About 15,000 protesters are taking part in anti-government rallies before a visit to Greece by bailout inspectors and plans by the left-wing government to impose more austerity measures after years of economic hardship. (Giannis Papanikos/Associated Press)THESSALONIKI, Greece — Greece’s prime minister promised Saturday to deliver economic growth to a country hammered by years of economic hardship, as thousands gathered in protest at more planned austerity measures. Finally, we are going from a negative direction to a positive one.”Greece has spent most of the last eight years in recession and is currently going through its third major round of austerity measures tied to international bailout packages. Greece’s largest labor union, the GSEE, organized the main protest Saturday and signaled it would call strikes against the labor reforms. Also angry at pay cuts and austerity, police officers held an anti-government protest on Friday.

Source: Washington Post September 10, 2016 18:08 UTC