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Anastasia Balezdrova 

Strikers overturned the barricade at the entrance to the Parliament. Persistent attempts to break into the Greek Parliament succeeded and part of the barricade broke under the pressure of hundreds of angry Greeks. Today, they gathered in front of the Greek National Assembly to protest against the policy of George Papandreou's socialist government.

"We will stay on Syntagma until the government falls," said discontented Greeks. "This is the biggest strike movement in the past 35 years since Greece banished the junta", said union representatives. The strike and the protest rally had been organised by the two largest unions in Greece, those of civil servants and private sector employees.

Police presence is much stronger than during previous protests, reports Anastasia Balezdrova from the scene. Riot police forces have cut off the area around Syntagma and will not even allow pedestrians to pass through to the trendy Kolonaki neighbourhood nearby. Tear gas is constantly dispersing the crowds but people do not head for home.

Extra taxes, lower wages, decreasing pensions and the prospect of drastic impoverishment of the people are a series of steps that lead to deadlock, rather than growth, say protesters. The lack of real effect of these sacrifices drove the Greeks, who are generally known for their hot Mediterranean temperament, past all endurance and now, they want the the Prime Minister's "head".

Today, will see the discussion on the final version of the law on the introduction of the labour reserve, the single payroll table of the public administration wages and another series of measures that will burden honest citizens, but will not touch those who constantly evade the law.