24 hour general strike begins to protest over the country's economic woes

(15 Jun 2011) NB: NO SLATE 1. Wide of protesters in Syntagma Square 2. Mid of banners and a protester holding a Greek flag 3. Various of protesters and banners 4. Zoom out from protesters to a wide of Syntagma Square 5. Pan left from banner to police officers forming a line 6. Mid of protesters with Greek flags fluttering 7. Pan left of protesters 8. Pan right as protesters walk and form a human chain 9. Mid of protesters holding hands to form a human chain STORYLINE: Protesters gathered outside the Greek Parliament early on Wednesday morning as part of a planned 24 hour national strike, in which they promised to block the building and prevent debate of new austerity measures. The blockade of Parliament during Wednesday's general strike, will be accompanied by demonstrations in the city centre. The latest protest follows three weeks of demonstrations in Athens' Syntagma Square. On Sunday more than 10 thousand people gathered there and on Monday hundreds gathered in the square chanting slogans. Standard & Poor's cut Greece's credit rating deeper into junk territory on Monday, saying the country is likely to default on its massive debts at least once by 2013 - a decision Athens said ignored its efforts to secure continued funding in coming years. The new cut came days after Greece's Socialist government unveiled a new austerity program aiming to save around 28 (b) billion euros (41 (b) billion US dollars) in new taxes and spending cuts by 2015, in tandem with an ambitious privatisation drive intended to raise some 50 (b) billion euros (72 (b) billion US dollars). The twin package comes a year after unpopular pension and salary cuts mixed with higher taxes and retirement ages - despite previous pledges to avoid more blanket pain for less affluent Greeks. It is due to be debated in Parliament this week and is set for ratification by early next month. The planned new austerity has angered opposition parties, which rejected government overtures aimed to secure some degree of consensus, and drove labour unions to call a general strike on Wednesday. Parliamentary approval of the combined cutbacks and privatisations is a precondition to secure the fifth instalment of a vital 110 (b) billion euro (159 (b) billion US dollar) bailout package agreed on in May 2010 with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...