Striking doctors clash with police

Striking doctors scuffled with police outside Greece’s parliament yesterday as protests over government cuts spread beyond unions to professional groups.

More than 1,000 doctors, some in white coats, staged the central Athens protest against plans to impose tougher monitoring rules for spending in the National Health Service.

Police used pepper spray during the brief confrontation, which ended without any injuries or arrests.

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The country’s largest unions plan a general strike for February 23, and announced yesterday that retailers will also join the protest and close their stores for 24 hours.

Doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, teachers and public transport workers are all taking part in strikes this week against the latest round of austerity measures.

The government has set in motion a series of longer-term measures aimed at cutting overspending in return for international bailout loans

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