Greek protesters surround parliament

Thousands of Greek protesters surrounded the parliament building on Wednesday as a general strike paralysed the country and the prime minister held emergency talks on a controversial reform package.Riot police and barricades blocked approaches to parliament as demonstrators mustered in the capital, summoned by a popular protest group that has occupied central Syntagma Square for weeks after a similar mobilisation in Spain.

Police said 20,000 people had responded to the call but media estimates raised the turnout to 40,000.Scuffles broke out at various barricade points and police made sporadic use of tear gas to push protesters away.

Lawmakers inside the building are debating a new austerity package worth over 28 billion euros (USD 40 billion), a condition demanded by Greece's creditors in return for a badly-needed new aid bailout.Prime Minister George Papandreou began an emergency meeting with the Greek head of state, President Carolos Papoulias, after a government deputy defected on Tuesday, reducing the government's majority to five seats.

"A national effort is demanded, we face critical decisions," Papandreou said ahead of the meeting in televised statements."We will take the necessary decisions to take the country out of the crisis...(but) everyone must accept their responsibilities," the PM said, calling on opposition parties to support the austerity drive.Another party member also recently indicated that he would vote against the government's plan, raising the likelihood the reforms may be rejected.

A similar event in Portugal prompted the collapse of a left wing government followed by snap elections that were won by a right-of-centre party.Reports said the government may seek to force opposition deputies to shoulder some responsibility for the reform package by setting a minimum majority for its passage of 180 votes in the 300-seat body, 25 more than the ruling party holds.

But Greece's right leaning main opposition party insists it will vote against the measures.Greece has warned it will be unable to pay next month's bills without a 12-billion-euro loan instalment from the EU and the IMF, part of a broader 110-billion-euro bailout package agreed last year.But the creditors have warned that no more aid will be forthcoming without firm reform commitments from Athens.

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