Strikes hit Greece ahead of cuts vote

Two women walk in front of docked ferries at the port of Piraeus during a 48-hour strike by the sailor union on May 16, 2017

Athens (AFP)

Greek unions on Tuesday kicked off two days of labour action, shutting down ferries and news services ahead of a Wednesday general strike aimed at a new round of austerity cuts.

Journalists walked off the job and sailors began a two-day shutdown that severed maritime links to the Greek islands.

Ferry services will be paralysed Wednesday during the 24-hour general strike that will also shutter the civil service and disrupt flights.

The mobilisation is aimed against new pension and tax break cuts forced on Greece by its EU-IMF creditors in return for bailout cash.

The leftist government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras grudgingly accepted to legislate another round of pension cuts and lower tax breaks -- applicable in 2019 and 2020 respectively -- to unlock the cash payment ahead of looming debt repayments in July.

Athens hopes that the loan payment will be approved by a meeting of eurozone finance ministers on May 22.

The bill is to approved late on Thursday.