Greek strike shuts down country

Journalists attend a protest in Athens on November 5, 2012, as public transport and media workers began a week of strikes. A 31.5 billion euro bailout installment is due from the European Union and IMF The Greek parliament is expected to pass new austerity measures beforehand Local media say the vote will be a cliffhanger, with narrow passage expected Unemployment has soared to 25% under existing austerity measures (CNN) -- The nation of Greece comes to a screeching halt again for two days starting Tuesday. Unions have called for a 48-hour general strike ahead of an anticipated vote by the Greek government on yet another round of austerity measures late Wednesday night. Protesters will march on the parliament in central Athens on both days. Greek media are expecting the vote to be a cliffhanger with narrow passage by just a handful of votes. If legislators do not pass the measures, it will endanger the payout of the next international bailout installment of 31.5 billion euros, which the government desperately needs to stay in operation. Without the funds, it says it will run out of money by mid-November. Greek protesters allege police brutality Jobs crisis takes toll on Greece Editor arrested for naming rich Greeks The human cost of austerity in Greece But Greeks are furious over the effects of multiple rounds of belt-tightening, which have resulted in cuts to pensions and pay and seen unemployment in Greece's fifth year of recession soar to over 25%. Critics of austerity have called for economic stimulus programs instead, like those implemented in the United States. The two-day general strike has shut down public transportation in Athens and caused flight cancellations. Government offices are closed. During past strikes, hospitals have operated with skeleton crews. If Greece is to stay the course laid out by the so-called troika, the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, more budget cuts will be necessary, as the country's debt woes are worse than previously believed. Recent budget projections for the Greek government exceed the worst-case scenarios envisioned by international lenders when they agreed to a bailout, according to a Financial Times report published by CNN. The hardship many Greek people are suffering has resulted in dogged opposition in parliament to deeper cuts, including within the ruling coalition. The Democratic Party of the Left, or DIMAR, one of three parties making up the coalition headed up by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, has said it will vote against the new round of austerity measures. Samaras' own center-right New Democracy party is expected to vote in favor of the package. Although the third coalition member, the socialist party Pasok, supports the cuts, individual party members have come out against them and could defect, putting the vote in jeopardy. Radical leftist party Syriza, bitterly opposed to austerity and closely connected to Greek unions, calls on its website for Greeks to demonstrate against the "rape" of democracy and the dashing of the hopes of the people. Samaras warned that if the measures don't pass and international funds don't arrive, the nation could plunge into chaos. He is pushing for Greece to receive more than the 31.5 billion euros expected in the latest installment "so that there is a significant effect on the real economy." Greece, and particularly Athens, has seen repeated street demonstrations against the austerity measures imposed on the nation, some of which have turned violent. Journalist Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report