 20 euro per week increase

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u malta?? ma tahsbux li ma ghandnix x'ingergru hafna. mhux kollox qed fuq ir-rubini imma hdejn il-grecja, irlanda, portugal u uk MA AHNIX SEJRIN HAZIN FDIN IL-MALTEMPATA.