Greek general strike rocks government

(Vatican Radio) Clashes broke out in central Athens on Thursday as about 40,000 people marched to the Greek Parliament during a general strike.

The strike was called to protest planned pension reforms that are part of the country's third international bailout.

Listen to the report by John Carr in Athens: 

Riot police battled demonstrators in central Athens today in a one-day general strike that’s the biggest blow yet against the year-old left-led government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

The strike was called to protest fresh pension cuts and tax rises mandated by Greece’s creditors.  
Demonstrators threw petrol bombs at the police in front of the Parliament building, where thousands had gathered.  

At the same time farmers, protesting what they call crushing new taxation, have been blocking Greece’s main roads and land border points for two weeks.

They vow not to stop until the government backtracks.

As the demonstrations were occurring, officials of the creditors pressured the government for more welfare cuts.  

The cuts are up for debate in the Greek Parliament later this month.  Tsipras has a majority of just three in the chamber.  If he loses the welfare vote, then his government falls and the future of Greece’s economic bailouts and recovery is again in serious doubt.